Standards-Based Report Cards

A standards-based report card provides detailed information on how well your child is progressing towards the standards. Grade-level expectations change from one marking period to the next as the rigor of the standards increases.

Standards-Based grading communicates how students are performing on a set of clearly defined learning targets. The purpose of standards-based grading is to identify and communicate what a student knows, or can do, in relation to those learning targets.

In traditional grading systems, a student’s grade represents an average for a particular period of time and does not necessarily show progress.  For example, early quiz scores that were low might be averaged with higher scores later in the unit, resulting in a lower overall grade that does not accurately reflect a student’s current understanding of concepts.  Standards-based report cards also separate academic performance from work habits/behavior to provide parents a more accurate view of a student’s progress in both areas.

With a standards-based approach, teachers evaluate student learning using a variety of methods, including observing students in small group and independent setting, evaluating student work, and analyzing assessments. The combination of these pieces of evidence, when reviewed with parents, provides a more detailed picture of student progress towards grade-level expectations.

It is important to note that a student’s mark may change from report card to report card as concepts increase in difficulty. Therefore, a student who earns a mark of “Proficient” in the first trimester may earn “Approaching” in the second reporting trimester when the rigor of the standard has been increased.  For example, early in second grade, students are expected to solve one-step word problems.  Later in the year, students need to solve multi-step word problems.  A student who receives “Proficient” earlier in the year for this standard and “Approaching” later in the year needs more time to acquire the necessary skills and concepts to solve these types of more challenging problems.

As always, teachers meet students where their needs are, and supplemental supports can be put in place at any time.  If a student has a learning need prior to moving to a higher-level skill the teacher may support that in a small group setting to reteach as necessary.

Yes. Assigning grades (i.e., achievement or "letter" grades) for a child with a disability based on the student's grade level (i.e., year-in-school) standards would be consistent with Section 504 or Title II. Generally, Section 504 and Title II would require that if an LEA assigns grades to nondisabled students participating in regular education classes using grade level standards to reflect progress in the general education curriculum, then the LEA would also assign grades to students with disabilities participating in regular education classes using grade level standards to reflect progress in the general education curriculum.

Yes. Individualized feedback is an essential component of standards-based grading. Effective feedback is a more useful source of information than simply assigning a numeric value or letter grade to student work. A goal of using standards-based grading is to improve communication among students, parents, and teachers regarding student achievement.

Ongoing communication between teacher and parent will keep families informed about how this is being addressed in the classroom.

Percentages are not used in the new reporting system. Students in elementary school are not currently ranked and will not be in the future.

Please communicate with your child’s classroom teacher if you have any additional questions.