Teachers use a variety of assessment strategies every single day in the classroom to determine what is working well and what still needs practice for learners.

When it comes time for teachers to write report cards we take assessments as well as formal evaluations into consideration to determine a mark.

We regularly offer students opportunities to take feedback and improve their work.  We also strive to include success criteria for tasks so that students learn to self-evaluate and make decisions about their work.

The Provincial Progress Report is the first formal communication about student progress during the school year.  This report is different than the Report Cards that come in February and June because it does not have a mark assigned for your learner.  Instead, it will have one of three levels of progress:

• Progressing Very Well - if your learner continues to work as they have been so far, you can reasonably expect to see an A on their report card.

• Progressing Well -  if your learner continues to work as they have been so far, you can reasonably expect to see a B on their report card.

• Progressing With Difficulty - if your learner continues to work as they have been so far, you can reasonably expect to see a C or D on their report card.

We are committed to supporting students to do their best in school no matter the grade on the progress report. Please reach out if you have any questions about how you can support your learner as well.

Learning Skills are evaluated on the Progress Report using a four-point scale. It is important to remember that students are being assessed at the end of only two months at school.  These months involve many transitions including: back to school; new teachers; and new classrooms.

The scale is:

• E - excellent; the student always meets the expectations

• G - good; the student usually meets the expectations

• S - satisfactory; the student sometimes meets the expectations

• N - needs improvement; the student rarely meets expectations or requires support

These marks are a starting place for conversations about the important skills learners need to develop to be successful. None of these levels on the scale should be seen as good or bad but as evidence of what a learner is already doing well and what they could try to improve.  

In Ontario, we use a four-level scale to describe how your learner is doing in their academic subjects. Each level reflects their progress, helping to show what they’ve learned and areas where they can grow.

• A - Level 4: Excelling

  • Your learner is going above and beyond what’s expected for their grade. They understand the material deeply and show strong skills in this area.

• B - Level 3: Meeting Expectations

  • Your learner is doing exactly what’s expected for their grade. This is great progress and shows they are on track with their learning.

• C - Level 2: Approaching

  • Your learner understands much of the material but may need a bit more practice or support in some areas. This is a stepping stone to full understanding.

• D - Level 1: Developing

  • Your learner is starting to develop the skills and knowledge for this grade. With encouragement and additional focus, they will continue to grow.

Please note that a level 3 (or B) on the Report Card is an indication that your learner is doing well in their academic subjects. Students are always provided with clear criteria for success at level 3 and told how they could achieve level 4 should they wish to try.

In a combined grade class, the expectations for learners will be different based on the grade level. For example, in a 3/4 class, the expectation for French Speaking is very similar except that students in grade 4 are expected to speak in French in more spontaneous interactions and about more complex topics. This means they can speak in French with their teacher and peers without planning what they are going to say ahead of time about lots of different topics.

Like the Progress Report, Learning Skills are evaluated using a four-point scale. By the time the first report card is written, there is much more information for teachers to use to determine grades in these areas. 

Students are asked to engage in daily self-assessment of their learning skills and determine ways they can improve. For example, after our French literacy centres, students are asked to do a thumbs-up/thumb-to-the-side evaluation of whether or not they met expectations. They are then reminded that a thumbs-to-the-side is an opportunity for growth and they can make changes for the next day.

The scale is:

• E - excellent; the student always meets the expectations

• G - good; the student usually meets the expectations

• S - satisfactory; the student sometimes meets the expectations

• N - needs improvement; the student rarely meets expectations or requires support

These marks are a measure of the important skills learners need to develop to be successful. None of these levels on the scale should be seen as good or bad but as evidence of what a learner is already doing well and what they could try to improve.