Elementary Report Cards

The Norris School District is moving to a standards-based reporting system to help families better understand what students are learning and how they are progressing throughout the school year. Teaching will continue to be based on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which identify the important skills and concepts students should learn at each grade level.

Students in grades K–4 will receive achievement levels (0–4) to show their progress toward meeting grade-level standards and to identify areas where they may need additional support or enrichment.

Students in grades 5–6 will receive both standards-based achievement levels (0–4) and traditional letter grades (A–F). Letter grades for students in grades 5–6 will be based on their overall performance and accumulated achievement scores throughout the grading period.

Reading, English Language Arts, and Math will include two main reporting areas:

• Academic achievement levels show how well a student is mastering grade-level standards and demonstrating understanding of key skills and concepts.
• Effort levels show how a student engages in learning, including participation, practice, persistence, and overall learning habits.

In the past, these areas were blended together into one letter grade, which could make it tricky to clearly understand a student's strengths and needs. For example, a student who worked very hard but was still developing understanding might receive the same overall mark as a student who understood the material well but struggled with participation or work habits. By separating achievement from effort, families get a more accurate and balanced picture of student learning — both what a student knows and how they are approaching their learning journey.

Families will now see one 0–4 scale used for both academics and for conduct, development, and effort. This helps keep things consistent and easier to understand, without the need to learn multiple grading scales.

We recognize students grow at different rates, and learning a standard often takes time, practice, and feedback. Report cards will show the most recent level of understanding at the time of reporting.

An achievement level of 3 means your student is meeting end-of-year grade-level expectations. For many standards, achieving a level 3 or proficient score may take more than one grading period. A score of 4 indicates performance far above grade-level expectations. This will be extremely rare and should not be the expectation.

The same 0–4 scale is also used to share how students are doing with effort, behavior, and overall learning habits. You can always check the key at the bottom of the report card for a quick guide to what each level means.

We follow a quarter schedule, with report cards issued at the end of each grading period. In addition to report cards, progress reports are sent home midway through each quarter to help families stay informed.

Families can check their child's progress anytime through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. The grade book shows ongoing learning and all practice and assessments over time, while the report card provides a snapshot of student progress at the end of each grading period.

There is also a PowerSchool Mobile app to make it easy to stay connected to your student's learning. Use the guide below for instructions on how to access the Parent Portal.

Preview a sample report card for each elementary grade level.

Download the family guide for a complete overview of standards-based reporting.