Standards Based Report Cards

The Tri-Valley Central School District is committed to ensuring that students are well prepared for the future. Providing a clear, complete communication tool is the main goal of the report card, which is standards based.

There are four components of a standards based system

  • The content standards as outlined by the NYS standards that describe what a student should know and be able to do at an identified point in time.
  • The standards based curriculum that a teacher uses to ensure that classroom instruction tar-gets these standards
  • The assessments that a teacher uses to measure learning and the extent to which a student has met each standard.
  • The communication tool that allows a teacher to accurately, clearly and specifically report a student’s progress towards meeting a standard throughout the year.

What you will see on a standards based report card

  • Category titles and descriptors reflecting the NYS Learning Standards
  • Learning Behaviors reflecting student skills necessary to be a successful learner.
  • Grading keys reflecting progress towards the standards using the same 4-1 score used in NYS grade level assessments. These numbers mean:
  • 4:  Exceeds current grade level expectations
  • 3: Meets current grade level expectations
  • 2: Approaching current grade level expectations
  • 1: Well below current grade level expectations
  • NA: Not yet assessed

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why use a standards based report card?

    Standards based report cards provide:

    • In-depth student assessments
    • Individual instruction information
    • Consistent evaluations between students
    • Consistent evaluations and reporting across grade levels and years.

    How does this help parents?

    Standards-based report cards enable parents to receive accurate information based on cumulative student progress throughout the marking period and year. They also:

    • Promote more detailed, focused, meaningful conversations at parent/teacher conferences.
    • Allow for precise monitoring of student achievement.
    • Reflect grade-level standards so parents gain a complete idea of student progress.

    Why are there no letter grades?

    A standards based report card’s rubric approach (4,3,2,1) provides information without the need for grades.

    Can a student perform at level 3 and then move to a lower level?

    Yes. Grade level expectations change from one marking period to the next and increase in rigor and complexity from the beginning to the end of the year. A student’s level may go down because:

    • A student may meet grade-level expectation during the first marking period, but as expectations increase, the student many not demonstrate the same level of proficiency during the next marking period.
    • When the student does not receive a 3 or higher, this is an indication to the teacher, student and parent that this standard needs additional focus.