It’s important to keep parents informed about their student’s progress in the classroom. But whose job is it?

I was confused about this question my first year (when I taught 6th grade). I sent home progress reports every quarter and expected my students to return them with a parent signature. However, I had a few students who just wouldn’t bring them back. They said they’d been lost, ruined, etc. so I’d print them another one and give them a consequence if it wasn’t brought back signed the next day. This process kept happening and soon I was missing my lunch and afternoon break to keep students in from recess at lunch and in the afternoon. This was really getting to me. Finally, I brought up the issue with the principal. She reminded me that it wasn’t my job to make sure the parents saw the progress report. It was the PARENT’s responsibility. She suggested that I send home a note detailing the days that parents can expect a progress report from their student and ask them to get it from their student. Signed reports would get something extra, but I wouldn’t have to police the students who wanted to deceive their parents.

Here’s the letter I sent home: