Elementary

Standards-Based Reporting: 5K-6th grade

A standards-based progress report lists the most essential skills students should learn in each subject at a particular grade level. Instead of overall letter grades, students receive marks that demonstrate how well they have mastered a particular essential standard. The marks will show whether the student is at a 1-Beginning; 2-Developing; or 3-Proficient level for each standard.

New Revisions for 2023-24
Because of our commitment to continuous school improvement, we have made the following changes to the progress reports: 

  • Reduced the number of standards that we are reporting out to families
  • Simplified the language for improved clarity for families around the standards
  • Updated our scoring guide to reflect current research around teaching and learning
  • Added a section for band, strings, health, and TAG to the progress report

Understanding the NEW Proficiency Reporting Key
The progress report has been updated to reflect current research and best practices around teaching and learning, as well as clearer and easier to understand language for our families. 

  • You will notice that we have shifted from the previous 4 academic performance levels to a 3 point scale. Eliminating the confusion between a 3 or 4 is one way AASD teachers are improving the consistency of our home-school communication and scoring practices.
  • You will also notice that we have shifted our language from ‘Competent’ to ‘Proficient’ as we more accurately reflect students' progress towards meeting end of year grade level standards.
Proficient (3)
Developing (2)
Beginning (1)
The student is able to apply the expectations of the grade level standard independently and consistently.
The student has a basic understanding of the essential grade-level standard but needs teacher support to apply it.
The student is not yet able to demonstrate an understanding of the specific essential grade-level standards.

The standards for the various content areas are very similar across grade levels since the district curriculum is aligned from grade to grade. These standards reflect what students are expected to demonstrate at each grade level. The progress report is designed to tell you where your child is at in the year-long journey. 

If your child receives a NI (Not Introduced), that marking indicates that the standards have not been formally taught or assessed during the reporting period.

Career and Life Skills: Learning How to Learn
Learning habits play an important role in a student’s success. We believe that communicating with you on effort and behavior is important. Students will get separate marks for effort and work habits, even though these characteristics aren't included in the assessment of the student's academic skills.


Resources

5K-6 Standards-Based Progress Report Family Guide 2023-2024

If I have a question about my child’s progress report, whom should I ask?
Your child’s teacher is your first point of contact and your school principal is another resource for you.

Why does the Appleton Area School District use a Standards-Based Progress Report?
While letter grades seem "understandable" to families, they give:

  • only limited information about what the students have learned or can do
  • are dependent on teacher and family interpretation
  • focus only on surface knowledge rather than understanding and application.

A standards-based approach allows teachers to use information from a variety of assessments to evaluate student learning. The information, when shared with families, gives a more detailed picture of what a child can do.