Elementary Report Cards - Lake Washington School District

Elementary Report Cards Separate Life Skills from Subjects

The report card communicates student learning, is consistent from class to class

Basic beliefs guide the system
The District’s foundation for determining what students should know and be able to do at each level is laid out in the Teaching and Learning Framework.

The report card system is designed to provide students, parents and teachers information on how well students are performing as they progress through the curriculum. The committee of parents, teachers and administrators who developed the reporting system adopted a set of beliefs aligning the report card system with the goals of the Teaching and Learning Framework. The reporting system:

Is based on established Teaching and Learning Framework standards
Reflects what students have learned
Involves students meaningfully
Provides for objective, consistent, and clear feedback
Communicates useful information to parents, students and teachers about student progress to direct and encourage future learning
Connects learning, teaching, and assessment

Life skills and subjects are separate
A key feature of the report card is that students are graded separately on life skills like effort and cooperation from what they learn in academic subjects like math and writing. In the past, a student who behaved well might be marked higher than their subject mastery indicated or vice versa. Now it is clear if a student is learning life skills and if they are learning specific subjects.

Subject areas do not have letter grades
Instead, marks are made on a scale of one through four

One = not at standard
Two = approaching standard
Three = at standard
Four = exceeds standard

If a particular topic is not taught during a grading period, a slash mark is placed in that section of the report card.

Subject area grades measure whether or not a student has mastered a concept or skill. They do not grade whether that student tried hard, turned in their work on time or followed the rules. These life skills are graded in a separate section. Marks for life skills use the same grades but only on a three-point scale, not at standard through at standard.

See examples of the report card for each grade
Kindergarten
First Grade
Second Grade
Third Grade
Fourth Grade
Fifth Grade
Sixth Grade

Life skills represent a successful system of personal conduct
Embedded in this system of personal conduct is student effort. The degree to which students are actively engaged in student work shows their effort. It is the intention of the district to ensure all graduates demonstrate these life skills, which lead directly to increased student achievement and life-long success. The following skills have been identified:

Follows school rules and accepts responsibility for personal actions
Attentive and follows directions
Works well independently and uses time wisely
Demonstrates respect for personal and community property
Demonstrates self-confidence: asks questions, lets needs be known
Puts forth effort
Communicates in a respectful and courteous manner
Accepts suggestions and opportunities for improvement
Completes work carefully and on time
Cooperates while working in groups: supports others, accepts differences
Organizes work space and materials

Students with special needs are graded, too
Students involved in a special education or English language learner (ELL) program will still be graded in relationship to the expected standards for the grade level. If the student's primary instruction in a content area is delivered by a specialists or directed by the child's IEP, a note will be placed in the grading area stating, "see attached report." Specialists will generate a goal report related to the child's IEP or ELL plan.

If a student is working on an IEP goal within the regular classroom, the teacher may use the "P" letter grade to inform the parent that the child is passing or making progress on IEP goals. If the child is not progressing, the teacher may use the "NP" to indicate that the child is not passing or making progress on their IEP goals.

Specialist areas like music or PE report on this year’s skills
When reporting progress, specialists (Library, Music and PE teachers) will be reporting on what is taught during a specific year. Because curriculum content is taught over a three-year span of each level, specialists may not be teaching all skills in one year. The skills will all be taught sometime during the time span of that level.

Questions?
If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact Dan Phelan at (425)702-3387 or by e-mail at dphelan@lwsd.org.