1	Davenport Community Schools K-5 Standards-Based Reporting of Student Progress
2	How is reporting of student progress changing this year? Our new standards-based reporting system tells how each child is progressing toward meeting standards and benchmarks. Students in kindergarten through fifth grade will receive standards-based report cards beginning this academic year, 2005-2006.
3	Why standards-based reporting of student progress? Standards tell us what students should know and be able to do. Standards clearly articulate expectations for student learning. Standards-based reporting provides valuable information for future instruction to each child’s needs or strengths. Standards–based learning and reporting raise student achievement.
4	Standard-Based Reporting… Compares the student’s performance against a set of standards and benchmarks. Does not compare the student’s performance against the performance of other students. Rates the student’s performance on a continuum as it relates to the standards and benchmarks. Is an assessment of achievement level, not effort.
5	How do teachers assess student performance? Teachers and other professional educators… Collaborate in grade level teams and with curriculum specialists to establish parameters for scoring students’ performance on tasks Build learning and assessment tasks around standards and benchmarks and their associated skills and knowledge Define performance expectations clearly for students Rate student work with scoring guides
6	How is the level of student performance communicated? Student Performance Levels: E Exceeds grade level expectations M Meets grade level expectations N Does not meet grade level expectations X Not applicable at this time
7	What is our goal? Our goal is to help all students meet grade level expectations and reach their highest level of achievement.
8	How could teachers best help parents understand performance levels? Share grade level expectations and achievement data with parents. Help parents see where their child’s performance falls on the continuum of performance.
9	How will progress of exceptional education students be reported? Students with special needs will be assessed at grade level standards just as all other students. A lack of proficiency on any standard or benchmark does not signal failure—but that the student needs to continue developing in that area. Teachers will communicate individual progress through the teacher comment section, conferences, and other parent communication.
10	Questions and Answers Can “Exceeds” translate into an A grade? “Meets” into a B grade? “Needs” into equal to a C or below? Will it be possible to continue honors events? No, performance is indicated against an identified standard/benchmark. Yes, honors events can be rethought as celebrations for all children reaching proficiency.
11	How will all stakeholders learn about this new reporting system? Meetings with various stakeholders PowerPoint presentation Frequently Asked Questions Hand-out Letters to parents Sample report cards Building newsletters Tips to teachers on how to introduce the new system to students
12	How will all stakeholders learn about this new reporting system? Talking points for teacher use at conferences Grade level outlines of standards and benchmarks for conferences Introduction on new report card envelope Information on DCSD website Presentations by curriculum specialists Press release to media
13	What are our future resources? Leadership of curriculum specialists, in cooperation with teachers, to develop comprehensive rubrics and other support materials New grade level brochure outlining standards and benchmarks for teacher and parent use Detailed, unified district curriculum using the Understanding by Design model
14	Why standards-based reporting? The Davenport Community Schools, with home and community support, pledge to provide quality teaching and learning to bring each child to his or her highest level of achievement.