Elementary Report Card
Revisions
Franklin Public Schools
Parent Information Meetings
November 2014
Agenda
Context
 Common Core State Standards
 MA Frameworks
Why Revise?
Participants
Changes
 Content
 General and Structural Changes
 Student Responsibilities
 Ratings
 Term progress and effort
Questions
Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
 The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are shared
expectations for knowledge and skills in English/Language
Arts (ELA) and Math. They emphasize both content and
skills.
Massachusetts Frameworks
(MA Frameworks)
 The MA Frameworks are based on the Common Core.
Approximately 85-90% of MA Frameworks are based on
CCSS – meaning MA added 10-15% additional standards.
 Massachusetts teachers are mandated to teach to the MA
Frameworks.
Why Revise Report Cards?
 Need to align teaching and learning
 Based on 2011 ELA and Math Massachusetts
Frameworks
 Based on the Common Core State Standards
 Will be more straightforward and more accurate to grade
with alignment
 Better for children and families
Participants
 Committee members – a team of teachers and
administrators across school and grade levels
 All teachers and administrators across the district
 School Committee
 Parents
Changes: Literacy
Elementary report cards now align with the 2011 Frameworks
 Standards that are currently taught
 Language and sequence from the Frameworks
 Not all standards represented on report card
 All standards are taught but not all standards are graded
 Most important standards at each grade level are reflected on the
report card
 Grade level expectations for mastery of the standards
Changes: Math
O Elementary report cards now align with the 2011 Frameworks
 Standards that are currently taught
 Language from the standards
 Arranged by domain (math topics)
Science and Social Studies
No changes were made to these content areas at this time,
except for moving states and capitals from grade 3 to grade 4.
 Topics continue as in prior years
 Will look at future changes to Science & Social Studies
 Will need to align with new Science Frameworks
Changes: General and Structural
Revisions were made to:
 Students Responsibilities
 Ratings
 Term effort and progress
 Standards
 Specialists
 Comment Bank
Changes: Student Responsibilities
 More positive language and approach
 Based on the Responsive Classroom Approach that develops
students’ social competency and the ability to monitor their own
behavior.
 Consistency K-5
Expectations for Student Responsibilities
grow as students progress through the grades.
Kindergarten
Grade 2
Grade 5
Changes: Ratings
Changes: Ratings
 Mastery (M) is the expected end-of-the year mastery of the
standard. However, student may achieve mastery earlier
than the final report card, even as early as the first term.
 If a student displays mastery based on multiple data points
earlier in the year, then displays regression at a later point, a
grade can change from an M to a P or a B.
Standard Ratings “I” and “N”
 The “I” rating means that the concepts and skills are newly
introduced and have not been assessed at the time of the
report card.
 The “N” rating means that the concepts and skills have not
yet been taught at this point in the school year.
Standard Ratings “I” and “N”
 Many ratings of “N” and “I” should be expected on the first
term report card. This is a reflection of the trajectory of the
curriculum.
 Curriculum trajectories may vary from building to building.
Standards Rating “B”
 B is used to designate that the student is still at the
beginning stages of understanding of a standard.
 The student requires additional re-teaching, reinforcement,
or use of supports in the learning of the concepts and skills
represented in the standard. This re-teaching is above and
beyond what the typical learner needs for success.
 On the previous report card the B may have been used to
indicate the standard was newly introduced. This is no longer
the case with the newly developed report card.
Standards Rating “P”
 The P represents grade level progress towards mastery
of the standard.
 A rating of P for two consecutive terms does not mean that
no growth has occurred, rather, it often represents
progression of academic expectations (i.e. Increased
complexity of content and skills).
 A P is used in the first and second term when a student is on
track for the M at the end of the year, showing the typical
grade level progress at the time that grading occurs.
Term Progress
Term Progress
 The term progress represents progress towards the year end
mastery as identified by benchmarks and other
assessments.
 The term progress for each subject is included with the
report card to denote progress towards the holistic mastery
of all standards taught that term.
Term Progress
 Holistic mastery means that more than one assessment is
used to determine student progress. A multitude of data
points are used to ensure a holistic approach to grading.
 Holistic grading may include data obtained from
assessments, conferencing notes, observational notes, exit
ticket etc.
Comment Page
O The standards on the new report card offer far more details
than what was used on the previous report cards.
O The comment page on the new report card will, therefore,
only be used to note a specific, significant change in student
performance, either a regression or significant growth.
O This page will likely be blank.
Changes: Specialists Report Card
 Assess concept knowledge and skill development
 Physical Education and Health are now graded separately
Committee Members
Chair: Joyce Edwards, Director of Instructional Services
Teachers: Janet Bessette, Jolene Cronin, Anna Grinley,
Meaghan O’Neil, Jennifer Zeilor, Tricia Tobin, Ann Bliss, Katie
Patten, Kristine Richards and Cheryl Bartholomew
With help from: Franklin Math and Literacy Specialists
Administrators: Sarah Klim and all elementary principals and
assistant principals
Questions