School Report Cards Allow Parents To Grade Schools

The children have shown their parents their grade cards – now it’s time for the parents to see the school’s grades. School districts have been required for a decade to issue annual reports on what they’re doing, things that might let parents have some feel for the quality of education their children are getting. Those reports are now part of the federal “No Child Left Behind” law. They are for each building in every school district. State Education Department Spokesman Jim Morris says it’s natural for people to compare one district to another or one building to another. But he says that should be done cautiously. Districts will circulate the reports in the newspapers, or in brochures, or in other ways. Or you can check the Department of Education website. Click on “school data and statistics”, then “load profile,” and follow directions to the building you want to read about. Morris says the reports are good snapshots of what’s happening in a district and in its buildings.