Elementary Progress Report Proposal May 2013

Process 18 months of committee work. 3 representatives from each elementary school (at the start at least). Spirited debates! Looked at progress reports from many other systems – incorporated the best features. Building/grade level reviews. Field tested with selected parents – Feb. 2013

Why Change Current progress reports are time consuming for teachers and can be interpreted many ways. Needed more precise, detailed information for parents. Provides explicit information about the standards for that quarter. Proposal is standards based and aligned with new ACPS curriculum. Ability (in future) to connect with electronic grade book with progress report. Move to PowerSchool provides for improve application to support progress reports.

Current Progress Report

Proposed Progress Report Insert new progress report copy

Major Components Instructional Reading Level Reading: Word Analysis; Comprehension Writing: Composition and Mechanics Instructional Math Level Math: Number Sense; Computation and Estimation; Measurement and Geometry; Probability, Statistics, Patterns, and Algebra. Science Social Studies

Major Components Art Music Physical Education Life, Work, and Citizenship Skills Text boxes for each content area if needed.

Marking System Subject Areas 4: Shows advanced understanding…..consistently applying them independently and creatively. 3: Shows proficient understanding…..frequently applying them independently. 2: Shows basic understanding…..occasionally applying them independently. 1: Show need for significant support…..infrequently or never applying them independently. Life, Work, and Citizenship Skills Consistently Occasionally Does Not

Marking System Quarterly marking indicates student’s proficiency with standards at that point in time. (Not a quarter wide average.) Student achievement in reading and math is marked against their instructional level to acknowledge the progress of all students.

Policy IKC -1: Grading Current Policy Requires Letter Grade at Elementary Level Request Change to Numbers –Better Communication with ELL parents. –Provides an opportunity to more clearly define what the mark means. –Facilitates better communication on a student’s academic level. –Mirrors the Transfer Task rubric

Field Test ProbeAgree or Strongly Agree S: The standards based progress report provides me with more information regarding what my child has learned or needs to learn in each subject than the current ACPS progress report. 77% S: I find the information on the progress report to be about right. 50% S: I find the information on the standards based progress report to be helpful in discussing my child’s progress with his/her teacher(s). 70% S; I think the Life, Work, and Citizenship Skills area of the report is relevant information in helping me understand my child’s progress. 78% S: I understand the scoring rubric for the new progress report. 72%

Support for Teachers Professional learning for teachers prior to beginning of SY2013 to facilitate grade book set-up. Professional learning shortly before using the online system to facilitate entry of scores on 1 st quarter progress reports. Support available through grade level curriculum groups or at a building level. Extending the grading window.

Support for Parents Letter to parents with basic overview after board approval and again in the fall. FACE Centers will provide parent workshops on understanding the new progress report. Schools will be provide with materials for doing a parent workshop on site if desired. Website: basic information, sample, and FAQs. Parent conferences are scheduled at the same time that the new progress report will be used.