A few years ago, our school district went completely digital with report cards. The idea was that we would no longer send home hard copies of student report cards, and instead, families could log in to the student portal and see the digital copy of the report card once it was available. Many other school districts have adopted this practice as well. Save paper. Make it easier for parents to see the report card once it’s ready. High efficiency.
A funny thing happened though once we started doing this. Fewer and fewer families actually looked at the report card. We might be lucky if 50 percent of our families look at the report card when it is released. In another school district, there were about a third of parents actually reviewing the report card. Some families go the entire year without ever opening the portal.
So, what can we do about this?
A simple fix would be returning to hard copies. It decreases the friction involved in logging in. Here’s the report card in your child’s backpack. Take a look. But honestly? The era of the traditional report card may have come and gone. We need a deeper fix.
So, instead of a report card, what if students curated a “Museum of Me”?
What if we had students share one artifact each week that they were particularly proud of? This week, it might be a math test where a tough concept finally clicked. Maybe it’s a lab report from a successful science experiment or better yet, a reflection on a failed experiment where the real learning actually took place. It could be an art project, a paragraph of fiction writing, or a video of a speech. As the weeks go on, the student builds the Museum of Me, artifacts that show what and how they are learning.
Think about how more productive a parent-teacher-student conference would be with the student proudly showing off their own learning artifacts, whether digitally or in a physical folder. Combined with a short narrative from the teacher about strengths and next steps, this data actually becomes useful.
Of course, we will still need practical checkpoints. Along with digital report cards, we still send home a hard copy progress report mid-year, checking off whether students are meeting or not meeting standards. Interestingly, many more parents review these progress reports and sign off. This format provides immediate and usable data without the friction of logging in.
Maybe the future of assessment isn’t an all or nothing choice between paper report cards and digital portals. Maybe the sweet spot are actionable progress reports and a student-centered Museum of Me.
One thing is clear though. We need to change how assessment is being reported. Right now, the traditional system is only working for a portion of our families.
How does your school bridge the gap between sharing student data and true family engagement?
Rich
