Procedure

Procedure 8700.1 - Communicating Student Learning (CSL)

RATIONALE

The Surrey Board of Education believes the goal of communicating student learning (CSL) is to ensure parents are well informed about their child’s progress in relation to the learning standards of the BC curriculum. Effective communication between the home and school is central to student success.

The board recognizes the importance of communication that is timely, responsive, and provides parents with a clear description of their child as a learner while adhering to all appropriate legislation and ministerial orders.

1. Responsibilities of the District

1.1.	Develop CSL policy and regulations describing district procedures that adhere to the requirements outlined in the Ministry’s Student Reporting Policy and all applicable Ministerial Orders.
1.2.	Establish board approved processes and guidelines for communicating student learning.
1.3.	Provide flexible processes and frameworks for student self-assessment of Core Competencies.
1.4.	Ensure CSL practices follow district policy and regulations.
1.5.	Support teachers and administrators in following CSL policy and regulations as needed.
1.6.	Review local policy and procedures (Policy 8700 and Regulation 8700.1) to make adjustments and revisions as required.

2. Responsibilities of the Principal

2.1.

Ensure CSL practices align with Ministry and District policy.

2.2.

Ensure parents are regularly provided with reports or forms of communication directing them to digital or non-digital evidence of learning, human and social development, the student's approach to learning, and attendance.

2.3.

Ensure reports or forms of communication directing parents to ongoing digital or non-digital assessed evidence of learning, as outlined in subsection 2.2, are made a minimum of five times during the school year. Communication with parents will include:

A minimum of two written reports based on a collection of student work using board-approved forms.

ii.

A minimum of two additional forms of communication. This may be in person, electronic, or hard-copy, and may include:

a)	Ongoing information of the student’s learning and growth over time, and any areas requiring support through digital portfolios or paper-based work samples;
b)	Student-led conferences, 3-way conferences, or parent-teacher conferences;
c)	An interim communication form that reflects the language of the learning standards of the current curriculum.

iii.

One “Final Report on Student Learning” at the end of the semester or school year that includes:

a)	A summary of the student’s achievement; Grades K – 3: Teachers use clear performance (proficiency) indicators for all required areas of learning; Grades 4 – 7: Teachers use clear performance (proficiency) indicators for all required areas of learning – may include letter grades; Grades 8 – 9: Teachers use letter grades for their specific area of learning.
b)	A student self-assessment of the core competencies completed with support and guidance from the teacher when needed or appropriate (Grades K – 9); and
c)	Written indication that the student has been assigned to the next grade (Grades K – 7).

2.4.

If a student moves during the school year, to meet the requirements outlined in 2.3iii, ensure parents are provided with the District’s Student Transfer Form.

2.5.

Upon request, ensure parents are provided with letter grades if written comments or performance (proficiency) scales are used as an alternative to letter grades in Grades 4 – 7 and prior to the end of the semester or school year in Grades 8 – 9 as outlined in subsection 2.3.

2.6.

For students in grades 10 to 12, ensure formal reports include letter grades, percentages, and written reporting comments to indicate students’ level of performance in relation to learning standards or learning outcomes set out in the curriculum for each subject and grade.

2.7.

For students in grades 10 to 12, in addition to the information required under subsection 2.6, ensure progress reports include the credits assigned towards meeting the general requirements for graduation as set out in the Graduation Program Order.

2.8.

For students in grades 10 to 12 working towards meeting the requirements of Graduation Transitions, ensure progress reports include comments on the student’s progress in meeting the requirements in accordance with the Graduation Transitions Program Guide and the Daily Physical Activity Guide.

i.	When students are meeting the Prescribed Learning Outcomes, a comment of “Meeting requirement” will be made on the term and final reports.
ii.	A comment of “Not meeting requirement” will be made at any time when students are not meeting the Prescribed Learning Outcomes of the Graduation Transitions Program. Where this comment is made, it is recommended that a further comment be made outlining a plan for the student to meet the requirement.
iii.	Upon successful attainment of the Graduation Transitions Program, "Requirement Met (RM)" will be recorded on the student's transcript.

2.9.

Ensure communication with parents has occurred a minimum of five times during the school year as outlined in 2.3.

2.10.

Ensure a minimum of three reports or forms of communication are placed in each student’s file.

2.11.

Ensure the decision to promote or retain a student in a subject or grade is a consultative process (students, parents, teachers, school administrators, and area superintendent) and is focused on individual needs.

2.12.

Support teachers in following CSL policy and regulations as needed.

3. Responsibilities of the Teacher (Grades K to 9)

3.1.

In relation to the learning standards outlined in the current curriculum, provide parents with timely, responsive feedback about their child’s learning a minimum of five times throughout the school year. Communication with parents will include:

A minimum of two written reports or forms of communication based on a collection of student work using Board-approved forms.

ii.

A minimum of two additional forms of communication. This may be in person, electronic, or hard-copy, and may include:

a)	Ongoing information of the student’s learning and growth over time, and any areas requiring support through digital portfolios or paper-based work samples;
b)	Student-led conferences, 3-way conferences, or parent-teacher conferences;
c)	An interim communication form that reflects the language of the learning standards of the current curriculum.

iii.

One “Final Report on Student Learning” at the end of the school year that includes:

a)	A summary of the student’s achievement; Grades K – 3: Teachers use clear performance (proficiency) indicators for all required areas of learning; Grades 4 – 7: Teachers use clear performance (proficiency) indicators for all required areas of learning – may include letter grades; Grades 8 – 9: Teachers use letter grades for their specific area of learning.
b)	A student self-assessment of the core competencies completed with support and guidance from the teacher when needed or appropriate (Grades K – 9); and
c)	Written indication that the student has been assigned to the next grade (Grades K – 7).

3.2.

Through a combination of formative and summative assessment practices, provide parents with a clear indication of:

i.	Where students are in their learning;
ii.	What they are working toward;
iii.	Interventions they may require;
iv.	Ways to further support their learning.

3.3.

When communicating student learning through forms or reporting applications outlined in subsection 3.1.i, make clear the extent to which a student is meeting age/grade expectations using one or more of the following performance indicators:

i.	Written comments (Grades K – 7)
ii.	Performance (proficiency) scales and written comments (Grades K – 9)
iii.	Letter grades and written comments (Grades 4 – 9)

3.4.

Upon request, provide parents with letter grades if written comments or performance scales are used as an alternative to letter grades (Grades 4 – 9).

3.5.

If a student moves during the school year, to meet the requirements outlined in 3.1 iii, provide parents with a summary of the student’s achievement on the District’s Student Transfer Form.

4. Responsibilities of the Teacher (Grades 10 to 12)

4.1.	Reporting to parents should be timely and responsive throughout the school year.
4.2.	Formal reports will include letter grades, percentages, and written reporting comments to indicate students’ level of performance in relation to learning standards or learning outcomes set out in the curriculum for each subject and grade.
4.3.	All formal reports should contain a description of student behaviour, including information on attitudes, work habits, effort and social responsibility.

5. Responsibilities of the Teacher (All Grades, K to 12)

5.1.	A minimum of three copies of reports or forms of communication directing parents to ongoing digital or non-digital assessed evidence of learning related to the student’s progress will be submitted to the school office to be kept in the student file.
5.2.	Maintain records of two supplemental forms of communication outlined in subsection 3.1 ii.

6. Students with Special Needs (All Grades, K to 12)

6.1.

Where students with special needs are expected to achieve or surpass the learning standards or learning outcomes of their learning program, regular reporting procedures will be used to indicate progress.

6.2.

Where it is determined that a student with special needs is not capable of achieving the learning standards or learning outcomes of provincial or Board Authority Authorized curriculum, and substantial course or program modification is necessary, specific individual goals and objectives will be established for the student in his or her Individual Education Plan (IEP). Reporting to parents will be in relation to these specific individual goals as they relate to each XSIEP or LD (locally developed non-credit) course in which the student may be enrolled. It may not be appropriate to provide letter grades or performance (proficiency) indicators to all students.

7. Students on Modified Curricula (All Grades, K to 12)

7.1.	For students with special needs who are not working toward the learning standards or learning outcomes of the curriculum but rather toward individualized goals or objectives in an IEP, the most appropriate form of reporting for the student should be determined by the School Based Team.
7.2.	If letter grades or performance (proficiency) indicators are used, it should be stated in the body of the student progress report that the grade or indicator is given in relation to the individualized goals and objectives and not in relation to provincial or Board Authority Authorized curriculum standards and core competencies.

8. ELL and FLL Students (All Grades, K to 12)

8.1.	Where an English language learner, or a French language learner in a Francophone program, is following the learning standards or learning outcomes of the provincial curriculum or a local program, regular reporting procedures are used to communicate progress.
8.2.	Where ELL and FLL students are not following the learning standards or learning outcomes of the curriculum, the written report must contain comments describing what the student can do, areas in which he or she requires further attention or development, and ways of supporting his or her learning.

9. Use of the Letter Grade "I"

9.1.

The letter "I" will be used to alert parents when students, for a variety of reasons, are not demonstrating minimally acceptable performance in relation to the learning standards or expected learning outcomes. The "I" may be used at any time during the school year on informal or formal reports. The underlying principle is that parents and students should be alerted to a problem as soon as teachers detect it.

9.2.

When an "I" reporting symbol has been assigned:

i.	Students and parents must be informed, and must be provided with an opportunity to consult with teachers about the problems students are having and possible solutions; and
ii.	Teachers must be prepared to identify what the problems are and specify plans of action to support students in achieving the learning outcomes. An "I" may be communicated in a variety of ways, including: through a written plan, verbally by telephone, or in a direct meeting involving teacher, parents and students.

9.3.

The "I" letter grade must be converted to another letter grade or percentage:

i.	Before students' records are transferred to another school, unless there is agreement between the principals of the two schools to defer conversion of the "I" reporting symbol;
ii.	When letter grades are recorded on the permanent student record card; and
iii.	Before submission of Grades 10, 11 or 12 marks to the Ministry for inclusion on students' transcripts of grades.

10. Use of the Letter Grade “F”

10.1.

An "F" letter grade can only be assigned if an "I" reporting symbol was previously assigned.

11. Permanent Student Record

11.1.

Each record established and maintained for a student must contain:

The most recent Ministry of Education form entitled “Permanent Student Record”, and all documents required to be listed as inclusions on the form entitled “Permanent Student Record” completed in accordance with the Ministry’s “Permanent Student Record Completion Instructions,” which are in effect at the time of the completion;

ii.

The student progress reports for the two most recent years, or a copy of the Transcript of Grades issued by the Ministry of Education;

iii.

A written record of the student’s progress using:

a)	Grades K – 3: performance (proficiency) scale indicators
b)	Grades 4 – 7: performance (proficiency) scale indicators OR letter grades
c)	Grades 8 – 9: letter grades
d)	Grades 10 – 12: letter grades and percentages; and

iv.

The student’s current IEP if any.

11.2.

A board must retain the documents referred to in 11.1 i, ii and iii for 55 years from the date on which the student withdraws or graduates from school.

11.3.

On receipt of a request from the board to which a student transfers and is enrolled, a board must transfer the documents listed in section 11.1 to that board. Where a former student of a board is enrolled in an independent school or an educational institution outside the Province, and a board receives a request from that independent school or educational institution, the board must transfer a “copy” of the documents listed in section 11.1.

Rewritten:	2017-09-20
Revised:	1996-12-03 1990-02-16
Approved:	1992-07-02