Burrillville School Department

Guide to the New Elementary Report Card

Beginning in September 2006, students in grades Kindergarten through Grade 5 will receive the School Department's newly adopted Standards-Based report card. To ease the transition, the following information has been compiled:

What is standards-based reporting?
Standards-based reporting measures each child’s progress toward specific grade-level goals in each subject area; it measures what each child should know and be able to do.

Why standards-based reporting?
Standards-based reporting:

· Provides parents with more accurate and detailed information on their child’s progress and achievement in a clear, concise, and consistent way;

· Reports each student’s progress in relation to identified standards;

· Aligns our school system with the National (NCLB) standards, the Rhode Island standards and assessments, Grade Level Expectations (GLE’s), and the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP).

How often will I receive information on my child’s progress?
You will receive information on your child’s progress a minimum of six (6) times per year. You will receive a mid- trimester progress report (30 day cycle), and a report card at the end of each trimester (60 day cycle). You may also receive additional information from your child’s teacher on an as-needed basis (i.e., if your child is encountering difficulty.)

Why trimesters?
In standards-based classrooms the focus is on student performance over time; students must be able to show their competencies through authentic means of assessment (i.e., demonstrations, performances, and portfolios) that show evidence of their learning.

What is a benchmark?
A benchmark is what a child should know and be able to do at a given point in time.

Is the third trimester a separate benchmark or an end of the year benchmark?
The third trimester is an end of the year benchmark. It is what children should know and be able to do by the end of the year in order to be prepared for the next grade level.