Elementary Reporting System Frequently Asked Questions for Parents
General Reporting System Questions
What are the components of the reporting system?
The elementary reporting system was designed for clear communication of student
achievement, behavior, and effort based upon district expectations and standards. It
allows for alignment between curricula, instruction, and assessment consistently
across the district.
Components that are consistent for all students include:
•Report Card
•Conferences
What is the purpose of the report card?
The purpose of the report card is to communicate your child’s achievement, behavior,
and effort based on our district expectations and standards. This information reflects
how your child is performing at designated times throughout the year.
When are conferences held, and how do I sign up for them?
Conferences will take place twice throughout the school year, in October and February.
In early fall, you will be asked to sign up for conference times at your child’s school.
How do I get more information about the elementary reporting system?
Many schools have a late summer or early fall evening where the curriculum and
expectations for grade levels and classrooms is reviewed with parents. Please contact
your child’s school for more information. Curricular frameworks and grade level
rubrics are also available online or from your school’s main office.
Report Card
Why do we use marking code descriptions?
Mark code descriptions are designed to describe your child’s performance in each area
compared to district grade-level expectations and standards at designated times
throughout the school year. They are used to identify skills demonstrated, and they
are also helpful in clarifying skills not yet mastered.
Do the marking codes descriptions translate into letter grades?
No. The marking codes descriptions represent a continuum and should not be thought
of as a 4-point grading scale, such as A, B, C, and D. The marking codes do not
directly translate into a percentage or a letter grade. They communicate your child’s
achievement, behavior, and effort in the current marking period based on district
grade-level expectations and standards.
What do the marking codes mean?
4 = Exemplary
3 = Proficient
2 = Developing
1 = Limited
Generally speaking, a child who receives a 3 is performing at grade level and is
meeting district expectations and standards for his/her grade level in the given
marking period. Please refer to the grade-level marking code descriptions for
clarification of the expectations for each marking code in a given curricular area.
What does a child have to do to receive a 4?
A 4 is attainable. A child must meet all the expectations listed in grade-level marking
code descriptions under the marking code 4. For the most part, this means that a
child has met all grade-level expectations and standards and applies related skills
consistently.
What does “NC” mean on the report card?
“NC” means the curricular area indicated was not covered during the given marking
period.
Can my child get a plus or minus attached to a marking code?
No, only the 5 designated marking codes (1, 2, 3, 4, NC) are to be used. To receive a
given marking code, your child must demonstrate competency for all indicators listed
in the grade-level marking code descriptions for a given curricular area. The comment
sections provide further explanation of your child’s achievement, behavior, and effort.
Where are my child’s spelling grades?
Spelling grades no longer stand alone on the report card. They are a part of the grade
given for Language Arts/Conventions in Writing. This grade will also reflect your
child’s use of spelling and mechanics in daily work.
What is the difference between the two speaking and listening grades?
Your child will receive a Language Arts grade for speaking and listening as well as a
Work Habits grade for listens and follows directions. The Language Arts grade is a
required Minnesota Academic Standard and reflects your child’s speaking when his/she
is expected to present to the class or share with a group. In Language Arts, your
child’s listening skills will be evidenced by his/her ability to actively listen and react
to teachers, students, or other presenters. The Work Habits grade reflects your
child’s demonstration of good listening during directions, evidenced by either
following the directions correctly or asking relevant questions that would clarify
directions given.
How should I interpret the grades on my child’s report card?
All grades are given based on our district grade-level expectations and standards,
which are clarified on grade-level marking code descriptions. Parents are strongly
encouraged to use the grade-level marking codes descriptions to interpret each grade.
Many parents find it helpful to read all levels to interpret both their child’s strengths
and his/her areas for growth. Grade-level marking codes descriptions are available
online and from your school’s main office.
Conferences
What will be shared with parents during conferences?
Conferences provide a time for parents and teachers to meet face-to-face. Any
information/documentation that will give you a sense of how your child is doing
midway through the first and second trimesters, such as individual strengths as well as
areas for continued growth and development, may be shared and discussed.
What if I need to talk to my child’s teacher after the February conference date?
As always, you are encouraged to contact your child’s teacher(s) at any time
throughout the school year to discuss your child’s progress and any concerns or
questions you may have. You will also receive an additional report card reporting your child’s
progress before the end of the school year.
Special Education
Who is responsible for reporting special education students’ progress for students
not in a center-based program?
Classroom teachers are responsible for completing report cards and midterms, but may
confer with special education teachers. Special education teachers are responsible for
reporting progress on IEP (Individual Education Plan) goals at least as often as general
education teachers report progress. Special education teachers report through the
annual IEP process and through progress reports, both verbal and written, as directed
by the IEP.
Who grades students in special education center-based classrooms?
The special education teacher in the center-based program has the primary
responsibility for determining grades in conjunction with any regular education
teachers involved. If the IEP team decides a report card is inappropriate for a given
student, this should be addressed in the IEP.