In July 2023, the Ministry of Education and Child Care published a new reporting order that outlines how schools will communicate student learning to families. This new reporting order supports the redesigned curriculum that has been in place since 2016. 

The VSB’s Purpose of Assessment is aligned with the new guidelines: 

The purpose of assessment is to facilitate learning and move it forward in an equitable and inclusive way. It helps students answer three questions about their learning:

Where am I now? 

Where am I going?  

How do I get there? 

Quality assessment is ongoing and responsive.  It informs the instruction cycle and provides teachers with evidence to plan.   It helps families understand and support their children’s learning. Most importantly, it provides students with meaningful feedback to guide their learning and help them reflect on their growth.

The goal for reporting remains the same: ensuring students and families are well-informed about student learning, including strengths and areas for growth in literacy, numeracy, critical and creative thinking, and the subjects across the curriculum. Our hope is to strengthen reciprocal communication and connection between a student’s home and their school.

Written Learning Updates and Summary of Learning (Report Cards)

The new reporting order uses new language. Report cards are now called ‘Written Learning Updates’ and the final report card in June is called ‘Summary of Learning’. 

• Instead of two report cards, there will be three report cards per school year (two written learning updates and one year-end written summary of learning). 
• Teachers will provide two informal learning updates (conferences or portfolio reviews with the option of a conference) during the school year. 

Format:

• Teachers will use the provincial four-point proficiency scale to report on student learning in each subject area taught: Emerging, Developing, Proficient, Extending. 

• Teachers will include a summary of progress made toward the goals in a child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP), where applicable.
• The new policy specifies that student behaviour will not be included in the proficiency scale reporting. Comments about engagement and work habits will form part of the descriptive feedback. 
• Feedback continues to be strengths-based, highlighting where students are at, as well as next steps for learning. 
• Students will self-reflect on the core competencies and will set goals at least three times a year. Teachers will indicate how this took place on their report cards. 

Reporting schedule