Ferguson-Florissant School District

Standards-Based Learning

Following a successful pilot program, we are pleased to announce that all elementary schools in our District will be using Standards-Based Report Cards this school year for students in grades K-5. Over the past year, Ferguson-Florissant School District has been working towards establishing a consistent format regarding assessment and grading.

The new standards-based grading practices are a result of our efforts to communicate an accurate picture of student learning. The new format will communicate how students perform on a set of clearly defined learning targets called standards. The purpose is to identify what a student knows or is able to do, in relation to the given learning targets - as opposed to simply averaging grades/scores over the course of the grading period, which can mask what a student has learned or has not learned. 

Standards-based report cards:

• List the most important skills students should learn in each subject area at their grade level.

• Provide the most recent achievements and feedback regarding students’ progress towards meeting the end-of-the-year grade-level standards.

• Ensure consistency from grade level to grade level.

• Report effort/work habits separately from academic achievement. Students are graded on what they know and what they have learned and separate social and behavioral skills from academic skills.

To help families understand how student progress will be reported, we have created a Parent Guide ( English) Parent Guide (Spanish)to answer many frequently asked questions and answers regarding standards-based grading. We appreciate your continued support and partnership.

If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher or building principal.