Community Relations
Frequently Asked Questions about Standards-Based Report Cards
What is a standards-based report card?
Standards-based report cards provide information to parents regarding their child’s level of proficiency with respect to particular skills and knowledge in each content area. Standards-based report cards should provide more consistency between teachers than traditional report cards, because all students are evaluated on the same grade-appropriate objectives. Parents can see exactly which skills and knowledge their child has learned to date, including areas of strength and weakness. Standards-based report cards, like the previous report cards, also document attendance as well as skills and behaviors that support learning.
Why switch from the previous report cards?
The Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools describe the Commonwealth's expectations for student learning and achievement in grades K-12 in several content areas. These standards represent a broad consensus of what parents, classroom teachers, school administrators, academics, business representatives, and community leaders believe schools should teach and students should learn. With the increased focus on standards-based education, school divisions in Virginia and throughout the nation are moving toward standards-based grading and report cards.
How will student progress be measured?
The Virginia Standards of Learning were synthesized into major learning goals (report card standards) to provide clear and concise information to parents regarding student progress. Teachers collect evidence of student understanding through observations, class work, projects, and test data then evaluate overall performance using the following scale:
- 4 Exceeds expectations
- 3 Fully meets expectations
- 2 Progressing towards expectations
- 1 Performing below expectations
- N Not yet assessed
In short, each student’s performance is assessed in relation to the learning objectives set for the grade level.
Who was involved in developing the new report cards?
Two years ago, a committee made up of school administrators, instructional coordinators, and teachers began reviewing research and sample templates regarding standards-based reporting systems for grades K-4. As the project evolved, principals, parents and teachers were invited to review documents and to provide feedback.
If my child receives a 4 for a particular skill, will he or she still be challenged in class?
If your child receives a 4, it shows that the teacher has challenged the child to perform beyond the learning objective and the child has succeeded. Even though a child has learned a skill, his or her learning will be enhanced by additional activities that foster critical thinking and a deeper understanding of the content.