BC Report Cards, Explained
Kindergarten to Grade 9 report cards in BC use four words instead of letter grades: Emerging, Developing, Proficient, and Extending.
By Lance Boer, RISE Alberni ·
Is Emerging or Developing a Failing Grade?
No. BC's Ministry of Education says neither Emerging nor Developing means your child is unsuccessful. Emerging means your child is beginning to understand something and may need more support. Developing means they understand some of it, with other parts still to work on. Proficient is the goal for every student.
What Does Each Level Mean?
- Emerging
- Beginning to understand something. Still learning, and may need more support to move ahead.
- BC's definition: An initial understanding
- Developing
- Understands some things in an area of learning, with other parts still to work on.
- BC's definition: A partial understanding
- Proficient
- Fully understands the required learning. The goal for every student.
- BC's definition: A complete understanding
- Extending
- Applies the learning in new and different ways. Not the goal for every student in every area.
- BC's definition: A sophisticated understanding
Is My Child Still Learning English?
A student whose English level keeps them from showing what they know in a subject is assessed against their own language goals, not the four-level scale. So is a student with an IEP whose program isn't aimed at graduation. Their updates come on the same schedule as their classmates'.
How Often Will We Hear From the School?
- At least five updates a year, and at least three of them written.
- The other updates can be a phone call, an email, or a conference with the teacher.
- Written updates include comments on where your child has grown and what to work on next, attendance, and your child's own reflection and goals.
In our experience, the comments are often more useful than the level, because they usually name the skills that are behind.
What About High School?
From Grade 10, report cards use letter grades and percentages, and the year-end report includes an update on progress toward graduation.
| Grade | Percentage |
|---|---|
| A | 86 to 100% |
| B | 73 to 85% |
| C+ | 67 to 72% |
| C | 60 to 66% |
| C- | 50 to 59% |
| F | 0 to 49% |
Grade 10 is also when the graduation assessments start. Our parent's guide to BC graduation assessments has the 2026-27 dates.
When Is It Worth Getting a Tutor?
One Emerging is part of learning. Our rule of thumb: it's worth acting when the same subject stays at Emerging across two updates, when the teacher's comments name the same gap twice, or when your child starts avoiding homework in that subject. In Grades 10 to 12, we'd act on a C- or an IE. Our guide to the signs your child needs a tutor covers what to watch for at home, too.
RISE tutors math, science, and reading and writing in Port Alberni, from kindergarten to Grade 12. Sessions are $60, or $55 each when you prepay for two or more.
What Parents Ask
Is Extending the goal?
No. The ministry says Proficient is the goal for all students, and Extending is not the goal for all students in every area.
What does IE mean?
IE means insufficient evidence: the teacher doesn't have enough work yet to give a grade. In Grades 10 to 12, a teacher can only give an F after first giving an IE.
When will we get report cards?
BC requires at least three written updates a year. School District 70 hasn't published its 2026-27 dates, so ask your child's school or teacher.
Should I talk to the teacher first?
Yes. The teacher can tell you which skills are behind and what the class is working on next, which also makes any tutoring more focused.
Sources: BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, K-12 Student Reporting Policy, the reporting guide for parents, Ministerial Orders M184/23 and M192/94. Checked September 23, 2026.