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Cultivating a Growth Mindset with Standards-Based Reporting

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Kelly Misch
Communications Director
Chardon Local Schools
[email protected]
440.286.0409

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logo; art element of clipboard titled Academic Content Standards with checkboxes:  Mastery, Progressing, Emerging; symbolic art element of outline of a mind with a plant growing from it
Cultivating a Growth Mindset with Standards-Based Reporting

March 21, 2024 (CHARDON, OH) — 
The Chardon Schools launch of standards-based reporting reveals a report card that retains full alignment with State standards with the added benefit of communicating student academic performance in a more accurate, detailed manner than traditional grade reporting can accomplish. 

What is Standards-Based Reporting?
Standards-based reporting replaces traditional letter grades of A, B, C, D and F with the identification of clearly defined learning targets for essential academic content standards within a given subject, specifically whether the student has:

  • Mastered (M) the standard's content
    OR is
  • Progressing (P), moving towards mastery of the standard with some support
    OR is
  • Emerging (E), experiencing difficulty with the standard and requires constant practicing and support
For example, students and their families are now not seeing one letter grade for Math but instead a list of several Math standards with an M, P or E grade identified for each Math item, communicating specifically where the student has mastery and where the student may benefit from further growth.

This new undertaking of a more informative report card underpins the Success Plan 2028 vision of Chardon Schools as a model school district and the District's mission of continuing to work towards high achievement for all students.

To date, Chardon's implementation of standards-based report cards has included:

  • 2022-23 School Year — Kindergarten
  • 2023-24 School Year — Grades 1-2
Enhanced Communication and a Growth Mindset
The primary goals of the more nuanced standards-based assessments are to 
enhance communication and support a growth mindset.

staff photo of Assistant Superintendent Ed Klein (Pastor Photography)
Dr. Ed Klein
photo:  Pastor Photography

Assistant Superintendent Ed Klein stated, "Traditional grades do not accurately reflect student progress. Our revised report card works to ensure that we are accurately communicating student progress with our students and families."

staff photo:  Munson 2nd-grade teacher Mrs. Leigh Ann Ferguson (photo:  Pastor Photography)
Mrs. Leigh Ann Ferguson
photo:  Pastor Photography

Case-in-point — as early as Oct. 27 of this school year, Munson Elementary second-grade teacher Leigh Ann Ferguson shared evidence of one of her students connecting their standards-based report card to understanding of an identifiable area for growth. 

Just one day after first-quarter report cards were released, the student chose to write in her dialogue journal:

“...I want to be better at math. I need to work on adding and subtracting within twenty…”

screenshot of student's journal entry dated October 27, 2023:  Mom, Dad and Mrs. F, I want to be better at math. I need to work on adding and subtracing within twenty. At home I am using subtraction flash cards because in X,tra math I'm in subtraction. I hope by the end of the year, I am better at math. Sincerely, [name crossed off for privacy purposes]
Screenshot of Munson Elementary Student's Dialogue Journal Entry, Oct. 27, 2023 

Developmental Timeline
Chardon Schools research and development of standards-based reporting began in 2021 by a committee of Chardon elementary school teachers, interventional specialists and administrators working with consultants from the Educational Services Center of Northeast Ohio together with Dr. Klein.

staff photo Munson Elementary Principal Mathew Prezioso (photo:  Pastor Photography)
Mr. Mathew Prezioso
photo:  Pastor Photography

Munson Elementary principal Mathew Prezioso explained, "The goal of our committee was to give parents an accurate picture of where their children are with each standard. We have done this with the new report card. I have received much positive feedback from our families."

Up Ahead
With standards-based report cards now in place for K-2, the next phases of the rollout includes third-grade implementation in 2024-25. Fourth-grade teachers at Chardon Middle School will begin professional development in standards-based grading in 2024-25 for future implementation for their grade level.

We Are Chardon
We Commit to High Achievement for All StudentsPortrait of a Hilltopper logo - Communicator, Continuous Learner, Creator, Collaborator and Contributor, Commitment, Critical Thinker; We Commit to High Achievement for All Students