BC’s Descriptive Grading on Report Cards Has Parents Yearning for the ABCs

New survey shows Canadian parents with kids in K-12 schools, and parents in British Columbia, find letter grades on report cards significantly clearer and easier to understand than the BC government’s new descriptive grading terms.
In 2023, the BC government switched report cards in Kindergarten to Grade 9 from letter grades—such as A, B, C, and D—to the descriptive terms “emerging,” “developing,” “proficient,” and “extending.”
98% of Canadian parents say regular, clear assessment of student performance is important to them.
When asked if switching from letter grades or percentage grades to descriptive grading would make their child’s academic progress clearer and easier to understand, Canadian parents are divided almost evenly. Yet in practice, Canadian parents find letter grades easier to understand.
93% of Canadian parents say the letter grade “A” is clear and easy to understand and 68% could correctly identify what “A” means.
83% of Canadian parents say the letter grade “C” is clear and easy to understand, and 75% could correctly identify what “C” means.
58% of Canadian parents found the descriptive grade “Extending” unclear and difficult to understand, and only 26% could correctly identify what “Extending” means. When asked to identify which description matches the term “Extending,” the largest share of parents (40%) responded “don’t know/unsure.”
57% of Canadian parents found the descriptive grade “Emerging” unclear and difficult to understand, and only 28% could correctly identify what “Emerging” means. When asked to identify which description matches the term “Emerging,” the largest share of parents (31%) responded “don’t know/unsure.”