Time flies - we are about 1/8 of the way through the school year! Many schools use this time to update parents of their child's progress. These "progress reports" act as a sort of checkpoint for parents to know whether or not their child is on the right track or not. However, parents often question what these reports actually mean for their child and how it will impact their future education. So COMPASS is here to answer some of your most frequently asked progress report questions!
Is this a final grade?
- No, it is purely advisory. It is a way for a teacher or school to give parents a "heads up" on what's going on.
How accurate can their report dictate the child's end grade?
- Something to keep in mind is the fact that school hasn't been going on for that long. There is generally less graded work in the first few weeks at beginning of the school year compared to all other times afterwards. Therefore, high grades are not to be praised too much, and low grades are not something to get too upset about.
How/why does my child have such a low grade so early?
- A factor that may negatively effect a report grade is missing assignments. A single missed assignment can have a huge impact. If a single 15 pt assignment is missed (and scored as zero), this could be as much as 30% missing from the progress report grade.
How can I assure that my child continues to do well in school?
- If your child has an excellent progress report, there is no harm in rewarding them for their efforts! Give them something to be proud of. This motivates them to continue to do well in the future.
How can I help boost my child's grades?
- Though this is an early report, it can ultimately be an indicator of an end grade. If your child's grades are not as great as expected, express this to your child in a nurturing way. Show support for the hard work they have put in and guide them in brainstorming ways on how to do better. You may need to pay more attention to their assignments and stay on top of them about the work they need to get done.
Remember that it may take some time for your child to settle into the routine of a new school year. So don't stress too much or too little about these progress reports!