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What is a standards-based report card?

A standards-based report card emphasizes the key skills students are expected to master in each subject at their grade level. In our elementary school, student progress toward meeting content and performance standards is reported three times a year. These reports use benchmarks for each trimester to assess whether students are on track to meet end-of-year standards.

This type of report card offers parents a detailed overview of the expectations for their child. It provides clear insights into their child’s progress toward achieving specific learning standards. Unlike traditional report cards, a standards-based report card breaks down each subject into specific skills and knowledge areas that students are responsible for mastering. This approach delivers more comprehensive feedback, moving beyond a single letter grade to highlight how well a student is performing in relation to grade-level standards.  As a result, it gives parents a clearer understanding of their child's strengths and areas for growth.

Why would we switch from traditional to standards-based grading?

Standards-based report cards place high standards at the forefront of every classroom, making it clear what students are expected to learn throughout the school year. Teachers will collaborate more than ever to create high-quality work that aligns with these standards.

In a traditional grading system, students may receive higher grades simply for turning in work on time and completing tasks, even if they haven’t fully mastered the standards. Conversely, students who have mastered the standards might receive lower grades due to poor work habits. With a standards-based approach, grading is more equitable, reflecting both mastery of content and the development of initiative and work habits.

Students are assessed on their ability to apply the standards to real-life situations, rather than just recalling memorized facts. This approach ensures that teaching and learning are focused on achieving the standards, rather than merely covering material.

How often will my child receive a Standards-Based Report Card?

Our standards-based report card follows three marking periods—December, March, and June. Between trimesters, students will receive a progress report to provide updates on their ongoing development. During each marking period, teachers use specific grading benchmarks to assess and evaluate student progress. These benchmarks are updated each trimester to align with new standards and reflect the evolving expectations for student growth.

How will my child be scored?

The proficiency level represents a student’s progress on the report card.  There are four categories.

ES - Exceeds Standards	Student consistently grasps, applies and extends key  concepts, processes, and skills.  Works beyond standards.
MS - Meets Standards	Student grasps and applies key concepts,processes, and skills.  Meets Standards.
AS - Approaching Standards	Student is beginning to grasp and apply key concepts, processes, and skills.  Approaching standards.
NS - Needs Support	Student is not grasping key concepts, processes, and essential skills.  Area of concern.
/	Not assessed at this time.

Please keep in mind that these numbers are not indicators of linear performance from trimester to trimester; instead, they reflect the specific goals of the current trimester. For example, your child may receive a “2” in a particular content skill during one trimester, but this does not necessarily mean they will receive a “3” in the same skill in the next trimester. This variation reflects the natural progression of skills and the evolving curriculum benchmarks throughout the year.

We want parents to understand that our teaching and assessments are designed to ensure every student has the opportunity to meet our curriculum standards. Since students progress at different rates, they may achieve these standards over varying timeframes and with different levels of teacher support.

How do teachers determine proficiency levels?

Teachers determine your child’s proficiency level on the report card by using multiple measures.  Throughout the trimester, teachers continuously assess students with the grade-level standards in mind. They consider several factors: an understanding of how your child learns best and how they communicate their learning, evidence of student performance through collected work samples, activities, assessments, and teacher observations, and finally, an awareness of the district curriculum, standards, and report card benchmarks.

It’s important to note that effort, participation, adherence to rules, attendance, and the status of assignments are not included in measures of achievement; these behaviors are recorded separately.

After carefully evaluating these aspects, the teacher assigns a proficiency level for each area on the report card.

Will there be conference opportunities available to discuss my child’s progress?

Yes.  Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled twice a year (December and March (struggling students only in March)).  You are also welcome to schedule a meeting with your child's teacher whenever you have concerns.

Will parents be able to view the grading benchmarks?

The elementary report card benchmarks are available to parents and students through PowerSchool.  Paper copies are available upon request at your child’s school office.

Sample Report Cards - Coming Soon!