New Assessment for our New BC Education Plan

Recently, we received the “Reporting Student Progress (GradesK-9): Guidelines for Schools” to coincide with the New BC Education Plan implemented this September in Grades K-9. The Ministry of Education is moving forward into a new way of learning for students, into a new way of teaching for teachers, and now into a new way of reporting to parents. I would like to share a few points of the document with you:

Communication with parents

Parents will receive communication about their child’s learning a minimum of five times during a school year according to the following guidelines:

  • Parents receive timely, ongoing feedback about their child’s learning throughout the year.
  • At the end of the school year, or if a child moves, parents will receive a final written summative report that meets the requirements outlined for summative reports.
  • Except for the summative report, communication could be any of the following: student-led and three-way conferences, written interim reports, e-portfolio reviews, parent/teacher meetings, samples and demonstrations of student work, videos, written summaries or portfolio entries

Communications with parents may be provided in a variety of ways: in person; through telephone, email, text, Skype, and other electronic means; and through the use of reporting applications (e.g., Freshgrade, MyEdBC).

Letter grades and performance (proficiency) scales

Specific performance (proficiency) scales can be used as an alternative to letter grades. The different levels of performance should be clearly explained to parents. Districts can determine in local policy how letter grades are provided to students in Grades 4–9. District policy may determine different procedures for different grades. Letter grades must be provided if parents request them.

Self-Assessment: Core Competencies

The final written summative report also includes the requirement for a student self-assessment of the Core Competencies (Communication, Thinking, and Personal and Social), completed with the support and guidance of the teacher when needed or appropriate. The Core Competencies underpin all provincial curricula and are relevant to the development of Educated Citizens. The process of self-assessment can build student ownership and voice, and give students increased responsibility for the acquisition of these competencies. Through self-assessment, students can set yearly learning goals and identify ways in which they will further acquire and develop increased skill and ability in these areas.

As you read this you quickly realize reporting is going to look and sound different than what we have become accustom to. It is an exciting time for Education in BC. We have the opportunity to move out of a model of education that started during the Industrial Age and has not changed much since. As a school K-12 we will be working to develop a policy on assessment to parents. We will be hosting information meetings with parents so please come out and ask questions and give input into your sons or daughters education.

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