The Winchester Public Schools report card was updated with new Standards of Learning for the 2024-2025 school year. Standards-based report cards communicate student progress in grades K-4. 

What is Standards-Based Grading?

Students’ most recent work is used to determine the level on their report card.  This level reflects what they know or are able to do rather than an average of their performance throughout the quarter. Students’ performance can be measured in many ways such as assessments, student writings, and teacher observations. Student work that is sent home may be only a portion of the evidence that teachers use to determine students’ performance levels.

What are the Benefits of Standards-Based Grading?

Subject areas are broken down by skills/standards providing a more detailed and complete  representation of what students can do at the time of reporting. The report card levels focus on individual student progress within the standards and assist the teachers with adjusting instruction for all students based on individual progress.

How are standards-based report cards different from traditional report cards?

Standards-based report cards:

• One mark for each standard within a subject area, providing specific indicators of student performance within a standard.  

Traditional report cards:

• One mark for all standards within a subject area, providing general indicators of student performance.

How will behavior be measured?

Behavior will be measured through Profile of a Graduate  Skills. The term Profile of a Graduate refers to a broad set of knowledge, skills, work habits, and character traits that are critically important to success in today’s world. Generally speaking, Skills can be applied in all academic subject areas, and in all educational, career, and civic settings throughout a student’s life.

How will academic progress be measured?

Student progress will be reported in relation to the grade level expectations for the standard at that quarter. The following key will be used to report progress:

1 - Developing Proficiency - Student demonstrates progress toward initial foundational skills of the standard.

2 - Approaching Proficiency - Student demonstrates proficiency on foundational skills of the standard.

3 - Meets Grade Level Standards - Student demonstrates proficiency on all grade level skills of the standard.

4 - Exceeds Grade Level Standards - Student demonstrates understanding and performance beyond proficiency and has exceeded the standard.

A key component of standards- based reporting is that students have the opportunity to demonstrate mastery through re-teaching.