Roxbury Public Schools Parent/Teacher/Community Survey
Report Card Revisions Grades 1-5

Report of Results 

The following are the results of a district-wide survey that was conducted to acquire community feedback regarding the content of the reports currently used in the district.  The most recent design revisions were reviewed with a parent sub-committee, and their reaction was favorable.  The report cards will be finalized and in use for the 2004-2005 school year.

The survey, comprised of ten questions, was made available to parents, teachers, and community members through notices that were sent home as well as the district web site.  The purpose of this survey was to gain input to be considered in the process of revising the report cards for grades K -5. 

I. The following represents a summary of the responses received as of the deadline of November 5, 2003. 

Response to Report Card Survey 

II. The following is what a review of the responses revealed:

Question 1: What do you see as the purpose of a report card? 

Virtually all respondents agreed that the purpose of a report card is to report on a child’s progress in school.  Approximately 1/3 of the respondents indicated that the report card should make clear a child’s strengths and weaknesses.  Several respondents indicated that the report card should include more indicators of social progress.  Isolated/extremely limited surveys expressed the position that the report card should include information to allow the parent to compare the child to his/her peers on a local/state, and/or, national basis.   

Question 2: Is the present report card format meeting your needs in reporting the progress your child(ren) is (are) making in school?  

70% of the respondents indicated yes; 30% said no.  Of those who felt that the report card is not meeting their needs the comments included

-         the Grade 1-2 grading system (check, plus, slash symbols) is vague

-         there should be more evaluation levels

-         there should be a list of skills mastered

-         a traditional grading system (A, B, C, etc.) should be used

-         there should be more information relative to emotional/social growth

Question 3: In what subject areas do you want feedback on your child’s progress? 

There was virtually universal agreement that feedback should be provided in all areas in which the children receive formal instruction.

Question 4: Which do you feel is more valuable in reporting your child’s progress, letter grades or a checklist?

 The majority of responses indicated a checklist for younger (K-2) children, and letter grades for grades 3 and up. 

Question 5a: At what grade level should letter grades (A, B, C, etc.) be given?

 43% of the respondents indicated that letter grades should begin before grade 3; 57% indicated that letter grades should begin in grade 3 or higher.

Question 5b: If letter grades are not used, what method of reporting would you find helpful/appropriate?

 Suggestions included

-         skills checklist

-         narrative

-         pass/fail

-         numeric rank

-         portfolio 

Question 6: Does the comment key on the present report card give you clear and adequate information?

 80% of the respondents indicated in the affirmative.  The comments included among the other 20% included the desire for

-         more information on social skills

-         how to improve behavior

-         how the child compares to the other children in the class

-         more positive comments

-         more consistency in the use of comments by teachers 

Question 7: Which of the following should be included on a report card: conduct, study skills, homework, class participation, other?

 Virtually all respondents indicated that all of these areas should be addressed.  Comments included the desire to see

-         a separate assessment of speaking from listening (currently combined)

-         an indicator of organizational skills

-         class rank 

Question 8: How would you like the items in #7 reported, e.g., number related to a key, narrative, check/plus/minus? 

The responses were essentially evenly divided among the three options. 

Question 9: Please offer any comments or suggestions you would like the Report Card Committee to consider.

-         knowledge of how child compares to peers

-         desire for a meeting/hand out about the report cards

-         desire for an indicator for citizenship

-         Clarity…”What does an ‘A’ mean?” 

III. Analysis 

The discussions among the committee members - reflecting a variety of professional philosophies relative to grading, as well as community feedback – resulted in several guiding principles: 

1. The content of the report card should be meaningful and accurate in its purpose of reporting a child’s progress in terms of grade level expectations.
2. The content and evaluation method of each report card must be established with an appreciation for the standards that guide our curriculum as well as recognition of developmental appropriateness. 
3. The transition from one grade level reporting system to the next should be designed to be fluid rather than abrupt.
4. Parents must be provided with the applicable grade level terminal objectives to provide clear communication of grade level expectations.
5. As staff members at each grade level, we must share a common understanding of the meaning of areas to be evaluated, as well as the indicators used to evaluate a child’s progress.  We should strive for as much reliability as possible, understanding that the subjective nature of reporting cannot be escaped.

In determining the degree of specificity that should be included in the report cards, the following considerations stood out: 

1. The report card is just one means of communication.  There are other ways, often more effective ways, that teachers can and do communicate with parents.  Likewise, there are other ways that we can consider for the future in our effort to achieve clarity and consistency.
2. Effective with the 2004-2005 school year, the K-5 report cards will be computer generated rather than prepared by hand.  In the long run the advantages are many.  Initially, however, we will experience a learning curve as the staff gradually becomes comfortable with the process and the procedures that will support the endeavor.
3. One of the greatest advantages of the computer generated report cards is that they lend themselves to ease of modification.  The final product should come before committee review each year as a matter of procedure.  In this way we can be assured that as changes occur in standards, curriculum, and/or agreed upon reporting modifications, the report cards will serve rather than inhibit us in our communication with parents.

IV. Conclusions 

1. The final report card products must serve both the interests of parents in receiving meaningful information, and be feasible in terms of preparation given the new computer system.
2. Prior to the implementation of the new report cards, there must be clear, concise documentation of grade level understandings concerning terminal objectives as well as the meaning/use of each grading indicator. 
3. Communication in various forms, including but not limited to evening presentations for the public and web site articles, shall be a priority to help ensure that parents will understand how the district is responding to their report card survey feedback, and to provide information/address questions to make the report cards, and the philosophy supporting them, clear. 
4. Each completed report card will be accompanied by a document that will define the grade level objectives as well as the meaning of each grading indicator.  Therefore, while the report card itself, for example, will not break mathematics down into its various strands, supporting materials will define the meaning of “math concepts” as they apply to the given grade level. 

  V. Where do we stand, and where do we go from here? 

1. We are currently preparing drafts reflecting the agreements of the committee members.  These will be distributed within the next 2 weeks to all faculty and administrators for review and comment.
2. The committee will consider all feedback and propose revisions.  The revised drafts will be distributed to building principals for review and any additional feedback.
3. The Parent Review Committee will be invited to review the proposed drafts and provide feedback.
4. Final drafts will be distributed throughout the district for review.
5. A meeting of administrators will take place in order to come to a formal agreement about the final proposed report cards.
6. The proposed report cards will be presented to the Education Committee.
7. The proposed documents will be presented at an Educational Forum.
8. The final documents will be prepared in the format necessary for data entry.  Concurrently, training of staff and preparation of support documents, noted earlier, will begin.