B.C. students from kindergarten to Grade 9 will no longer get letter grades

An empty classroom seen in this undated generic photo. (Dids / Pexels)

All students from kindergarten to Grade 9 in British Columbia public schools will now be assessed with a proficiency scale instead of letter grades.

A statement from the Education Ministry says that starting in the 2023-2024 school year, only students in grades 10, 11 and 12 will receive letter grades and percentages so post-secondary entry requirements are met.

About half of B.C.'s students have already been getting the new progress reports in a pilot program through a curriculum modernization plan that started in 2016.

The ministry says proficiency scale report cards use terms such as emerging, developing, proficient and extending to describe student learning, assessments that are supplemented with teacher comments.

The B.C. government released a plan to modernize the curriculum for kindergarten to Grade 12 in 2016, providing students with core learning in reading, writing and numeracy, while also teaching them communication, problem solving and how to use their knowledge in ways that matter for post-secondary education and careers.

Education Minister Rachna Singh says report cards will continue to update parents about their children's progress, while also preparing students to succeed.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2023.