The Lawrence School District progress report is a result of collaborative efforts of many educators in Lawrence. Teachers representing elementary education, special education, art, music, and physical education meet yearly with district curriculum directors to make changes in the progress report reflecting current goals for the district and the State of Kansas. Each state defines yearly standards of learning, or specific goals for students to reach. From those standards, teachers create opportunities for learning. Our goal is to give you and your child clear and detailed information about his or her learning and needs.
What are learning standards?
The Kansas Standards are stated as end of the year academic goals or targets that guide teachers in development of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Student progress is measured toward the stated steps or indicators of the standards that exist in kindergarten through grade 12.
An example of a standard: “Knows and uses math facts efficiently” (Mathematics)
How do we assess student progress?
The learning progress is measured and feedback given through classroom assignments, activities, tests, observations, and projects. Our progress report reflects Kansas State standards, Lawrence Public Schools curricula standards, and successful behavior skills that prepare students to become independent learners.
How is student achievement and progress reported using the student Progress Report?
Letter ratings for performance are used to report academic achievement and progress kindergarten through grade 6. The Progress Report and the parent-teacher conference are available at the end of the first two trimesters; a third progress report is sent home at the end of the school year. The performance ratings of an E, S, M, and T describe your child’s performance toward meeting the standards by the end of the year within each content area of Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Health, and Social Studies.
Teachers create the steps or goals that are to be met based on the standards. They report student achievement three times a year through the Progress Report. The report reflects student achievement based on their performance at the end of each trimester:
E-Exhibits consistent strength in the standards/indicators
S-Successfully meets the standards/indicators
M-Making progress toward the standards/indicators
T-Targeted for growth in the standards/indicators
Blank- Not assessed
*-Additional support provided (teacher, para-educator, etc.)
What are the student performance ratings of E, S, M, or T communicating?
Students are working toward meeting academic standards (or goals) by the end of each year. Each trimester students will receive a rating indicating their progress toward the standard at the end of each trimester.
An E (Exhibits consistent strength); or S (Successfully meets); or M (Making progress); or T (Targeted for growth) for each standard/indicator on the progress report that is being assessed.
The goal of every student is to “successfully meet” (S) the standards by the end of the year. Students may receive an E, S, M, or T at the end of each trimester to reflect their achievement and needs for each area at the time of the report.
A rating of an E indicates the student shows “consistent strength” in that standard at the time of reporting. Students receiving an E are able to consistently show in-depth understanding and are able to apply knowledge and skills in ways that create new understanding.
A rating of an S indicates the student shows that he/she “successfully meets” the criteria or expectation in that standard at the time of reporting. Students receiving an S are able to show understanding and apply knowledge and/or skills of a given standard.
A rating of an M indicates the student shows that he/she is “making progress” toward meeting the criteria or expectations for the standard at the time of reporting. Students receiving an M are able to show partial understanding and need to learn more to apply knowledge and skills based on a specific standard.
A rating of a T indicates the student shows that he/she is “targeted for growth” to meet the criteria or expectations based on the standards at the time of reporting. Students receiving a T are able to show readiness or early understanding and need further support to learn the knowledge and skills based on a specific standard.
The symbol of an * used with an E, S, M, T (or with a letter grade in upper grade levels) indicates that the student is receiving extra or additional adult support in academic areas.
What do the letter grades tell about student progress in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade classroom?
The letter grades are now expanded to include best practice in education for evaluating student performance. An over-all letter grade for fourth, fifth, or sixth graders is included to indicate a student’s trimester progress toward classroom expectations in their learning work.
Assignments may be evaluated with specific criteria in the form of rubrics, portfolios, tests, daily assignments, independent and/or group projects, scores using points, etc. Students earn an over-all letter grade for the content areas of Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Health, and Social Studies.
Grades consider all assignments and performances whether rubric or traditionally scored.
A - Meets and consistently goes beyond trimester academic expectations. This might be scores or an average of 90+ percent.
B - Meets and may go beyond trimester academic expectations. This might be scores or an average of 80-89 percent.
C - Meets trimester academic expectations. This might be scores or an average of 70-79 percent.
D - Partially meets trimester academic expectations. This might be scores or an average of 60-69 percent.
F - Does not meet trimester academic expectations. This might be scores or an average of less than 60 percent.
* - Additional support provided (teacher, para-educator, etc.)
What is the Successful Learner Behavior communicating?
One of the goals of the Lawrence Public Schools is for students to become independent and life-long learners. Steps have been defined to support our students to achieve citizenship and assume responsibility in their communities. An example of a Successful Learner Behavior: “Strives to complete quality work”
How is the Successful Learner Behavior reported in the Progress Report?
Successful Learner Behavior is reported separately from academic progress. Through observations and opportunities during assignments that may reflect individual or group work, teachers observe and assess the stated learner skills. The following is the key found in the Successful Learner section on the back of the progress report.
E- Excels = (Student) exhibits consistent strength with successful learner behaviors
S- Successful = (Student) successfully exhibits learner behaviors
M- Making Progress = (Student is) making progress with learner behaviors
T- Targeted for Growth = (Student behavior is) targeted for growth to lead to successful learning
How are art, music, and physical education reported in the Progress Report?
The art, music, and physical education programs have a separate Progress Report. These progress reports also reflect state standards for each program. Students in grades kindergarten through 6 are given performance ratings of an E, S, M, or T.
Tools for a Comprehensive Reporting System
Trimester Progress Reports (or Report Cards)
Phone Calls to Parents
Comments on the Progress Reports
School Open Houses
Classroom Newsletters to Parents
Personal Letters to Parents
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Homework Assignments
Daily or Weekly or Monthly Notes Home for Individual Students
Informal Communication with Parents/Family
Homework Hotlines
Evaluated Projects or Assignments
Standardized Assessment Reports
District Assessment Results
State Assessment Reports
Student Intervention Team Reviews
School Web Pages
Student-Teacher Conferences
Student-Involved Conferences
Student-Led Conferences
From Ken O’Connor How To Grade For Learning, Assessment Institute, 2005. Based on Guskey and Bailey Developing Grading and Reporting Systems for Student Learning, Corwin, 2001, pp. 175-191