Dear Parents and Caregivers,
As the new school year begins, we want to provide you with information about the exciting changes to report cards and how your child’s learning will be communicated to you throughout the year. The Ministry of Education and Child Care has implemented a new Learning Update Policy which defines provincial direction in communicating student learning.
You may remember getting a letter grade or percentage at the end of a chapter in your textbook, signaling to you that learning had come to an end. Today we know that learning doesn’t stop when students hand in an assignment or complete a test, and the new reporting policy reflects this. Beginning this school year, students in Kindergarten through Grade 9 will be assessed on a four-point proficiency scale, representing their ongoing learning, instead of receiving letter grades. Last year, students in Kindergarten through Grade 7 in Richmond received proficiency scales, and this is expanded now to students in Grades 8 and 9 in accordance with provincial policy. Students in Grades 10 to 12 will continue to receive a letter grade and percentage on report cards. Report cards for all students also include student self-reflection and goal setting, as well as descriptive feedback from the teacher.
What do these changes mean?
Report cards may not look the same as when you were in school or may look different from what you received for your child last year. However, you can trust that the information you will receive will provide a clear picture of what your child can do, where they can improve, and how you can support their learning. The Ministry of Education and Child Care, responsible for creating reporting requirements, has provided information for parents and caregivers on the changes to report cards this school year, included below and provided in multiple languages:
K-12 Student Reporting Information and Resources for Parents and Caregivers
Communicating Student Learning: Information for Parents and Caregivers
What can you expect?
Communication between home and school will continue to play an important role in helping students thrive. The changes to report cards have been developed with teachers and administrators and are based on modern, quality practices in reporting. These changes will ensure that you have the information you need to understand how your child is doing, as well as opportunities to help them continue to learn and grow.
The Richmond School District will be providing an overview of the new changes to reporting and what you can expect from your child’s school in communicating student learning over the course of the school year. Please join us October 5, 2023 at 6:00pm via the webinar link below:
Communicating Student Learning: Information for Parents and Caregivers
Oct 5, 2023, 6:00 PM
https://sd38.zoom.us/j/69679113837
Webinar ID: 696 7911 3837
Passcode: 2023
If you have any further questions regarding the implementation of K-12 reporting, you can email the Ministry of Education and Childcare at student.reporting@gov.bc.ca, within the district at educationoffice@sd38.bc.ca or contact your child’s principal.
We wish you all the best as we enter a new school year.
Sincerely,
Christopher Usih
Superintendent of Schools