Dear Mr. McGuire,
After reading an intriguing article in today's Chicago Tribune regarding the growing use of standards-based report cards, I must call into question the continued use of the A,B,C, D and F grading system appearing on my son's recently received report card. I'm completely flabbergasted as to why Lincoln Street Elementary has not considered or experimented with moving towards the issuance of a standards-based report card for all children K-5.
My son, Adam, is currently in 3rd grade and receives letter grades on his report card. Education specialists mentioned in the article seem to agree that the ABC grading system ought to be reserved for the middle school grades and beyond. Instead of trying to determine from these "mystery letters" how well my son is performing compared to other students in his class, I would like to be more aware of how he is performing towards achieving state education standards and classroom goals.
Clearly, a standards-based report card may make more sense and allow for a more in depth report about the specific areas in which my son may be struggling or achieving. For example, his math grade is currently a B-. This particular grade reveals nothing about his weaknesses or strengths relative to the numerous components covered in his mathematics class. Instead, these details, as noted in the article from the Chicago Tribune, are lost in a final grade that lumps together homework, tests, and participation. Instead of compiling these areas into a single grade, why not provide a detailed account (using an enforced scale) of the successes and failures my child experiences in these component areas?
It seems logical to me that parents of students attending Lincoln Street Elementary should not have to struggle to interpret letter grades on their child's report card. Instead, I ask that consideration be given to implementing a more advantageous system based on meeting standards and not friend-to-friend comparisons.
Sincerely,
Linda Jacobson
Response from School Principal:
Dear Mrs. Jacobson,
I, and the rest of the faculty here at Lincoln Street Elementary, understand your viewpoint. The issue of how to approach final grades on report cards arises quite frequently at the end of semesters within all schools in our district and those throughout much of the country. As of now, our faculty members and administration often hold meetings to try and come to terms on a more sophisticated, detailed approach to how grades will appear when released on report cards. Despite our efforts to resolve the issue, it remains a complicated matter for one major reason.
First and foremost, the ABC grading system is deeply rooted in the schools of America and has been for a number of decades. Breaking with tradition, even if for the better, is never an easy task. Attempting to tamper with an established means of reporting final grades has the potential to cause more of an uproar than would the act of holding true to the current grading system. In districts where standards-based report cards have been recently issued, parents of students are citing confusion, educational jargon, and complexity as the biggest challenges faced when trying to interpret standards-based report cards. Educators, too, will face a total reconstruction of their assessment strategies and lesson plans in addition to dedicating countless hours creating these report cards.
Despite these common problems with standards-based report cards, I can assure you that the majority of the faculty and staff employed by this school district agree with your sentiments regarding the need for the implementation of a standards-based system. These systems show remarkable promise for all grade levels, not just the early elementary classrooms. We do believe that it provides parents with a more detailed look at their child's progress in specific components of the typical school subjects. Furthermore, we believe that standards-based report cards give parents, students, and teachers a realistic view of how and where a student can improve. As we, the district, are totally dedicated to successful student learning, we hope to embark on more fruitful conversations regarding this topic and, eventually, begin to work on implementing this type of system in the near future.
Respectfully Yours,
Mr. John McGuire
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