Standards Based Report Cards

PARENT INFORMATION GUIDE
Luck Elementary Standards-Based Report Cards

The purpose of this information guide is to provide parents of elementary school students information about the new standards-based report card and to answer the most frequently asked questions about reporting and grading aligned to academic standards.

Why is the elementary school transitioning to a standards-based reporting system? The traditional report card simply does not provide parents with enough information regarding their child’s academic progress at school. The traditional grading system tells a very incomplete tale about what a student knows and doesn’t know, and it gives no feedback as to what a student needs to work on in order to improve and/or meet grade-level expectations.

Why are grades not used? The practice of averaging scores throughout a marking period is a formula that presumes that students must reach mastery of skills early in the school year with little room for error. In addition, grades are often calculated by combining how well the student met a teacher’s expectations, how much effort the student put forth, and how the student is doing in comparison to other students. A letter grade only tells the student and parent how well he or she performed on average in a broad area such as reading or math. A standards-based report card measures how well the individual student is doing in relationship to each grade level standard or learning goal. This gives parents a better understanding of their child’s strengths and weaknesses and encourages all students to do their best.

How is achievement identified on the report card? Each academic standard listed on the report card will be evaluated as follows on a four-point scale: 4-ADVANCED (exceeding grade-level expectations), 3-PROFICIENT (meets grade-level expectations), 2-BASIC (partially meets grade-level expectations), and 1-MINIMAL (does not meet grade-level expectations). It is important to note that you may see categories unscored at different reporting times due to the report card reflecting the learning goals for the entire year and not just the current trimester. It is extremely important to note that the goal for students on the four-point scale is to be at a 3.  Earning 4s will be very rare and only used to denote when a child is learning and performing above his or her grade-level standards.

How will the teacher assess my child’s progress? In standards-based classrooms, the focus is on a student’s performance over multiple opportunities, not simply grading and averaging tests and quizzes. Teachers collect evidence of students’ achievement through careful observation, examination of student’s work, discussions, projects, performance tasks, quizzes and tests. Teachers record information about each child’s progress on a frequent basis, analyze and compile this information, and use this data to evaluate a child’s progress towards meeting grade level standards and/or learning outcomes.

How is proficiency reported for special education students, students with 504 Plans? No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regulate assessment practices for students who are classified with a disability or are in need of specially designed instruction.  Special education students must be graded using the same grading system as all other students and their academic program must be aligned to the state’s academic standards. The Individual Education Plan (IEP) team determines, what, if any, accommodations and/or modifications are needed for the student to meet the standards. The IEP team aligns each annual goal to the appropriate standards and monitors progress throughout the school year.

What is the RESPONSIBILITY or LIFE SKILLS grade? The work habits that students bring to the learning environment are critical to a student’s long-term success. The grade here is meant to reflect the characteristics of a successful learner.  These characteristics include timely work completion, classroom effort, organization, respectful behavior, etc.  These qualities will be assessed separately from the academic standards and teachers reinforce these skills with each child, emphasizing the importance of strong work habits and positive social interactions. Most students will hopefully meet the standard for learner behaviors early in the school year.

How can parents support their children at home? A key advantage of the new reporting system is that it provides more specific information to parents in working with their child at home on identified skill areas. The academic standards or learning goals help parents know what their child is working on in school and can provide the basis for conversations at home between parents and their children. This information can be used by parents to support the school’s efforts in educating their child to reach proficiency or to move their child to more advanced levels. The report card serves as one communication device used by teachers to inform parents of their child’s progress. Parents are encouraged to communicate with their child’s teacher as needed. You play a vital role in your child’s academic success.

How will our children’s progress be reported in the areas of library, art, music, and physical education class?  These “specials” classes are also using standards-based reporting.