Standards Based Report Card: Frequently Asked Questions

How often will families be informed about students’ progress?

Kindergarten families will receive reports via the PowerSchool Parent Portal in the winter and spring.

Grades 1-5 families will receive reports via the PowerSchool Parent Portal in the fall, winter and spring. 

In addition to the report cards, teachers take steps to frequently communicate about what is happening in their classrooms and what parents/guardians should be looking for through work sent home, email, digital platforms, etc. Families will be able to log on and use the PowerSchool Parent Portal to view report cards in the student information system. This will replace the paper report card. Paper report cards can be printed and/or translated as requested.

What is a Standards-Based Reporting System? 

A standards-based reporting system helps to communicate the grade level standards and curriculum to parents and students and is focused on showing growth towards the end-of-year grade level standards. The NYS learning standards establish challenging skill and content knowledge expectations for all students. They describe what students should know and be able to do, and serve as the basis for the NCSD’s curriculum, instruction and assessment model. The report card and reporting system has been changed to provide more information to parents about student progress towards proficiency on these standards, and in some cases, the underlying skills within the standards.

What is the purpose of the standards-based report card?

The purpose of the standards-based report card is to clearly communicate student performance at a given point in the year toward end-of-year grade level standards (skills and knowledge) to families.

Why the move to a standards-based reporting system? 

The change to a Standards-Based reporting system comes from the belief that our previous report card and reporting system did not fully communicate what students are expected to know and be able to do as set forth in the standards. This new reporting system will allow students to be more aware of what is expected of them. It will provide families with language adapted from the standards that outlines the skills and content that are prioritized in each of the major academic and social areas.  We believe that understanding what is expected of your child and how well they are progressing towards the grade level goals is very important and the standards-based reporting system will assist in this endeavor.

What are Work Habits and Social Growth?

Work Habits and Social Growth represent student behaviors that lead to success as a student and contribute to future success in educational, career and personal pursuits.  At the elementary school level, we have separated Student Success Attributes into three areas:  “Care for Self” and “Care for Others” and “Care for Environment & Tools”.  These reflect the district’s focus on supporting students’ social, emotional and academic developmental needs as learners. The Work Habits and Social Growth section of the report card shows growth toward end-of-year grade level standards, similar to the academic sections of the report card. 

What’s the difference between the previous grading system and a standards-based reporting system?

Previous Grading System

  • Used some language from previous standards but not consistently 
  • May have included non-academic factors that affect grades, such as participation, attendance, late work, etc.
  • Provided limited information to families about science and social studies

Standards-Based Grading

  • 3, 2, 1 represent student performance in relation to specific standards at a given point in the year toward end-of-year grade level standards
  • Report what students know and are able to do in relation to the standards at a specific point in the year
  • Clearly articulates areas of strength and opportunities for growth via the standards
  • Behavioral information (called Work Habits and Social Growth) reported separately and based on the Collaborative for Academic and Social Emotional Learning (CASEL) SEL Framework and Responsive Classroom

Can you further explain the scores for me? 

It is important to note that the numeric scores (3, 2, 1) are not equal to an A or B or C in a traditional grading model.

3 – Meeting Grade Level Standard

    • Indicates the student has proficient understanding and meets end-of-year grade level expectations for a set of skills and knowledge.  In most cases this means students demonstrate skills and knowledge independent of teacher support and with regularity/recency. Many students will reach a level “3” by the end of the year.  

2 – Approaching Grade Level Standard

    • Indicates the student has basic understanding and is partially proficient at meeting end-of-year grade level expectations for a set of skills and knowledge. A student receiving a “2” is approaching but has not yet demonstrated skills and knowledge independent of teacher support and with regularity/recency. Many students will reach a level 2 during the school year.

1 – Gaining Awareness and Preparing to Approach Grade Level Standard

    • Indicates that the student is in the process of gaining an awareness of the content and skills associated with a given standard and may need intensive, regular teacher support. 

N/A

    •  Indicates this standard is not assessed at this time.

My child received all 3’s and 4’s in the previous system, should I expect them to receive all 3’s in this new grading system? 

    It depends. A “3” on a standards-based report card means that the student has demonstrated proficiency in the grade level end-of-year standard. During the school year, while learning new material, gaining awareness of and approaching this end-of-year proficiency, it will be expected that teachers  record that as a “2” or a “1” on the report card. This is not an indication that your child has changed or is struggling, it is an indication of where they are performing in relation to the grade level end-of-year standard. 

    Why is there not a 4 on our Standards-Based Report Card?

    A “4” on a standards-based report card means that teachers are teaching and assessing the following year’s standards on a regular basis. As a district, we recognize that in a given grade, we are teaching and assessing that grade level’s standards. 

    In addition, a “4” is tied to a more traditional grading system, i.e., a “4” equals an “A” and we have moved to a standards based grading system.  

    My child is academically strong.  How will the report card reflect a student’s performance that is beyond the grade level standard?

    Some students are able to demonstrate strength in skills and knowledge that go beyond the grade level standards.  These skill strengths can be reflected in the comments teachers include as part of the report card.

    My child struggles with some school subjects. What data will inform decisions about academic interventions? How will I know how to best support my child?

    Each school has a Data Review Team (DRT) that meets five times a year to review evidence of student learning from district and classroom assessments for all students.  Students who earn a “1” or a “2” on the report card may not need academic intervention support.  The DRT team takes a deep dive into formative, diagnostic and standardized assessment evidence to determine the need and intensity for academic intervention. 

    What will be the greatest challenge for parents with regard to understanding the new report cards?

    The journey towards understanding and demonstrating skills and knowledge associated with the standards happens over the course of the whole school year, with the final goal being a “3”- Meeting Grade Level Standard. One of the biggest adjustments for students and parents will be that standards-based report cards focus on end-of-year goals. This means that in the first or second grading period, a high-achieving student might have several scores indicating that they are not yet proficient in some skills and still approaching the grade level standard. Although this is normal – most students will not meet all of the year’s goals in the first or second reporting period – it can be disconcerting to parents and children used to seeing all “3’s” or “4’s”. Parents should expect to see “2’s” or “1’s” throughout the school year. A “3” Meeting Grade Level Standard is the end-of-year goal toward which all students and teachers are working.

    Where can I find more information about the new report cards?