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Litchfield board hears four‑year plan to move to standards‑based report cards; parents and special‑needs reporting flagged as concerns
Summary
District leaders outlined a four‑year vision to shift to standards‑based grading and new report cards, beginning with alignment and a one‑to‑four proficiency scale; board members raised concerns about parent understanding, IEP and multilingual student reporting, and rollout support.
District instructional leaders presented a multi‑year plan May 12 to redesign report cards and grading practices to focus on standards and proficiency rather than percentage‑based letter grades.
Director Katie Wood and Dr. Benjamin described committee work over two years, staff and parent surveys, samples from other districts and a four‑year roadmap: year one will emphasize alignment and use a one‑to‑four proficiency scale in many grade bands; year two will shift practices toward standards‑centered grading; year three will aim for consistent PLC use and performance‑based assessments; and year four will emphasize student‑centered practices where students can articulate evidence of progress.
"We will begin grading on a one through four scale so students know how to move from one proficiency level to another," Wood said. The presentation said the district will cluster standards by strand or domain for report card reporting, provide communication materials (infographics, videos), and offer professional development, with an opt‑in first year for teachers ready to pilot the approach.
Board members welcomed the goals but pressed staff on parent communication and special‑education and multilingual student reporting. Miss Wallace asked how teachers will translate multi‑standard assessments into cluster scores and how the system will reflect students who receive supports under IEPs; Wood replied that the district plans to show the level of support provided and include notes when scaffolds were used so parents can see context.
Multiple board members emphasized the importance of in‑person parent information sessions in addition to written materials, and members asked for clear FAQs and supports for teachers during the rollout. Staff said the committee will continue work over the summer and bring a final proposal back for a vote in June, with a slower, opt‑in roll‑out next year to pilot the approach before district‑wide adoption.
What’s next: the board will review the committee’s final documents in June and consider a vote after summer committee work and planned communication materials are prepared.
