Report cards are supposed to reveal how a child is doing in school. They do not. Here are some research-backed strategies parents can use to determine how your child truly is performing in school.

October is associated with many scary things like horror-movie-character Halloween costumes, frightening Jack-O-Lanterns that are eerily lit up, and the occasional front yard decorated like a graveyard replete with creepy sound effects. 

Another scary event in October? 

Kids’ receiving their first report card of the school year! And while some children may dread getting their first report card, many parents have absolutely no idea how their child is performing in school. That is frightening!

Don’t believe it? Research backs it up.

A Learning Heroes study found that 90% of parents believe their child is at or above grade level in reading and math. In reality, 26% of 8th grade students are proficient or above in math and only 31% are proficient or above in reading.

For parents, good grades equate to being on grade level. Clearly this is not the case. Grade inflation continues to be alive and well in many schools. According to the Fordham Institute, grade inflation is the increase in average grades awarded to students over time, absent higher academic achievement. For example, one study showed that over one-third of high school students earning a B in Algebra 1 failed the end-of-course exam. 

Sound familiar?

Of course many students are still catching up from pandemic learning loss. According to the Center For Education Policy Research at Harvard University, “The average American student is less than halfway to a full academic recovery from the effects of the pandemic.” The study combined test scores and academic research along with parent interviews to reveal the disturbing data. 

If parents knew exactly how well – or in this case how poorly – their child was performing, the majority of parents polled in the Learning Heroes study said that they would make it a priority to seek assistance for their child if they knew they were behind academically.

So the logical question is: how exactly do you know how well your child is performing in school?

How to determine how your child is doing in school

Certainly report cards are one data point that parents can refer to in order to learn how their child is doing in school. However, as outlined above, grades no longer carry the same value and indicative nature they used to. A student with a 3.0 grade point average could still very well flunk each of the End-of-Course exams. 

So parents need to integrate many data points, including district level testing, state level testing, and teacher comments during conferences. All of this information can create a picture of performance.

What else can parents do?

Review report cards But also frequently review the online grade books such as Skyward or Power School. There you can see daily grades and any missing work.

Attend Parent teacher conferences While meeting with the teacher, ask two questions: 1. How is my child performing compared to their peers in this class? 2. Is my child still behind from pandemic learning loss or is he/she caught up to where they ought to be?

Monitor homework habits  Do they complete it easily? Is there resistance and/or frustration? Do they need constant help to complete it? 

Talk to your child about their school day Ask open-ended questions to help elicit responses beyond yes or no. For example, What was your favorite part of today? What was something that made you laugh? Which is your favorite class, and why?

Monitor Absenteeism Get your child to school. They simply cannot learn while at home sick.

Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more school days, meaning 18 days of a typical 180 day school year.

What to do if your child is struggling in school

There are many courses of action a parent can take if their child is not performing well in school. These include:

Get independent testing If your child is receiving average to below average grades and you are concerned about their academic performance, independent testing can deliver a lot of useful information. Jennifer Pelz, Speech-Language Pathologist, Learning Specialist, Clinical & Educational Evaluator at Engage the Brain, often evaluates students. She says that testing gives a clear picture of a child’s strengths and challenges. 

Pelz goes on to say that there are three types of tests. 

Academic testing shows whether a student is on grade level in reading, writing, and math, helps identify learning gaps, and guides intervention goals. 

Comprehensive diagnostic evaluations go deeper, uncovering potential language-based learning disorders, providing official diagnoses, and outlining classroom accommodations or scholarship documentation when needed. 

Speech-language evaluations identify communication difficulties that may affect comprehension, expression, or even reading and writing development. 

Finally, Pelz states, “Most importantly, understanding how a child learns and recognizing their challenges is empowering for both children and families as it validates their experiences, reduces frustration, and provides a clear path forward for growth and success.”

Develop the Soft skills These skills – which include emotional intelligence, collaboration, and problem solving – are more important than academic success and are a better predictor of future success than grades. A study in the American Journal of Public Health showed significant associations between a child’s social-emotional skills and future success in education, employment, and mental health. 

Final thoughts 

October usually ushers in the first report card of the school year and many parents may not know how their child is doing academically, even after receiving and reading the report card. Studies show that the majority of parents think their child is doing well when in fact the statistics paint another picture. Pandemic learning loss still looms large in most classrooms, and determining where your child stands in relation to peers and academic standards is critical. 

Of course academics are important, but research also backs up the importance of the soft skills. As Dr. Becky Kennedy, a clinical psychologist, said, “Don’t raise your child to be the best kid in the room. Raise your child to make the room better.”

If you are concerned about your child’s progress in school or simply do not know how well – or poorly – they are performing, contact Jennifer Disch at Engage the Brain to learn how testing or personalized, research-backed one-on-one sessions with a trained Learning Specialist could benefit your child.