As part of a continued effort “to improve the school-to-home connection” in Keokuk, elementary school teachers volunteered to develop a new report card that is consistent from grade-to-grade, more parent-friendly and easily accessible that will start next month in January.
“Our teachers developed a report card that will be a valuable tool for parents to better understand their child’s learning progress and behavior,” Dr. Kathy Dinger, KCSD superintendent, said. She led the process, which was based on her comprehensive experience in standards-based reporting at the state-level, as well as from previously training other districts. Dinger praised the work of those who served on the report card committee and said it “speaks to the quality of teachers we have in our district and their ongoing commitment to student learning.”
A physical copy of the report card will be sent home with each individual student. Also, the updated cards provide additional space for comments from the teacher on the child’s progress.
“Our teachers have a great understanding of what good reporting looks like,” Dinger added. “The new report card is more accessible to parents and provides an opportunity for teachers to provide additional comments about students’ learning progress.”
The committee started the process last summer as part of a routine update of the wording, but it quickly became a chance to update the entire process. The previous report card, housed in the District’s student information system, was available to parents only online, which made it difficult for some families to access and it lacked consistency from grade to grade. The updated report cards are part of the district’s continued effort to update and improve the curriculum and enhance consistency in learning for all students from preschool through graduation to better serve everyone.
As is common with a new process the district understands that, “anytime you change a process, even if it is for the better, it’s harder the first time around,” Dinger explained.
Report cards for students in KCSD elementary schools are scheduled to go home in backpacks on Jan. 23, 2026. A reminder for parents and guardians will be issued via the District’s communication application, ParentSquare, which will also send an email.
