As you are aware, report cards will be available for viewing in PowerSchool this afternoon. Because standards-based report cards can be confusing, and because there were a few changes this year, I wanted to take a minute to explain what you should expect from your child’s report card.
The goal in every subject is for a student to earn a 3 on a standard. A 3 means that the student is meeting the benchmark for a given standard, independently, at this moment in time. If your child earns a 3, then he/she is doing everything his/her teachers are asking of him/her with regards to that standard and should feel very proud of this accomplishment. If your child scores a 2, he/she is approaching the benchmark but still needs a bit of help to be able to complete the task at grade level. We will continue to assess many of the skills that were assessed on this report card through the year, so if a student didn’t earn a 3 on a given standard this time, he/she will have more opportunities to practice and master that skill.
Since we use 1, 2, 3, and 4, it is a common misconception to equate a 4 to an “A”, 3 to “B”, etc. Since a 3 means “meets standards,” it is very unusual for students to earn a 4. Even if a student answers all questions correctly on a quiz, for example, they have shown mastery of that standard and have therefore earned a 3. A 4 would mean that a student has consistently and independently turned in work that is above grade level. For many standards, a 4 is not applicable.
This year for the first time, we have added 2+ and 3+ to the report card. If a student earns a 2+ on a standard, it means he/she is very close to meeting standards and I would expect them to be meeting that standard by the next report card. If a student earns a 3+ it means that he/she has not only met the standard, but has scored very highly on assessments and has gone above and beyond the standard in some way.
Another new feature this year is the comment section. Because our comments have a character limit, comments were primarily written by the homeroom teacher. However, all academic teachers reviewed and consulted on all students’ comments, so the comments represent the students’ performance across subjects.
Today I spoke with students about their report cards and encouraged them to ask to see their report cards. If they have questions or concerns, they should ask to meet with me and I will be happy to talk them through any aspect of the report card that they have questions about. I am really enjoying working with your children this year, I’m proud of the work they’ve done so far, and I’m looking forward to seeing them grow!
Thank you as always for your support,
Mrs. Kewriga