Communicating with Parents and Families about Assessment

When I think of communication with parents and families about assessment, I’ve learned that it’s a two-way street with several key aspects. Let’s look at communicating to parents and families, communication with parents and families, and communication from parents and families.

Communication to Parents and Families

When I talk to parents, many of them feel as though there is a hidden code in schools—a code they don’t understand. Margo and her son moved to a new area when Jared started middle school. She missed the first parent-teacher meeting because she was working. She called the school and left several messages asking to meet with his teachers but didn’t receive a return call. Margo was frustrated when she told me her story. Another teacher at the school was in one of my classes, so I talked with her. I discovered that the school had a policy that all appointments with teachers were scheduled with the attendance secretary, so the entire teaching team could meet with parents without scheduling conflicts. My graduate student said the principal always explained the policy at the first meeting. So, of course, Margo didn’t know because she wasn’t at the meeting, and she thought the teachers were just ignoring her. One phone call later, she connected with the teachers, and she and Jared finished the year successfully.

I recommend that you have a grading policy. It’s not enough to have the policy—you need to ensure that every parent and family member understands it. Sharing the policy at meetings or conferences is crucial, but you also want to make sure parents and families have access to the policy throughout the year. I can’t count the number of calls I received because a parent had misplaced the policy! In addition to making it accessible to parents and families through your website, remind families of critical aspects through social media postings and newsletters.

Additionally, whenever students are working on a big project, make your expectations clear not only to them but also to their parents in writing. This is also important at the midpoint in the grading cycle and as you near the end of a grading period. One of my principals always reminded me, “The worst thing you can hear from a parent is ‘If I had only known.’” Your goal is no surprises!

Report cards are the main way teachers communicate results of assessments to parents, families and students. Report cards typically provide space for a grade, but you should add comments whenever possible because they provide specific feedback as to strengths and challenges.

What makes an effective report card? Authors Carol Ann Tomlinson and Tonya Moon share nine principles for effective grading. They are particularly pertinent to report cards.