New Elementary Report Card for the 2024-25 School Year

Over the past few years, the Issaquah School District worked on revising the Elementary Report Card system. Starting this school year, the new Elementary Report Card system will be implemented. Elementary parents will be able to check the first new report card on January 31, 2025, after 4 pm in Family Access.

What are the new Grading Scales?

What do they mean?

Grading Scale for Academic Performance: The Academic Grading Scale represents a progression toward mastery of grade-level standards. Mastery indicates the student has demonstrated high levels of accuracy with skills, concepts, problem-solving, and reasoning. See the full Grading Scale Descriptors below for more information on each performance level.

• 4 = Mastery of standards-based learning goals: A student demonstrates Mastery when, by the end of a unit or semester, they have demonstrated knowledge of the core ideas and essential skills taught. They are also adept at engaging in critical thinking, making reasoned inferences, and transferring their learning to different contexts. In other words, by the end of the term, the student has shown the ability to do all or nearly all the work expected from our standardsaligned curricula with minimal support and a high degree of accuracy.

• 3 = Proficiency with core concepts and standards: A student demonstrates Proficiency when, by the end of a unit or semester, they have demonstrated knowledge of the core ideas and essential skills taught. They generally engage in critical thinking, make reasoned inferences, and start to transfer their learning to different contexts. In other words, by the end of the term, the student has shown the ability to do nearly all of the work expected from our standardsaligned curricula with support and scaffolds and may demonstrate 70%-85% accuracy.

• 2 = Basic understanding of core concepts and standards: A student demonstrates a Basic level of proficiency when, by the end of a unit or semester, they have demonstrated knowledge of the core ideas and essential skills taught with some gaps. They engage in critical thinking and make inferences with guidance. In other words, by the end of the term, the student is completing most of the work expected from our standards-aligned curricula with a higher degree of support and scaffolds and may demonstrate 60-75% accuracy.

• 1 = Below grade level: A student demonstrates a Below Grade-Level of proficiency when the student is primarily developing skills related to standards that are prerequisite to grade-level core ideas and essential skills. The student consistently receives significant support and scaffolds in order to access most grade-level core ideas and essential skills.

The State of Washington is making a similar shift in the state achievement scale. The state and ISD are describing "Proficient" or a "3" to mean a student is on track to meet state standards. The state is shifting the "4" to be called "Advanced" which is used in the same way we use the term "Mastery"; it means the student's level of understanding and ability to use learning is beyond the level required by standard. Evidence from standardized testing such as i-Ready, shows that students who achieve Mastery of our curriculum and standards are able to apply their learning to ideas and work that is above grade level.

Mastery also better communicates what it means to achieve at high levels in our curriculum than previous descriptors used to describe a "4".

Grading Scale for Behaviors that Promote Learning: The Grading Scale for Behaviors that Promote Learning is based on the SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) state standards. Behavior grades are an indicator of how students are developing skills in self-regulation and behaviors that result in productive learning and positive social engagement. See the full Grading Scale Descriptors below for more information on each performance level.

• C= Consistently demonstrating age-level behaviors: Student consistently demonstrates behaviors expected of a student at their age, as described in state SEL standards, resulting in productive learning and positive social engagement. Note: Learning behaviors are age appropriate. A student scoring Consistently seldom needs individual prompting or re-teaching. The student routinely responds to whole-class reminders, prompting or teaching.

• M = Meeting behavior expectations described in age level SEL Standards: Student generally meets behavior expectations described in state SEL standards for a student at their age, usually resulting in productive learning and positive social engagement. Note: A student scoring Meeting may need personal reminders of behaviors occasionally (ex: once per week) since whole-class reminders are not always enough to get back on track. Behaviors that affect learning or social engagement are minor and the student corrects behaviors with prompting. The student sustains positive behaviors for most of the day, most days.

• E = Emerging grade level skills: Social, emotional, and behavior skills are emerging. Student requires reminders of expected behaviors or reteaching of behavior skills multiple days per week in order to stay engaged in learning and/or positive social engagement. Note: Students with Emerging behaviors receive regular monitoring, prompting, and scaffolding to maintain positive behaviors. Behaviors may sometimes substantially interfere with learning or social engagement.

• G = Growth Area, receiving support to learn age-level behaviors: Student benefits from ongoing reminders and re-teaching opportunities throughout the day to support expected behaviors in order to engage in learning and/or positive social engagement. Note: For students whose behaviors are Growth Area, behaviors regularly interfere with learning and/or social engagement. The parent/guardian/ caretaker and teacher are working together on a support plan. The plan may be written or verbal and includes a clear description of expected behaviors and interventions.

In addition to these grades, you may see the following on your student's report card:

• NA = Not Assessed in this grading period

• NG = No Grade (used in agreement with parents or explained in comments)

• Y = Yes (used to indicate if a student is also receiving a supplemental progress report)

Learning about your child's progress begins with home communications such as class newsletters, work samples sent home, the fall conference, and individual parent-teacher communications as needed. Please visit: Elementary Report Card - Issaquah School District 411 for more detailed information and what a sample report card looks like.

Why did the District make these revisions?

These revisions were made to:

• Better reflect the most important learning in the school curriculum.

• Improve communication between teachers and caregivers about their students' academic progress.

• Supplement other forms of communication between teachers and parent/guardian/caretakers.

• Work in conjunction with district assessment reports emailed to parent/ guardian/caretakers in the fall, winter, and end-of-year.