Do Parents Really Know How Their Kids Are Doing in School?

When it comes to a student’s performance in school, there’s only so much parents can do to ensure their child is succeeding in the classroom. They can discuss school with their child directly to gauge their performance. They can use an app like Powerschool or Remind to gain more insight into the student’s school year. Or they can wait until a teacher contacts them with any possible concerns.

The problem with these options is that they’re not entirely accurate and don’t paint the full picture. In fact, there’s a major disconnect between teachers, parents, students, and actual school performance. There is a significant difference in kids receiving good grades and kids being at the appropriate grade level in their learning. And for many students and families, the “good” grades they are getting on their report cards tell a far different story than their performance on standardized testing.

Good Grades Don’t Always Mean Grade Level

According to research, 79% of American parents say their child is receiving mostly Bs or better. And nearly nine in 10 parents believe their child is at or above grade level in reading (88%) and math (89%). Knowing that their children are getting good grades leads some parents to automatically assume that the students are at or above grade level.

Research backs that up as well, with 64% of parents stating that report cards are important in knowing whether their child is at grade level. Because “good grades” equal “on grade level”, right? Not necessarily.

While it’s always important for students to strive for good grades, it’s even more critical that those good grades are meaningful–that those grades reflect true learning, not simply participation in class or good attendance, which are important factors in teachers determining report card grades.

Benchmark tests commonly administered in schools (such as mClass, MAP, DIBELS, iReady, etc.) are often more accurate measures of whether a child is achieving at the appropriate grade level. And there are some major differences between what these tests reveal and how parents believe their children are performing in school.

Perception vs. Reality

The disparity between whether students are actually at grade level versus what their parents believe exists across all socio-ecomonic and racial lines. However, research shows that the disconnect between how Black and Hispanic parents believe their children are doing in school versus their children’s actual proficiency is much wider than other races and backgrounds.

For example, findings from a Gallup-Learning Heroes study revealed that more than 85% of Black and Hispanic parents think that their child is at or above grade level in either math or reading. NAEP data, on the other hand, shows that only 17% of Black students and 21% of Hispanic students demonstrate grade-level proficiency in reading.

That is a large disconnect.

And it also applies to students who are preparing to go to college. According to the Gallup-Learning Heroes research, 61% of parents are very or extremely confident that their child will be well prepared for college. However, only 40% of 12th graders meet college readiness benchmarks in reading; math is even lower at 30%.

Combine that with the fact that, among 12th graders taking the ACT college admissions exam, only 50% of white students, 17% of Black students, and 27% of Hispanic students are meeting college readiness benchmarks in reading, and you have quite a few students and families who are possibly being misled by solid grades on report cards.

What Causes Grade Inflation?

A 2023 ACT study revealed some staggering information. Between 2010 and 2022, the average adjusted student GPAs increased from 3.17 to 3.39 in English and from 3.02 to 3.32 in math. In 2022, an astonishing 89% of high school students received an A or a B in math, English, social studies, and science!

A glaring example is Los Angeles, home to the country’s second-largest school district. In the spring of 2022, 83% of 6^th graders in Los Angeles received A, B, or C grades. Yet only 27% of those students met or exceeded state and national assessment standards.

Why? There are a variety of reasons, according to a survey of high school teachers and college professors. This survey showed that:

• 44% of educators say students often ask for better grades than they’ve earned
• 82% of educators have given into those demands
• 38% have faced harassment from students and 33% from parents, over grades
• 45% believe Gen Z students ask for better grades more frequently than previous generations

This is obviously a problem on many levels. For one, grade inflation creates false expectations for students and families and sets them up for failure. A student with a seemingly impressive GPA who believes they’re well-positioned for college may perform quite underwhelmingly on a college admissions exam. And this could significantly impact that student’s post-high school plans.

At the end of the day, grades are important, but actual learning is paramount. A great GPA offers no help whatsoever if a student struggles to maintain grade-level proficiency. In fact, it does students a great disservice.

Parental Awareness Is Key

A viable solution to the problem of grade inflation and the major disconnect between grades and grade-level proficiency is making sure parents are aware of their child’s overall performance in the classroom. The Gallup-Learning Heroes study posed a hypothetical scenario where a child receives a B in math but scores below grade level on two math tests–a year-end test and a district-wide benchmarking test.

More than half of parents (56%) presented with this situation responded that they would be very or extremely concerned. This is a promising response because it demonstrates that being aware of and recognizing low test scores could spur parents to establish consistent communication with their child’s teachers. For parents, knowing that their child is struggling on tests even if their report cards are saying otherwise, is a major step toward getting the student the extra help and work they need to improve.

The hope is that it doesn’t take the surprise of low test scores for parents to build trusting relationships with teachers. But it may be what inspires many parents to reach out and better understand why their child’s seemingly impressive report card grades are not consistent with their grade-level proficiency. The futures of students across the nation may depend on it.

If you’re concerned about your child’s school performance or want to gain insight into how they learn best and tips to help them succeed, read our recent blog post on Student Assessments.