British Columbia report card comments

Built on British Columbia's Learning Updates and Summary of Learning, Kindergarten to Grade 9. Choose each proficiency indicator yourself, write descriptive feedback from a checked bank, and acknowledge the student's own Core Competencies self-reflection. Free, no login, and names stay on this computer.

Report card: Learning Updates and Summary of Learning, Kindergarten to Grade 9. At least five updates a year: two informal, two written Learning Updates and a Summary of Learning. Your district sets the dates.

The card, in order

• Areas of learning: English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Arts Education, Physical and Health Education, Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies, Career Education, Core French. Comment box: Descriptive feedback.
• Core Competencies: the student's self-reflection: Communicating, Collaborating, Creative Thinking, Critical and Reflective Thinking, Personal Awareness and Responsibility, Positive Personal and Cultural Identity, Social Awareness and Responsibility. Comment box: Core Competencies: teacher acknowledgement.

How British Columbia reports

• grades K-9: The four-point Provincial Proficiency Scale is used (Emerging, Developing, Proficient, and Extending.)

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3. Grades K-9 use the four-point Provincial Proficiency Scale.

• At least 5 communications of student learning

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3. At least five communications of learning each year.

• 2 written Learning Updates in a printed or digital format

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3. Two of them are written Learning Updates.

• 1 written Summary of Learning at the end of the school year or semester

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3. One written Summary of Learning at the end of the year or semester.

• 2 informal Learning Updates may be provided in a variety of formats, including conferences

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3. The two informal updates can be conferences, calls, emails or portfolio entries.

• information about how a student is doing in every area of learning they are currently studying

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3. Each written update covers every area of learning the student is currently studying.

• Arts Education won't be reported on at that time

  BC Ministry of Education (copy hosted by Surrey Schools), K-12 Student Reporting Policy - Communicating Student Learning Guidelines (Ministry document, copy hosted by Surrey Schools), p.69 (FAQ 6). An area not yet started is not reported yet.

• required to assign a separate proficiency scale indicator and/or letter grade and percentage, depending on grade, for each area of learning

  BC Ministry of Education (copy hosted by Surrey Schools), K-12 Student Reporting Policy - Communicating Student Learning Guidelines (Ministry document, copy hosted by Surrey Schools), p.69 (FAQ 8). Each area of learning gets its own scale indicator, even if taught together.

• in select instances, the letter grades "IE", "W", and "SG" can be used in grades K-12.

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3. IE, W and SG can be used in select instances.

• should focus on student strengths and areas for further growth

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3. Comments focus on strengths and areas for further growth.

• should be concise (bullets are okay) and in parent/caregiver-friendly language

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3. Comments are concise and family-friendly; bullets are fine.

• should not summarize lesson plans or the Learning Standards of the curriculum

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3. Comments should not summarize lesson plans or the Learning Standards.

• reporting on student behavior will be achieved through a combination of student self-reflection of the Core Competencies, goal setting, and descriptive feedback

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3. Behaviour is reported through the student's Core Competencies self-reflection, goal setting and feedback.

• Student behaviour or attendance should not directly contribute to a student's overall mark in each learning area

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3. Behaviour and attendance should not directly count toward the mark.

• Attendance can be communicated with an autogenerated number.

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3. Attendance can be shown as an automatic number.

• Teachers do not need to mark the self-reflection and goal setting components.

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.6. Teachers do not mark the student's self-reflection and goal setting.

• Student voice is central to this policy element.

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.6. The self-reflection is the student's own voice.

• should not be assessed automatically as 'emerging', 'developing', or at a lower letter grade and percentage

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.6. Using supports does not make a student Emerging or Developing.

• The scheduling of communications of student learning is decided on at the local level

  BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.4. Dates are set by each district or school.

• Emerging isn't failing.

  BC Ministry of Education, Shifts in Student Reporting (Ministry presentation), p.9. Emerging is not failing.

• is the goal for students

  BC Ministry of Education, Shifts in Student Reporting (Ministry presentation), p.9. Proficient is the goal for students.

• does not necessarily require that students do a greater volume of work or work at a higher grade level

  BC Ministry of Education, Shifts in Student Reporting (Ministry presentation), p.9. Extending is depth and complexity, not more work.

• (h) Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies.

  Province of British Columbia, Required Areas of Learning in an Educational Program Order (M295/95 as amended, 6 Mar 2025), s.2. Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies is a required area of learning in K-9.

• To be completed in ERC and emailed to families on WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26th, 2025.

  School District 68 Nanaimo-Ladysmith, SD68 Nanaimo-Ladysmith District Reporting Timeline for Grades K-7 (revised September 2025; 2025-26), p.1. Example district date: SD68 sent its first written update on 26 Nov 2025.

• It may not be reproduced or redistributed without the prior written permission of the Province of British Columbia.

  Province of British Columbia, Province of British Columbia - Copyright (page last updated March 16, 2026), web page. BC curriculum text is not reproduced; all comments are in our own words.

Sample comments

Shown with the name Sam and they/them; the studio uses your student's first name and pronoun.

• English Language Arts, Proficient, strength: Sam uses reading strategies on their own and explains the main idea of a text with details.
• English Language Arts, Proficient, next step: Moving forward, Sam can adjust word choice and tone to suit each reader and purpose.
• Mathematics, Developing, strength: Sam is growing more confident with multiplying and dividing. They can more often pick a strategy that works.
• Mathematics, Developing, next step: Moving forward, Sam can reread each word problem and underline the question first.
• Science, Extending, strength: Sam shows lasting curiosity and pursues complex questions well beyond the task.
• Science, Extending, next step: To keep growing, Sam can critique a science claim in the media and explain whether the evidence supports it.
• Social Studies, Emerging, strength: Sam is beginning to ask questions about other places and look for answers in books.
• Social Studies, Emerging, next step: A next step is for Sam to look at a picture or artifact and tell one thing it shows about how people lived.
• Core Competencies, teacher acknowledgement of the student's own words: In their self-reflection, Sam wrote: [what the student wrote or said]. A next goal is to add a visual that helps the audience follow. (the studio keeps Copy off until you type what the student wrote or said)

Questions teachers ask

What does British Columbia require for reporting in Grades K-9?

Grades K-9 use the four-point Provincial Proficiency Scale (K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3). At least five communications of student learning are required each year (K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3). Two of them are written Learning Updates (K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3). One written Summary of Learning at the end of the year or semester (K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3).

When are British Columbia Learning Updates sent?

Dates are set by each district or school (K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.4).

What should descriptive feedback say?

Comments focus on strengths and areas for further growth (K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3). Comments are concise and family-friendly; bullets are fine (K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3). Comments should not summarize lesson plans or the Learning Standards (K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3).

How is behaviour reported in British Columbia?

Behaviour is reported through the student's Core Competencies self-reflection, goal setting and feedback (K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3). Teachers do not mark the student's self-reflection and goal setting (K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.6). Behaviour and attendance should not directly count toward the mark (K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.3).

Does using supports lower a student's level?

Using supports does not make a student Emerging or Developing (K-12 Student Reporting Policy: Educator Summary Guide (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2023), p.6). Emerging is not failing (Shifts in Student Reporting (Ministry presentation), p.9).

Where do student names go?

Nowhere. Names, ratings and comments are kept in this browser's storage on your computer and are never sent to Milestone Teachers or anyone else. One button clears them.

Does the studio choose ratings for my students?

No. You choose every rating, level and proficiency indicator. The studio then offers sentences written for the level you chose and shows why each one fits.

Can I use it for a whole class?

Yes. That is what it is built for. Paste your first names, rate your class on one grid, and every student's boxes are drafted from that student's own ratings. You review each card, swap or reword any sentence, and copy it or export a CSV for your board's software. Names, ratings and drafts stay in this browser.

Honest limits

• Sample comments for teachers to adapt; no prescribed or mandated comments exist in BC.
• You choose every proficiency indicator; the studio never does. Use a comment only if it is true for the student, and name a support only if it is really in place.
• Follow your district's wording, length and format rules; schedules and layouts are set locally.
• Core Competency items support the student's own self-reflection. They never rate the student, and Copy stays off until the student's own words are filled in.
• Not covered: Grades 10 to 12, French immersion, and second languages other than Core French.
• Not affiliated with or approved by the BC Ministry of Education and Child Care. This is not a report card system: nothing is submitted anywhere, and you copy the text into your district's software yourself.

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