Report Cards in Literacy Evaluation: Teachers' Training, Practices, and Values.

A study examined teachers' training, practices, and values for using the report card to communicate their knowledge of students' literacy achievement. Subjects, 48 elementary, middle, secondary, and college preparatory teachers from 10 school districts in 5 states, completed a questionnaire designed to elicit teachers' perspectives on the report cards they used for literacy assessment. Results indicated that: (1) few teachers reported receiving any training to write report cards; (2) few were involved in the development of the report cards they were required to use; (3) teachers reported writing report cards for a wide variety of purposes and audiences; and (4) the more the report card accommodated teachers' knowledge, the more it was valued. Findings suggest that it may be difficult or impossible to build the ideal report card, within or across schools and districts. (Two tables of data are included; the questionnaire is attached.) (RS)