A NEW REPORT CARD FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR

An example of the content of the provincial report card is available on the Ministère’s Web site: www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/bulletinNational/ .

Dear parents:

As of the 2011-2012 school year, a new provincial report card will be used in schools throughout Québec. This standardized report card will provide you with information on the evaluation of your child’s learning, which will help you monitor your child’s progress in school. Some elements of the current report card will also be removed to make it easier to read. These changes attest to the readiness of the Québec government to make adjustments to preschool, elementary and secondary education.

You will therefore receive a report card that presents essential information clearly and concisely. As in the past, other forms of communication will also be used, because cooperation between the school and parents is critical to our children.

Line Beauchamp, Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports

At the beginning of 2011-2012, your school will provide you with a document that explains • the main types of evaluation that will be carried out with your child and when they will take place during the year.

By October 15, 2011, at the latest, you will also be informed in writing about how your child • is starting off the school year.

Date of issue:A standardized report card will be used across Québec in all public and private schools and will be issued at specific times of the year, no later than: • November 20 • March 15 • July 10In the case of students experiencing learning or behavioural difficulties, monthly communications will also be issued.

Results:Detailed results will be provided for the following subjects: language of instruction, second language, mathematics and science. For example, in English Language Arts, these competencies are covered: • Uses language to communicate and to learn • Reads and listens to spoken, written and media texts • Produces written and media textsFor the other subjects, a subject mark expressed as a percentage as well as the group average will be included in the report card.

The same weighting has been assigned to each term in all schools throughout Québec, as follows: • The results of Term 1 will count for 20% of a student’s final mark in a subject. • The results of Term 2 will count for 20% of the final mark. • The results of Term 3 will count for 60% of the final mark. At the end of the year, a final mark will be calculated by taking into account the results of the three terms.

Teachers will include comments regarding: • the student’s strengths, challenges and progress • the following competencies: - Exercises critical judgment - Organizes his/her work - Communicates effectively - Works in a team

THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE PROVINCIAL REPORT CARD

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?This period will allow teachers and school administrators to better prepare to implement the report card. A number of important initiatives have been planned for this year in order to help them with the upcoming changes: information and training sessions for teachers, preparation of computerized systems, and so forth. A table listing the actions scheduled is available on the Ministère’s Web site at www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/bulletinNational/ .

WILL STUDENTS STILL BE REQUIRED TO TAKE MINISTERIAL EXAMINATIONS AFTER SCHOOLS BEGIN USING THE PROVINCIAL REPORT CARD?

The Secondary IV and V ministerial examinations will continue to count for 50% of the final mark. Starting in 2011-2012, the ministerial examinations administered in elementary school and in Cycle One of secondary school will count for 20% of a student’s final mark.

YES

WHY WAIT A YEAR BEFORE INTRODUCING THE PROVINCIAL REPORT CARD?

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The results communicated in the report card will cover learning as a whole, that is, the know- ledge that students have acquired and their ability to apply it in different situations. For example, in the case of the English Language Arts competency Produces written and media texts, students’ marks will reflect, among other things, that they know rules of grammar and syntax and that they can correctly apply them in a variety of contexts.

WHAT WILL CHANGE IN TERMS OF EVALUATING STUDENT KNOWLEDGE?