By Kayla Johnson
PEORIA, Ill. (25 News) – A Peoria Public Schools board member is proposing a change to student report cards that would display actual reading and math grade-level performance in addition to traditional letter grades.
Board Member Gregory Wilson said the addition would use metrics the district already tracks, making it a no-cost change. He is also proposing reinstating the requirement for parents to sign and return report cards — a practice that faded during the pandemic.
Under the proposal, report cards would include a column showing the grade level at which a student is performing in reading and math, alongside their existing letter grades.
“So instead of just simply seeing a C for a fourth grader, it actually has what they’re reading at on the grade level,” Wilson said. “So that could be a second grade reading level. So now hopefully that empowers the parent to have the opportunity to advocate for their child. Find out why they are reading at a second grade level and not a fourth grade level if their child was in the 4th grade.”
Alisha Granderson, a parent organizer with the Peoria Parents Project, supports reinstating signed report cards but said the district should go further.
“Signed report cards, signed progress reports are great. That’s a great start. But again, like I said, we can take it a step further by implementing those student-led conferences and also having more parent-teacher conferences throughout the school year,” Granderson said.
Granderson also said more than one parent-teacher conference per year is essential, and that student-led conferences can help students express their struggles and access needed resources.
The policy committee is scheduled to introduce and discuss the proposal at its meeting Wednesday at 4 p.m. If it passes committee, it will go to the full board for a vote.
The Peoria Parents Project encourages parents to get involved by attending district board meetings or its own monthly meetings, held the first Tuesday of every month.
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