Understanding Your Child’s Report Card The report card that you are receiving this year was revised during the 2016-2017 school year with the aid and input of parents, teachers, administrators, and curriculum and instruction personnel. This report card, aligned with national and state standards, is designed to provide you with specific information about your child’s performance in each grade and in each subject.

What Is the Purpose of the Elementary Report Card? The purpose of the elementary report card is to communicate your child’s performance in relation to the grade level expectations at the end of each marking period. The report card is just one way of learning about your child’s performance and progress in school. Conferences with the teacher, along with samples of your child’s work, can add to your understanding of your child’s performance in school

When Are Report Cards Sent Home? November 16 February 1 April 19 Last Day of School (June 15) Report cards are sent home with your child quarterly. Distribution of report cards is indicated on the Webbased System Calendar, and also on the BCPS Information Calendar which is distributed at the beginning of each school year. Report cards come home in a brown BCPS envelope like the one pictured. You may keep the report card, but it is important that you sign the envelope and have your child return it to the teacher after the first, second, and third marking periods. Your signature indicates that you have received and read the report card. You may also use the check boxes on the envelope to request a conference. Upon receiving a report card envelope with “Conference” checked, the teacher will contact you to schedule a convenient time. At the end of the year, you may keep the report card envelope.

What is Included in the Report Card? Student Information and Attendance Achievement Content Special Area Skills and conduct Comments*

Student Information and Attendance

Achievement Achievement codes describe your child’s performance and level of understanding in relationship to the grade level standards and curriculum expectations at the end of each marking period. All Level 1 and Level 2 English Learners (ELs) will receive a code (NG for “No Grade”) on their report card in lieu of an achievement grade for the first two marking periods they are in the school system. After the first two marking periods they are in the system, all Level 1 and Level 2 ELs receive a Pass / Fail indicator in all non-ESOL classes.

ELA Performance in Language Arts In the area of language arts, students will receive progress indicators in the five domains aligned to the Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards. Primary (Grades 1–3): There is no overall achievement code; only a progress indicator in each of the five language arts areas. Intermediate (Grades 4–5): Students receive an overall achievement grade (A, B, C, D, E) and a progress indicator in each domain using the above referenced domain codes (1-4).

ELA Instructional Reading Level Learning to read is a complex process and therefore students will develop the skills and strategies needed to process text at different rates and at different times. Each reader’s needs are unique and it is important for teachers to understand each student as an individual reader so that instruction can be truly responsive. The Maryland College and Career Ready Standards require students to read a variety of text types, both literary and informational, reflecting an increasing staircase of complexity as they move from grade level to grade level. Matching texts to readers is a critical step in planning responsive small group instruction and in ensuring that students are progressing along a literacy continuum.

Math Performance in Math In the area of mathematics, students will receive progress indicators in domains aligned to the Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards.

Math Performance in Math

Math Performance in Math In the area of language arts and mathematics, teachers will indicate if a student’s program has been modified for one of the following reasons: Modified: English Learner - The student is an English Learner and receives instruction that is reflective of modified standards. Acceleration – The student has demonstrated readiness and need for instruction in mathematics standards a grade above their age-appropriate grade level. The student has been assessed through the Office of Advanced Academics for “subject level acceleration” in the area of mathematics and participates in Advanced Academics mathematics instruction in a higher grade

Content Courses Science: Aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Social Studies: Aligned to national and state standards Health: Aligned to Maryland State Standards

Special Area Students will receive grades at the conclusion of Marking Periods 2 and 4 Library/Media: Aligned to national standards Art: Aligned to national and state standards Physical Education: Aligned to national standards Vocal Music: Aligned to national and state standards Instrumental Music: Aligned to national and state standard Grades 1-3 Students will receive grades at the conclusion of Marking Periods 2 and 4 in the following areas using the codes CD, N, P, or NA Grades 4-5 Students will receive grades at the conclusion of Marking Periods 2 and 4 in the following areas using the codes A, B, C, D, E, or NA Grades provided at the conclusion of Marking Period 2 should be reflective of the body of evidence gathered throughout Marking Periods 1 and 2. Grades provided at the conclusion of Marking Period 4 should be reflective of the body of evidence gathered throughout Marking Periods 3 and 4.

Skills and Conduct Students in Grades 1–3 will receive scores in Conduct and Learning Skills from their homeroom teacher every marking period and in each special area after the second and fourth marking periods. Students in Grades 4-5 will receive scores in Conduct and Learning Skills in each content area every marking period (language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and health) and in each special area after the second and fourth marking periods.

Comments Customized comments will be provided twice during the school year: At the conclusion of Marking Period 2 At the conclusion of Marking Period 3 Teachers will use Elementary Conference Day to provide customized comments regarding student progress during Marking Period 1. A conference may be requested at the conclusion of every marking period.

Understanding Text Levels In BCPS, we use the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System to determine the instructional text level for students. A text level refers to the text’s difficulty as it relates to other texts placed along a gradient of text from A-Z which are not restricted to any single grade level. The Fountas and Pinnell leveling system uses ten characteristics of texts to determine complexity including: genre, text structure, content, themes and ideas, language and literary features, sentence complexity, vocabulary, words, illustrations and book and print features. Texts within each level are varied and may present different challenges for readers. Assigning levels to texts assists teachers in selecting books that match a student’s developing skills to the challenges in a text and provide a tool to guide a student’s choices for independent reading. It is critical to note that we level texts, not students. Readers bring a wealth of background knowledge, experience and interests that can make an individual text more or less challenging. Text levels should never be used as a limitation, but rather a tool for helping teachers match texts to the needs of the readers and to plan instruction aligned to assessment. As a system, our goal is to develop lifelong strategic readers. One of the best ways parents can support that goal is to provide your child with ample opportunities to read. Research is clear that the more children read, the better readers they will become. According to the National Education Association, having kids read a lot is one of the crucial components of becoming a good reader. Young readers need to become practiced at recognizing letters and sounds. The only way to get good at it is to practice. In fact, the U.S. Department of Education found that, generally, the more students read for fun on their own time, the higher their reading scores. Students whose instructional reading level is Above Grade Level consistently read and comprehend text above the grade level complexity band independently and proficiently. Students whose instructional reading level is On Grade Level consistently read and comprehend text within the grade level complexity band independently and proficiently. In BCPS, we use the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System to determine the instructional text level for students reading Below Grade Level. This instructional reading level should reflect the level of text used in daily guided reading instruction. Instructional reading level refers to the following:  Levels A – K: Student reads with 90 – 94% accuracy and proficient or approaching proficiency in comprehension OR 95 – 100% accuracy and limited proficiency in comprehension.  Levels L – N: Student reads with 95 – 97% accuracy and proficient or approaching proficiency in comprehension OR 98 – 100% accuracy and limited proficiency in comprehension.

Other Resources