February 20, 2025
Why Do We Need More Descriptive Reporting in K-12?
BC’s Proficiency-Based Reporting System has moved beyond traditional letter grades to descriptive feedback and student self-reflection. But how can we ensure that student progress in numeracy is communicated clearly and meaningfully?
The Can-Do Enhanced Transcript Approach is a step forward, offering competency-based descriptions of student learning that help students, parents, and educators understand what proficiency really looks like in action.
Making Proficiency Meaningful
Traditional report cards often provide limited insight into what students actually know and can do. Instead of just stating that a student is “Proficient” in a subject, what if we provided a clear and specific description of their skills?
Example – Can-Do Enhanced Transcript for a Proficient Student (Grade 3-4)
“Numeracy Instruction | Proficient | Applied fraction concepts to compare and order fractions, demonstrated fluency in identifying equivalent fractions using visual models, and effectively communicated fraction concepts through written and verbal explanations.”
This rich, narrative-based assessment helps: Parents understand their child’s progress. Students reflect on their strengths and areas for growth. Educators track development in a more holistic way.
Next Steps: Bringing Can-Do to K-12 Reporting
To integrate the Can-Do approach into BC’s reporting system, schools and districts can: Pilot-test Can-Do descriptors alongside current proficiency labels. Engage educators in professional learning to refine assessment language. Incorporate student voice by integrating Can-Do reflections into student-led conferences. Explore digital reporting platforms to ensure seamless transcript updates.
By embedding competency-based descriptions into numeracy reporting, we ensure that student learning is clearly represented, growth-oriented, and meaningfully communicated.
What do you think? Could this approach help bridge the gap between grades and real learning? Let’s discuss! #Education #K12 #Assessment #CanDoLearning #EdInnovation
February 17, 2025
Strengthening Can-Do Reporting in Elementary Education: A Balanced Integrated Approach
Introduction
Can-Do Reporting transforms how we assess and communicate student progress by focusing on strengths, growth, and next steps. This approach supports students in building self-confidence, engaging in self-reflection, and developing a deeper understanding of learning progressions.
To effectively expand Can-Do Reporting within British Columbia’s elementary education system, it is essential to align its principles with the Ministry’s redesigned curriculum while preserving the integrity of subject-specific learning. A focused approach embeds Can-Do statements within existing curriculum frameworks, ensuring both curricular structure and individualized progress tracking, with an initial emphasis on elementary numeracy and literacy.
A Classroom Moment – Discovering Numbers
Emma’s face lit up as she carefully arranged her counters into groups of five. “Look, Mr. Lee! I made ten in two different ways!” she exclaimed, holding up two small sets of beads.
Mr. Lee smiled. “That’s great, Emma! Can you explain how you grouped them?”
Emma pointed to one pile. “Five and five make ten.” She pointed to another. “And this one is six and four!”
This moment of discovery was not just about counting; it was about building conceptual understanding and confidence. By encouraging Emma to verbalize her reasoning, Mr. Lee integrated formative assessment strategies, aligning with British Columbia’s K-12 Student Reporting Policy, which emphasizes descriptive feedback to support student learning.
Integrating Can-Do Reporting in Numeracy and Literacy
1. Organizing Curriculum for Student Progress Tracking
• Maintain the curriculum framework as the primary organizing structure.
• Add specific Can-Do indicators within numeracy and literacy to clarify skill development.
• Establish clear progress markers that align with both curriculum expectations and competency growth.
• Ensure subject integrity while highlighting skill-based progress.
2. Enhancing Student Reporting
• Continue reporting curriculum-based grades but supplement with Can-Do capability statements in numeracy and literacy.
• Show both achievement levels and growth over time.
• Provide parents with a clearer understanding of their child’s actual skills and progress.
3. Benefits to Students, Parents, and Teachers:
• For Students: Encourages self-awareness and confidence in their learning journey by highlighting their strengths and next steps.
• For Parents: Offers a clearer and more detailed understanding of their child’s actual skills, progress, and areas for growth, fostering better communication between home and school.
• For Teachers: Supports more targeted instruction and intervention by providing precise insights into each student’s development, making it easier to personalize learning and track progress effectively.
4. Tracking Progressive Development in Literacy and Numeracy
| Literacy Progression Example | Numeracy Progression Example |
| Curriculum Outcome: Understands and creates texts.Can-Do Markers: • Decodes unfamiliar words using phonics. • Reads grade-level texts fluently. • Comprehends main ideas and supporting details.• Writes coherent and structured paragraphs. | Curriculum Outcome: Uses number strategies.Can-Do Markers: • Recalls basic facts automatically.• Applies efficient calculation strategies. • Explains mathematical thinking and reasoning. • Solves multi-step word problems independently. |
Can-Do Literacy and Numeracy Progress Chart (Grade 3-4 Transition)
| Can-Do Statement | Emerging (Gr. 3 Start) | Developing (Gr. 3 Mid-Year) | Proficient (Gr. 3 End / Gr. 4 Start) | Extending (Gr. 4 Mid-Year & Beyond) |
| Literacy: Reading Fluency | Reads simple sentences with support | Reads short texts with emerging fluency | Reads grade-level texts fluently with some expression | Reads complex texts with confidence and expression |
| Literacy: Comprehension | Identifies basic story elements (who, what) | Retells stories with details and main ideas | Summarizes key themes and makes simple inferences | Analyzes and discusses deeper themes and character motivations |
| Numeracy: Multiplication & Division | Recognizes repeated addition as multiplication | Uses basic multiplication facts to solve simple problems | Applies multiplication and division within 100 fluently | Uses strategies to solve multi-step problems involving multiplication and division |
| Numeracy: Fractions & Decimals | Identifies simple fractions in visual models | Compares and orders fractions with like denominators | Represents fractions and decimals on a number line | Adds and subtracts fractions and decimals in real-world applications |
Practical Benefits of a Focused Can-Do Approach
• Works within existing curriculum structures while emphasizing numeracy and literacy.
• Provides clearer learning progressions that integrate seamlessly with report cards.
• Supports differentiation, ensuring that each student’s strengths and needs are recognized.
• Maintains high transparent academic standards while emphasizing growth-based learning.
• Helps identify intervention needs through clear skill progression markers.
• Supports teacher, student, parent / guardian progress reporting.
Conclusion: Strengthening Can-Do Reporting in Numeracy and Literacy
By focusing on elementary numeracy and literacy, British Columbia’s Can-Do Reporting model can maintain curriculum integrity while offering a clearer pathway for skill development. This approach ensures that both educators and families can track student progress in a way that supports personalized learning and competency growth.
Would you like to explore how this approach could be piloted in classrooms? Let’s collaborate to refine Can-Do Reporting for elementary education!