Brentwood board adopts four-point competency-based report card after committee review

The Brentwood School Board voted to adopt a revised progress-report framework that shifts the district from a three-point elementary/middle report card to a four-point competency framework, district staff said.

The report-card committee presented survey results from 163 staff members and 464 caregivers and argued that caregivers and students want clearer, more actionable feedback. Committee presenters explained the new rubric would use four levels — beginning, developing, proficient and proficient with distinction — and present performance indicators under each competency so parents can see which specific skills a child has mastered or still needs to develop.

"By adding the terminology of beginning then developing, it gives parents more specific information about where a child sits on a competency," committee presenters said. Board members discussed how exemplars, narrative comments and parent-facing training would be provided alongside the new report card to ensure families understand the change.

Administrators said the change aligns reporting with state proficiency levels and will be supported by calibration work among teachers, exemplars and parent information sessions beginning in September. One board member signaled opposition, but the motion to accept the revised report card and the committee's recommendations carried with a recorded dissent noted in the meeting.

The board set the implementation timeline so the new format would appear on the next December report cards and tasked the SAU curriculum team with parent outreach, teacher calibration and exemplar development over the 2026–27 school year.