New report cards

Dear Editor: My son is a third grader at our neighborhood elementary school. I am not in agreement with the changes DUSD is making to student reports cards, which are expected to go home next week.

DUSD is doing away with the traditional letter grade. Because of Common Core State Standards (CCSS), there will be no more A’s, B’s, or C’s. At least until they can ”align their report card with the CCSS”. I don’t have a problem with change, but what they are putting in its place makes no sense.

The following is quoted from a memo that was sent home on Dec. 2, 2014:

”The transitional report card has a 3-point scale to inform parents how their child is doing in English Language Arts/Literacy in Reading and Writing, and Math. The numbers in the 3-point scale represent the following:

1- Beginning progress on the expectation of the end-of-the-year standards.

2-Approaching the expectations of the end-of-the-year standards.

3-Meeting the expectations of the end-of-the-year standards.

This means that at the end of the first trimester, most of the students will likely be receiving a 1 in the assessed areas. As the year progresses with instruction and learning, students will probably be gaining a deeper understanding and/or learning more standards, perhaps receiving a 2 at the 2nd trimester. At the end of the year, the goal is for students to meet the end-of-the-year targets for these rigorous standards and get a 3.”

So the DUSD will likely give my son a 1 on his report card. Or 33% based on only being 33% thru the school year. Or 1 out of a possible 3 because he still has 2/3 of the year to learn. How does this fairly evaluate my son? How does this differentiate my son from the rest of the students? And at the end of the year, when my son does ”meet the expectations” what is the value in that statement? Was he exceptional? Average?

This is not a fair evaluation. My son has to wait until the end of the year to see a 3 on his report card? How do I explain this to him? I don’t see this motivating him.

I want him evaluated on his test scores for this trimester only, not the scores for one trimester in relation to all three trimesters.

Lisa Rico

Downey

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Published: Dec. 4, 2014 - Volume 13 - Issue 34