New / Traditional Comparisons 

Each subject is sub-divided into a set of knowledge and skills that students need to learn or attain. Students receive a “performance indicator” for each item in the set.

For subjects - Performance indicators:

• Established
• Developing
• Emerging

For Citizenship and Responsibility - Performance Indicators:

• Meets
• Requires Growth

One “grade” is given for each subject.

For subjects - Percentages, letter grades (A,B,C,N) or achievement indicators.

For Citizenship and Responsibility - Performance Indicators:

• Meets
• Requires Growth

Indicators reflect progress toward attainment of all the provincial outcomes.

Indicators reflect the level of performance of numerous elements from each program of studies. The majority of the elements on the report card reflect the skills outcomes from each program.

Performance indicators are derived from teacher observations, student reflections, conversations, products and performance tasks (which integrate Knowledge and Understanding outcomes, Skills and Processes outcomes, Values and Attitudes outcomes).

For the most part, grades reflect how well the student understands the Knowledge and Understanding outcomes from each program of studies.

Skills are practiced over the course of the year.

Teachers evaluate students relative to the outcomes in the provincial curriculum and report demonstrated levels of performance on those outcomes.

Indicators reflect the student’s level of performance at the end of the reporting period.

Parents can see levels of performance of many different outcomes, so can determine which ones students need to grow in.

Expectations are consistent amongst teachers of the same grade level.

Homework completion and work habits are reported separately from demonstrated performance.

Learning matters more than grades.

Most adults understand this type of grading system from their experiences as students.

When grades are what matters most, grades can be raised by doing “extra credit”.

One grade per subject makes the report card less time consuming to read.

Multiple indicators make the report card more time consuming to read.

The new report card is much different than the one parents experienced when they went to school, so they may have initial reservations.

Students are being scored on assignments before they have had sufficient practice in working towards proficiency.

Grades are often derived by averaging (or assigning weighting to) assignments, products and tests that were administered throughout the reporting period. This may not accurately reflect the student’s current performance in that area.

The grade summarizing a subject doesn’t tell the parent which outcomes are the child’s strengths, and which ones require growth.