Shareeda Jones, a parent in northeast Washington, DC, initially believed her daughter, Cristyonna, was excelling in third grade, earning predominantly As and Bs. However, when Cristyonna transitioned to a new school for fourth grade, a new assessment revealed she was significantly behind in reading by three grade levels.
Jones realized that the report card didn’t offer a comprehensive view of her daughter’s academic capabilities. Determined to support Cristyonna’s learning, she proactively sought additional reading resources, including investing in online learning tools like Hooked on Phonics.
Even with improvements noted by Cristyonna’s fifth-grade teacher, Jones’s experience underscores a prevalent issue highlighted in a recent report. Overreliance on report cards might mislead parents about their child’s academic status, hindering necessary support for their learning journey.
The report by Gallup in collaboration with the nonprofit Learning Heroes suggests that nearly 9 out of 10 US parents believe their children perform at grade level in math and reading, despite the sobering reality of national standardized test scores.
This tendency to trust grades, referred to as “B-flation,” is noticeable, with 79% of parents stating their children typically receive B grades or better. Alarmingly, even among parents who acknowledge their children are below grade level in reading, 36% still observe mostly B grades or higher, indicating a notable issue of grade inflation.
While report cards are a conventional means of assessing academic progress, they do not always offer a comprehensive understanding. They reflect various elements like effort, homework completion, and behavior, sometimes failing to accurately gauge a child’s academic advancement, the report explains.
The disparity between grades and standardized test scores emphasizes this issue. National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data for 2022 revealed that only around a third of fourth-graders and eighth-graders exhibited proficiency in reading and math, highlighting a significant discord between grades and genuine achievement.
Learning Heroes advocates for a holistic approach to evaluating a child’s progress. They encourage parents to explore diverse sources of information beyond grades, including ongoing feedback from teachers, personal observations, statewide tests, and benchmark exams. These additional data points can provide a more accurate representation of a child’s performance, facilitating informed support for their learning journey.
The report also highlights disparities in perceptions versus standardized test outcomes, particularly among Black and Hispanic communities. While over 85% of Black and Hispanic parents believe their children are at or above grade level in reading or math, NAEP data contradicts this, indicating only 17% of Black students and 21% of Hispanic students demonstrate proficiency in reading.
Recognizing the complexity of assessing a child’s academic progress, Learning Heroes emphasizes collaboration between parents and teachers to comprehend student performance effectively. They stress the significance of integrating diverse data points to gauge whether a child is performing at their grade level and the importance of tailored support for their learning.
Understanding a child’s academic standing beyond mere grades allows parents to initiate necessary discussions with teachers and access interventions that can aid their child in catching up academically, the report asserts. This comprehensive understanding helps pave the way for parents to advocate effectively for their child’s education and support their learning at home.
Jones, determined to bridge her daughter’s learning gap despite minimal school support, actively engages Cristyonna in reading exercises and intends to enroll her in a summer camp to prepare for middle school. Drawing from her own experiences with dyslexia and struggling with reading, Jones aspires for her daughter to achieve academic success beyond her own educational challenges.
