End-of-Year Report Card Newsletter: What to Tell Families

Report cards arrive and phones start ringing. Most of those calls happen for the same reasons: families did not know the report card was coming, they do not understand the grading scale, or they have a concern and do not know who to call.

A well-written report card newsletter reduces every one of those calls. Here is what to put in it.

Tell Families When and How They Will Receive Report Cards

This is the first piece of information families need. Be specific. Not "report cards will be sent home soon." Tell them the exact date. Tell them whether it comes home in the backpack, is mailed, or is available through an online portal. If it is mailed, give the expected arrival window.

"Final report cards will go home in your child's backpack on Friday, June 13th, the last day of school. If you have not received yours by June 17th, please email the main office."

A specific date and a follow-up contact remove two separate reasons for a phone call.

Explain the Grading Scale If It Is Not Obvious

Many schools use descriptive grades: Exceeding, Meeting, Approaching, Beginning. Or numbers: 4, 3, 2, 1. These are not self-explanatory. A parent who sees a 3 does not know if that is excellent, adequate, or a reason to be concerned.

Add four lines:

"4 = Exceeding grade-level expectations. 3 = Meeting grade-level expectations. This is the target grade. 2 = Approaching grade-level expectations. 1 = Working below grade-level expectations and may benefit from additional support."

That is everything families need to interpret the grades without calling the school.

Address Promotion Decisions Directly

If a student is being retained, that family has already been contacted individually. The newsletter does not need to address individual cases. But it should tell families what the general promotion policy is so no one is surprised.

"All students who have met grade-level benchmarks in reading and math will be promoted to the next grade. Families of students who were identified for possible retention received a separate communication in April."

One clear sentence prevents families from reading their child's grades and trying to extrapolate whether promotion is happening.

Tell Families What to Do If They Have Questions

Name the contact, not just the channel. Not "contact the school with any questions." Give the teacher's email address and the office phone number and specify when each is the right choice.

"For questions about your child's specific grades or progress, email your child's teacher directly at [email]. For questions about school records or enrollment, call the main office at [phone]."

Families who know exactly who to contact use the right channel. Families who get a generic "contact us" call the main office about everything, which creates a bottleneck the week after school ends.

Note Whether Year-End Conferences Are Available

Some schools offer brief year-end conferences for families who want to discuss their child's progress. If your school does this, say so now and provide a sign-up link or process.

If you do not offer year-end conferences, say when the next opportunity for a parent-teacher conversation will be: "Conferences are available in the fall. The fall conference schedule will be sent home the first week of school."

Families with concerns are reassured when they know a conversation is available. They become more frustrated when they feel the year ended with no opportunity for dialogue.