Your child has brought home his/her fall Progress Report, and you may be wondering why it looks different from other report cards. The following questions and responses are intended to help answer questions you may have. Should you have further questions, please contact your child’s teacher or principal.

The Ministry of Education has provided an Elementary Progress Report card for use in the fall (November) and a Provincial Report Card for the end of Terms 1 (February) and 2 (June). All publicly funded schools in Ontario are required to use the new Report Cards. The purpose of the progress and provincial report cards is to provide parents and students with clear, detailed and straightforward information about the student’s strengths, as well as, next steps that will assist in improving student learning.

This report is not an evaluation of your child’s achievement. Rather, the purpose is to give students and parents early and specific feedback regarding general progress during the first two months of the school year. The Progress Report will tell you how well your child is developing in their learning skills and work habits, as well as how they are progressing in all subject areas. Instead of assigning a grade at this time, teachers will indicate how well your child is progressing: “very well”, “well” or “with difficulty.” The Progress Report also highlights areas of strengths and areas that need to be improved. Evaluation or marks are included on the Term 1 and 2 reports in February and June.

• Progressing With Difficulty: The student work is currently not meeting the provincial standard and it is the teacher’s professional judgement that the student will likely not meet the standard by the end of Term 1. The student will require assistance and improvement to meet the provincial standard by the end of the term.

• Progressing Well: The student is demonstrating ongoing, consistent progress towards meeting the provincial standard and there is evidence that the student is meeting or will likely meet the provincial standard by the end of Term 1.

• Progressing Very Well: The teacher is confident that the student will meet or surpass the provincial standard by the end of Term 1. There is very consistent evidence that the student has met or surpassed the provincial standard.

The Ministry has set the standard for achievement at Level 3 (letter grade B or 70%).

Students’ strengths and next steps are included on the progress report and report cards. Supporting your child in developing good work habits, helping your child to follow the suggested next steps, keeping in touch with your child’s teacher and staying informed about your child’s progress will all contribute to his or her success.