Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Secretary DeVos Releases Guide to Help Families Understand School Report Cards

  • 11/07/18

Washington, D.C. – Building on her commitment to empower parents and guardians with relevant, transparent information on their local schools, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos released today a resource guide to understanding state and local report cards required by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

ESSA directs states and districts to publish report cards that show important measures of state, district and school performance, and progress. Specifically, states and districts will report on graduation rates, student achievement, school climate, state accountability, teacher qualifications and other key indicators. For the first time ever, states will be required to report funding from federal, state and local sources, and how much money is spent per pupil. Parents will be able to utilize this valuable information to make informed decisions about their child’s current education, as well as future learning pathways.

“Parents deserve to know what is happening in their child’s school,” said Secretary DeVos. “They should not have to parse through a 500-page legal document to understand how a law or policy affects their children’s education. This guide demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing parents with user-friendly tools and the information necessary to make informed decisions. Informed parents become empowered and engaged parents who are able to better advocate on behalf of their children.”

For more information on ESSA report cards, please see the parent guide that is available here. ESSA requires that report cards be concise, understandable and accessible to the public.

Featured

  • Harvard Announces Replacement Facility for Native American Program

    Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., recently announced that construction will begin this spring on a new home for its Native American Program, according to university news. The 6,500-square-foot, all-electric building will stand three stories and serve as the central hub for the Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP).

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.