COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
STANDARDIZED 4-6 REPORT CARD

INTRODUCTION:  This Communications Plan has been developed to introduce and inform parents, teachers, and students about the new system-wide Electronic Standardized Report Card for Grades 4-6 which will be implemented system-wide throughout DoDEA in School Year 2008-2009. 

The plan contains Background Information, Talking Points, Key Messages, Qs and As, and sample communications tools to use in disseminating information to a variety of audiences and outlines communication responsibilities from the Headquarters level to school level.

BACKGROUND:

DoDEA has 3 official report cards for elementary grades in use in its schools.  DDESS adopted an electronic standards-aligned report card in 2006.  DoDDS is using a report card that was last updated in 1994. 

Currently, schools are using either a paper version where the teacher writes the grades and comments directly on the form or an electronic version where the grades are entered in the Student Information System (SIS) and then printed on the report card.  In grades 4-6, the core classes receive letter grades (A-F).  The specials classes (Art, Music, PE, etc.) currently follow a grading scale using +, /, and -. 

Since DDESS has recently analyzed and implemented a new report card it was determined this was a good starting place for developing a system-wide report card.  With very few changes, the DDESS Grades 4-6 report card is being presented for use in all DoDEA schools worldwide with the exception of sixth grades that are a part of a middle school.  The new report card is also “standards aligned,” allowing parents to view the DoDEA curricular standards and see how their child’s performance aligns with meeting the grade level standards. 

It was determined that DoDEA needed a standard report card to use in its schools. 
This report card must communicate the required information in a friendly manner to parents and it must also be easy for teachers to use.  Implementing an electronic format for report cards would also facilitate longitudinal data to be collected on students.

Teachers in specials classes will use a new grading scale:  E- Exceeds grade-level expectations; M- Meets grade-level expectations; S- Steady progress towards grade-level expectations; and L- Limited progress towards grade-level expectations.  Grading procedures and scales for core class teachers will not change.

Training materials and information will be provided to teachers, administrators and parents on the DoDEA website.  Training using the web-based multi-media training product created for the Grades 4-6 Report Card Change will be held during the first three days of Teacher-in-Service for School Year 2008/2009.  New report card templates will be loaded into the SIS and will correlate the report cards and standards for the appropriate grade level. 

Objectives:

• Communicate the standardization of the Grade 4-6 Report Card to all of DoDEA’s internal and external audiences.
• Increase awareness of aligning student performance with DoDEA’s curricular standards.
• Build understanding and support for the new report card and for system-wide curricular standards.
• Establish awareness and understanding of the standardization of the report card in DoDDS-Europe and DoDDS-Pacific audiences

Key Messages:

Messages should contain the following basic content and be tailored to each audience level:

• The Standardized 4-6 Report Card is electronically-generated and easy for teachers and parents to use and understand.
• The new report card will be used in DoDDS-Europe and DoDDS-Pacific schools beginning in School Year 2008/2009 for all students in grades 4-6 with the exception of sixth grades that are a part of a middle school.
• The Standardized 4-6 Report Card is also standards-aligned, allowing parents to view curricular standards and track their child’s performance in meeting grade level standards.
•  The Standardized 4-6 Report Card allows longitudinal data to be collected on students.
• The Standardized 4-6 Report Card features sections on Student Achievement; Student Performance; Learning Skills; Attendance and Tardiness; Overall Comments; and Student Performance.
• The new report card reflects common expectations for student achievement of DoDEA standards and more accurately reports results of standards-based instruction and assessment in the classroom.
• Standards-based instruction and assessment is classroom practice guided by specific standards, which outline what students should know and be able to do in each curriculum area.
• Implementing the use of the new report card is part of DoDEA’s continued effort to align educational programs at all schools throughout the system.
• Using the new report card, parents will be better able to monitor their child’s progress by using performance and achievement grades given in each subject area throughout the year.
• The report card, coupled with frequent communication between teachers and parents enhances understanding of how educational needs can best be supported at school and home.
• Use of the report card will bring a consistent practice across the system to help military families.

Audiences

Strategies/Tools:

• Develop Key Messages
• Communications products for internal and external audiences (brochures, newsletter articles, letters to parents, articles for installation newspapers, web site presence, posters, school administration presentations, PSAs, etc.).
• Tailor tools to meet audience needs, incorporating audience-appropriate Key Messages.

Content and training – DoDEA Education Directorate
Development, design and layout of communications tools– DoDEA Communications Office

DoDEA Headquarters Responsibilities

• Communications Plan/Public Affairs Guidance
• Brochure and poster .pdf file
• PSA script
• Newsletter and newspaper article
• Letter to parents
• Web site presence
• News Release
• Multimedia Training Product
• “Chat Room” Show with Dr. Miles

Area Responsibilities

• Brief employees first on the new report card system.
• Localize communications plan and communications tools for audiences within the Areas.
• Incorporate Key Messages into communications.
• Make subject matter experts available for interviews
• Interface with media representatives as appropriate.
• Disseminate communications information to districts and schools.
• Develop and maintain a web presence for the report card and link it to the DoDEA site.
• Develop a method to evaluate communication effectiveness.
• Develop a mechanism to accommodate feedback from administrators, teachers and parents.

District Responsibilities

• Brief employees first on the new report card system.
• Localize communications plan and communications tools for audiences within the Areas.
• Incorporate Key Messages into communications.
• Make subject matter experts available for interviews
• Interface with media representatives as appropriate.
• Disseminate communications information to schools.
• Develop and maintain a web presence for the report card, linking it to the Area and DoDEA sites.
• Develop a method to evaluate communication effectiveness.
• Develop a mechanism to accommodate feedback from administrators, teachers and parents.
• Make personnel available to brief at schools and talk with principals, teachers and parents.

School Responsibilities

• Brief employees first on the new report card system.
• Localize communications plan and communications tools for audiences within the Areas.
• Incorporate Key Messages into communications.
• Make subject matter experts available for interviews
• Interface with media representatives as appropriate.
• Disseminate information to parents via school newsletters and installation newspaper articles.
• Develop and maintain a web presence for the report card, linking it to the District, Area and DoDEA sites.
• Incorporate discussion of new report card into Open House and Back to School Nights.
• Use posters to reinforce message and increase awareness and understanding.
• Develop a method to evaluate communication effectiveness.
• Develop a mechanism to accommodate feedback from administrators, teachers and parents.
• Make personnel available to brief at schools and talk with parents.

Evaluation:

• Conduct communication audits at all levels to determine the success of the communications plan in meeting the stated objectives. 
• Things to consider:  interviews and focus groups; surveys; objective anaylsis; news effectiveness (reach and placements).

Budget:

Development, design and layout:  In-house resources.
Video production:  In-house resources
Captioning for video pieces - $500 (Education)
Content:  In-house resources
Printing and distribution:  Electronic distribution of brochures and posters – local printing costs.
All costs in FY 08

Qs and As: Below is an anticipated list of questions and answers that administrators, principals and teachers can use to help communicate effectively with parents, the community and the news media.  While the list of questions below is not meant to be exhaustive or all-encompassing, it does provide a foundation to guide and support effective communication.

Q1:  Who will use the new report card?
A1.  The new report card will be used in grades 4-6 at all DoDEA schools worldwide with the exception of grades that are a part of middle schools.

Q2:  Why is the report card changing?
A2:  We’re moving towards a standardized report card system we can use throughout DoDEA.  This year, we’re taking a first step by introducing an Electronic Standards-Aligned Report Card for grades 4-6.  The report card has been in use in our stateside schools and with very few changes, we’ve expanded the program and we’re implementing it throughout our 4th, 5th, and 6th grade classrooms worldwide.  Because the new report card is also standards aligned, parents will have the opportunity to look at our curricular standards and see how their child’s performance aligns with meeting the grade level standards. 
A system-wide standardized manner of reporting student progress is part of DoDEAs’ continued effort to align our educational programs at all schools throughout the system.

Q3:  How will this change affect 5th and 6th grade students who received report cards under the previous construct?
A3.  They will receive report cards under the new format.  The grading for core classes is the same so parents should see no difference.  The new grading scale for special classes should better represent student achievement in those classes.

Q4:  What are the standards for students’ learning?
A4.  A summary of expected grade-level content standards is provided on the back of the student report card. Complete grade-level standards for each curriculum area may be found on the DoDEA website -  www.dodea.edu, or by asking your child’s teacher.

Q5.  Why are standards important?
A5.  Standards set goals for what students should know and be able to do.  They also tell students what is expected of them and help families understand those expectations.  Above all, standards are fair, challenging, and meaningful and they hold all students to high expectations.

Q6: How does the new report card improve monitoring of student progress?
A6. Monitoring student progress toward mastery of DoDEA learning standards can be accomplished by using the performance and achievement grades given in each subject area through the year.  The report card, coupled with frequent communication between teachers and parents enhances understanding of how educational needs can best be supported at school and home.

Q7:  Will this new report card ease transitions for students into and out of the DoDEA school system?  Is the design and construct modeled after report cards issued by local education agencies (LEAs)?
A7.  The new report card should help ease the transition to a local educational agency.  LEA grade reporting was included in the study when it was decided to change the format of the DoDEA report card.  By standardizing the report card for all DoDEA schools it is much easier to transfer grades when students move from school to school within DoDEA.

Q8:  Who and/or what agencies and individuals were consulted in the design of the new report card?
A8.  The report card was developed internally to DoDEA by using a standard designed by DDESS.  The curricular liaisons had input into the final version.

Q9:  Why redesign the report card for grades 4-6 only?  What about primary and high school grades?
A9.  The primary grades report card is currently under redesign, but with changes in the grading structure will not be released for another year.  The secondary report card is modeled on stateside schools and meets the needs as students transition to post secondary schools.

Q10:  You say the report card will be used throughout DoDEA in grades 4-6 with the exception of grades located at middle schools.  Why were they excluded and what system are they using?
A10.  Middle schools use the secondary report card for grade reporting.  It fits the middle school system better.  If the grades are included in a middle school they will receive the standard secondary report card.

Q11:  How have teachers and administrators been trained to use the new system?
A11.  Very little re-training is required for implementation of the new report card because most of the changes were formatting changes.  Specials teachers (Art, Music, Physical Education, Health Education and Intercultural Education) will receive training on the use of the new grading scale for those classes.

Q12:  How will students and parents know about the changes?
A12.  We plan on extensive awareness programs for parents and students, primarily through Open Houses, Back-to-School Nights, Parent-Teacher Conferences, base newspaper articles, school newsletters, and publicity tools sent home with students.  As with any matter, parents are encouraged to contact their child’s teacher or school principal with any questions they may have about the new report card.

Prepared by:
Office of Communications
Department of Defense Education Activity
4040 N. Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA  22203

SAMPLE ARTICLES AND LETTERS:
Letter to Parents

Your School Name and Address
Date

Family Name
Address

Dear Parent:

As part of DoDEA’s ongoing effort to align educational programs at all schools throughout the system our school will be implementing the new Standardized 4-6 Report Card for School Year 2008-2009 in Grades 4, 5, and 6, with the exception of sixth grades that are part of a middle school.

The new report card is an electronic standards-aligned report card that allows you to view the DoDEA curricular standards and see how you child’s performance aligns with meeting the grade level standards.  The Standardized 4-6 Report Card features sections on Student Achievement; Student Performance; Learning Skills; Attendance and Tardiness; Overall Comments; and Student Performance.  The new report card reflects common expectations for student achievement of DoDEA standards and more accurately reports results of standards-based instruction and assessment in the classroom.

Grade appropriate standards for learning are posted on the back of each student’s report card.  A listing of complete grade-level standards for each curriculum area is posted on the DoDEA website, www.dodea.edu.  Classroom teachers also have copies of the learning standards.  These standards are important because they set goals for what students should know and be able to do.  They also tell students what is expected of them and help families understand those expectations.  Above all, standards are fair, challenging, and meaningful and they hold all students to high expectations.

The report card, coupled with frequent communication between teachers and parents enhances understanding of how educational needs can best be supported at school and home.  A sample of the new report card, with highlighted features, is enclosed with this letter.

We appreciate your support and feedback and working together, as a school-home team, we help your child achieve educational success this school year.  Please feel free to contact me or your child’s classroom teacher with any questions you have about the new Standardized 4-6 Report Card.

                                                                        Sincerely,
(Principal’s signature)
Article for School Newsletter or Installation Newspaper

Beginning in School Year 2008-2009, (Name of your school) will implement a new Standardized 4-6 Report Card for students in grades 4, 5, and 6.  The new report card is part of a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) initiative to align educational programs at all schools throughout the system.

The new report card is an electronic standardized report card that parents to view the DoDEA curricular standards and see how their child’s performance aligns with meeting the grade level standards.  The Standardized 4-6 Report Card features sections on Student Achievement; Student Performance; Learning Skills; Attendance and Tardiness; Overall Comments; and Student Performance.  The new report card is also “standards aligned,” allowing parents to view the DoDEA curricular standards and see how their child’s performance aligns with meeting the grade level standards. 
A summary of expected grade-level content standards is provided on the back of the student report card. Complete grade-level standards for each curriculum area may be found on the DoDEA website -  www.dodea.edu, or by asking your child’s teacher.
A sample of the new report card, with highlighted features, appears below.  Parent guides will also be sent home with students (insert date here).  Parents are invited to contact the school principal (list office phone number or e-mail) with any questions.

(Insert sample report card with highlighted features here.)

SAMPLE OF TRIFOLD BROCHURE