Op/Ed: Is your child behind in school? What report cards aren’t telling you

Our kids are falling behind in school, yet they’re still making the grade. A recent study by Gallup and Learning Heroes provides insight into the complex miscommunication happening between student report cards and parents, and why so many parents are unaware when their child is not performing at their grade level. Simply put, traditional measures like report cards are not enough.

Historically, a B grade has indicated good performance in a subject—from understanding to application—meaning most parents would not see a B grade as cause for concern. In fact, 79% of parents reported that their child receives mostly Bs or better, and 64% stated that report cards are an important indicator for understanding academic progress.

Yet, surprisingly, 90% of parents reported that they believe their child is at or above grade level in math and reading, but select standardized test results show, on average, less than half of students are actually meeting grade-level expectations.

So how is there such a massive disconnect between parents’ perception of student performance and students’ actual academic progress? The answer lies in how schools communicate—or don’t communicate—with parents.

Most schools use a variety of measures, including report cards, grades on individual assignments and tests, and standardized exams. But these can present conflicting information, making it easy for parents to overlook an area their child may be struggling in.

Report cards tend to roll many classroom elements into one grade—participation, attendance, assignment completion, and content knowledge, to name a few—which means a student’s poor understanding of a subject can be easily hidden by their overall class activity, allowing students to progress to the next grade level without meeting expectations. This is not setting our students up for success beyond high school.

Research shows that feedback is powerful in motivating and moving students forward, and the most effective feedback is timely, specific, and aligned with learning objectives—elements generally missing from a standard report card. As parents, we need to look closely at the grades our children receive and ensure their school and teachers prioritize:

• Providing detailed measures for reporting progress that is frequently and readily available;
• Putting an emphasis on whether students have learned what is expected in the course; and
• Communicating frequently—particularly if a student is falling behind.

Online schools, such as K12-powered programs, provide frequent, detailed feedback on assignments and within lessons that parents can access online at any time. There is an open line of communication between the teacher and adult who acts as a learning coach to the student. Teachers can also personalize a student’s learning experience based on academic performance, using targeted small groups, altered game-based lessons, and additional time dedicated to a subject.

Let’s face it—there has been a monumental shift in education and the way we approach teaching. Each student comes from a unique set of circumstances that affects how they learn, and there are now different teaching methods and evolving learning environments designed to meet a variety of students’ needs.

Why should we continue to rely on outdated grading methods when it’s clear they are not serving parents and students the way that they should be? It’s time to transform the way students are graded by making feedback and parent-teacher communication a priority, and thus creating a clearcut path for students to achieve grade-level expectations.

David Rarick is head of school at Hoosier College and Career Academy.