Definition

Noun: A report card is an official document, typically issued by a school at regular intervals (such as quarterly or semesterly), that provides a written summary and evaluation of a student's academic performance (scholarship) and often their behavior or conduct (deportment) in school.

Usage

A report card is a formal record. It is given to a student to take home, where it is often reviewed and signed by a parent or guardian to acknowledge they have seen it. It serves as a primary means of communication between the school and the family regarding the student's progress.

Examples

• The teacher handed out the report cards at the end of the semester.
• His report card showed excellent grades in mathematics but a need for improvement in history.
• Her parents were very pleased when they saw her straight-A report card.
• The principal requires a parent's signature on the report card before it is returned to school.

Advanced Usage

• Metaphorical Use: The term "report card" can be used informally to evaluate the performance or results of a person, organization, or system in a non-academic context.
  • Example: The annual review served as a report card for the manager's performance over the last year.
  • Example: The election results are often seen as a report card on the current government.

Variants and Related Words

• Report (noun): A more general term for a spoken or written account of something. In an educational context, it can sometimes be used synonymously with "report card," especially in British English (e.g., "school report").
• Progress Report (noun): A similar document, but it may be issued more frequently (e.g., mid-term) and might be less formal or comprehensive than a final report card.
• Transcript (noun): An official and complete record of a student's academic history, including all courses and grades, usually for secondary or post-secondary education. A report card is for a specific period, while a transcript is cumulative.

Synonyms

• School report
• Grade card
• Progress report (context-dependent)

Idioms and Common Phrases

• To bring home a good/bad report card: Literally, to receive high or low grades. Figuratively, it can mean to deliver good or bad results.
  • Example: The sales team brought home a good report card this quarter, exceeding all their targets.

Noun

1. a written evaluation of a student's scholarship and deportment
   • his father signed his report card