Your child's school must give you a copy of the school's report card at the beginning of every school year. This is required by law. The school is also required to tell you if the government says it needs improvement or it's failing.

If you have questions about how well your child or your child's school is doing, you should talk with your child's teachers, the school principal, and school district officials. If you can't get the information from your child's school, you can get the report card .

What information is provided on the school's report card?

• Reading and math test scores for different groups of students. These groups include African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, whites, and other nationalities; low-income students; students with disabilities; and students with limited English language skills.
• Percentage of students not tested.
• Attendance rates for elementary or middle school students or graduation rates for high school students.
• Yearly performance reviews of school districts. This should include the number of schools that need improvement. The names of the schools should be available to you.
• Information about the qualifications of the school's teachers.
• Percentage of classroom teachers with emergency or temporary credentials. This can include substitute teachers.
• Percentage of classes not taught by highly qualified teachers.
• Comparisons between high-income and low-income schools.
• An update on the school's “adequate yearly progress."

How do you get the school's report card?

Your child's school must give you a copy of the school's report card at the beginning of every school year. This is required by law. The school is also required to tell you if the government says it needs improvement or it's failing.

If you have questions about how well your child or your child's school is doing, you should talk with your child's teachers, the school principal, and school district officials. If you can't get the information from your child's school, you can get the report card online.