Writing report card comments can be a real chore, but they’re an important way to communicate with parents and students. We’ve got dozens of report card comments for students at every level: emerging, developing, proficient, and extending standards, plus comments that address behavior, social skills, and more.
Jump to:
- Academics Report Card Comments
- Social-Emotional Learning Report Card Comments
- Behavior Report Card Comments
- Executive Functioning Report Card Comments
Why Report Card Comments Matter
Each progress report and report card provides an opportunity for you to give parents insight into their child’s performance. Report cards also help students understand what they are doing well—as well as areas where they could improve. Letter grades are a way to provide a quick assessment of progress, but meaningful comments take things a step further.
A letter grade tells parents how their child is performing. Comments add in specific information about what they’re doing. That could mean providing more information about academic skills, like their current progress in math or reading. It could also mean addressing behavioral or social-emotional skills, like listening well or working as part of a team. These specifics round out your assessment of a student, giving parents helpful information about their child’s overall achievements.
Here’s one way to think about the difference between letter grades and comments: Letter grades are the dot on the map marked “You are here.” Report card comments explain the path you took to get there and the next steps you’ll take on your journey. These two kinds of information work together to give students and families a clearer picture of their child’s overall school-related progress.
What the Research Says
There have been a number of studies over the years about the value of comments on report cards. Way back in 1958, psychologist Ellis Page compared the impact of letter grades, letter grades plus standard comments, and letter grades plus standard comments and individualized comments. He found that students who received standard comments outperformed those who just got letter grades, and those who received individualized comments did even better.
In 1988, Ruth Butler compared ego-involved feedback (i.e., letter grades) and task-involved feedback (comments). She found there was value in both, though students generally performed better after receiving task-involved feedback. Later research confirmed the value of report card comments, but also emphasized that the type of comments and the way they’re phrased make a major difference on their impact.
How To Write Meaningful Report Card Comments
Years of research have led to expert recommendations on how to write strong comments that offer the most value to students and their families. The best comments are:
- Specific: Name the exact skills and behaviors you’re seeing from a student.
- Personalized: Use the child’s name, and highlight their own individual achievements and challenges.
- Balanced: Offer positive feedback for every student, along with ways they can continue to improve.
- Constructive: Provide information that’s helpful and relevant to each student’s situation.
- Actionable: Give suggestions for specific actions a student can take (or continue taking) in and out of the classroom.
Report Card Comment Format
Writing comments is easier if you use a standard format. Experts recommend starting with a positive comment, praising what a student does well or has achieved recently. Remember to use specific examples to help personalize your observations.
Then, offer constructive feedback by identifying areas for improvement. Provide specific actions the student and their family can take, at school and at home. Identify any next steps that are needed, such as a phone call or meeting, or resources that might be helpful. Finish strong by offering encouragement and motivation for the future.
How To Use Our Report Card Sample Comments
Finding the right words can be tricky, which is where our huge list of sample comments comes in handy. Consider these to be a starting point, helping you find creative and engaging ways to say what you already know about each student.
Remember to provide additional details and specific information to personalize the feedback. Rather than just stringing together the comments found here one after another, take the time to insert the individualized information that will truly benefit students and parents.
Example: “I enjoy how invested Jamil is in his learning. He reads with fluency and comprehension, taking time to understand and identify with the characters in each story. In math, Jamil does well on assignments but struggles with tests. Please make sure he prepares for tests as they approach, using the review worksheets we send home as well as flash card practice. Jamil relates well to classmates and appreciates peers’ perspectives, often asking others for feedback on his writing assignments. Overall, it’s a pleasure to have Jamil’s maturity and enthusiasm in class.”
Although it takes some time and work to write meaningful comments, the impact and results over time are truly worth the effort. Use our comment examples to get started, and you’ll find the process gets easier every grading period!
Report Card Comments About Academics
These comments help parents understand the details of what their child is learning in class. It’s the place to talk about the specific academic skills they excel at, and those that are still giving them some challenges. Remember to offer concrete steps families can take to help their child succeed in all subject areas.
General Academics Comments: Positive Achievement

- I appreciate your child’s dedication to their studies in my class.
- Not only is your student strong academically, but they are also a leader in the classroom.
- Your student understands the material well. Let’s find a way to help them shine.
- I appreciate that your child is committed to doing their best.
- Your child exceeds expectations on a regular basis.
- [Student] readily grasps new concepts or ideas.
- Your child has an impressive understanding and knowledge about their interests.
- [Student] excels at applying what they learn to real-world situations.
General Academics Comments: Needs Improvement
![Report Card Comments1 Your student may need additional assistance with [skill/subject]. Completing classwork and homework is the first step to improving.](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Report-Card-Comments1-800x800.jpg)
- Your student could use some extra practice in [subject]. Please have them study [skill] for [time] each night.
- Your student hasn’t yet had the chance to master [specific skill]. Review sessions are available [time frame].
- Your student may need additional assistance with [skill/subject]. Completing classwork and homework is the first step to improving.
- Your student needs more practice with [specific skill]. Please check that they have completed their homework each night.
- This semester/trimester, I would like your student to work on …
- Your child is enthusiastic but still doesn’t understand [topic]. Additional work on this topic would be incredibly helpful.
Math Report Card Comments

- [Student] has a good understanding of math concepts taught this year. They continue to complete work correctly and enjoy math activities.
- [Student] has a positive attitude toward math but has trouble in a few key areas [list here]. Practicing every night at home will help them improve in these areas.
- [Student] demonstrates a good understanding of math concepts and communicates clearly and with strong justification.
- [Student] seems to need continuous encouragement in math. They continue to struggle with foundational math concepts for [grade level].
- [Student] is having a difficult time with certain concepts in math. Areas in need of extra work include [list here].
- [Student] is struggling to maintain pace in math. They could benefit from [practice activity here].
- [Student] is easily distracted during math, and this impacts their learning.
- [Student] does well on math assignments but struggles with tests. Please make sure they study and prepare for tests as they approach.
Reading and Writing Report Card Comments

- [Student] has made great improvements in [spelling, comprehension, reading] and could use support in [spelling, comprehension, reading]. Please reach out if you need supplemental learning materials to use for practice at home.
- [Student] always puts effort into their writing work.
- [Student] is able to take new skills and apply them to writing assignments.
- [Student] is able to offer responses to text and supports ideas with sound reasoning and examples.
- [Student] reads with fluency and comprehension.
- [Student] is working on reading fluency. They would benefit from reading aloud at home.
- [Student] is able to understand and discuss text read aloud.
- [Student] consistently reads grade-level material.
- [Student] is able to choose books to read that they really enjoy.
- [Student] uses editing skills to edit writing to improve grammar and punctuation.
- [Student] organizes writing well and organizes thoughts into complete paragraphs.
- [Student] is able to analyze character actions and story plots and make inferences from what they read.
- [Student] is thoughtful and insightful in class discussion and written work. They express their ideas clearly.
- [Student] has a vibrant imagination and uses their imagination in storytelling and writing.
- [Student] can make a logical and persuasive argument in oral discussion or in writing.
Social-Emotional Learning Report Card Comments
Especially during their earlier school years, kids have a lot of social-emotional learning to do. They’re discovering how to navigate relationships with others, communicate effectively, listen well, problem-solve, and work in teams. These comments will help families understand the SEL qualities their students have mastered and those that still need some work.
Interpersonal Relationships

- [Student] has made many friends in the classroom.
- [Student] is well liked by classmates.
- [Student] treats other students with empathy and fairness.
- [Student] handles disagreements with peers appropriately.
- [Student] appears comfortable in new situations.
- [Student] chooses to spend free time with friends.
- Your student relates well to classmates and is appreciative of different perspectives and experiences.
- [Student] is a valuable part of class. They are among the first to help and mentor classmates.
- Your student displays good citizenship by assisting other students.
- [Student] relates well to classmates and appreciates peers’ perspectives.
- Your child is thoughtful and kind in their interactions with others.
Participation and Communication

- [Student] has a well-developed vocabulary.
- [Student] expresses their ideas clearly.
- [Student] always participates in whole-group discussions.
- [Student] listens to the comments and ideas of others without interrupting.
- [Student] is working on participating in class. Please encourage them to raise their hand or engage in group discussion.
- I would love to hear from [student] more. Please encourage them to participate in class.
- [Student] is working on using their words to solve problems/communicate well with peers.
- Your student would benefit from more active participation in small-group activities.
- [Student] requires encouragement to listen attentively during group instruction.
- [Student] is working on voicing feelings and opinions and listening to others.
- [Student] is working on using appropriate language at all times.
- [Student] is an active participant. They listen attentively and make an effort to avoid distractions that could disrupt their learning.
- Your student is an enthusiastic member of the class and shows a willingness to learn.
Teamwork and Leadership

- [Student] offers constructive suggestions to peers.
- [Student] accepts recommendations of peers and acts on them when appropriate.
- [Student] takes various roles in group work as assigned or as needed.
- [Student] welcomes leadership roles in groups.
- [Student] shows fairness in distributing group tasks.
- [Student] plans and carries out group activities carefully.
- [Student] works democratically with peers.
- [Student] encourages peers during group work.
- [Student] is working on accepting their share of the work during group assignments.
- Your student works well with classmates and often takes a leadership role.
- [Student] works well with classmates on group work and often takes a leadership role.
- [Student] shows a positive attitude when working with peers. They take and give suggestions and directions effectively.
- [Student] shows responsible behavior, works well in a group, and shows appreciation for classmates’ efforts.
- Your student plans and carries out group activities carefully.
Behavior Report Card Comments
No matter how a child performs academically, their behavior is still a big part of their learning experience. Help parents and families see how their child’s behavior affects their learning, recognize improvements where you see them, and make suggestions for the future with these comment ideas.
General Behavior: Positive Achievement

- I appreciate that your student does their best every single day.
- I enjoy how invested your child is in their learning.
- I appreciate that your student is always committed to doing their best.
- [Student] is an enthusiastic member of class and shows a willingness to learn.
- [Student] follows directions promptly and accurately.
- [Student] transitions easily between classroom activities without distraction.
- [Student] is polite and uses good manners in the classroom.
- [Student] responds appropriately when corrected.
- [Student] takes classroom jobs seriously and demonstrates responsibility when completing them.
- [Student] is confident, positive, and a great role model for their classmates.
- Teaching your child is always an adventure! I love it when they …
- Your child conducts themself with maturity.
- I have enjoyed your child’s sense of humor in our classroom, as well as …
- [Student] is accountable for their actions and takes opportunities to improve.
- [Student] demonstrates emotional maturity and responds appropriately to feedback.
- [Student] always looks for ways to be helpful in the classroom.
- [Student] is dependable and reliable and follows through on commitments.
- It is a joy teaching your student! I can always count on them to …
- Your child makes the classroom a brighter place. They often …
- Your student’s conduct is exemplary. They …
- Not only is your child a strong student, but they are also a wonderful human being.
- Your child is a very special student and one that I will never forget. I will miss them next year!
- It is a pleasure to have [student]’s enthusiasm and maturity in class.
Behavior: Making Progress
![Report Card Comments5 Your child is enthusiastic but still doesn’t understand [topic]. Additional work on this topic would be incredibly helpful.](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Report-Card-Comments5-800x800.jpg)
- We will continue focusing on reinforcing your student’s positive efforts.
- Your student has come so far in [subject]! Focusing on [important skill] is the next step.
- Your student has made so much progress! They still struggle with [important skill], so that should be our next focus.
- If your student works as hard on [important skill] as they have worked on [improved subject], they will be caught up in no time!
- Your child has done well, but I am concerned that their lack of [listening/focus/motivation] has contributed to a lower grade than I know they could achieve.
- Your student’s persistence is exemplary.
- The hard work is paying off! Let’s keep it up when we start working on [next skill].
- Your child has the potential to be at the top of the class.
- With a little more effort, your child could move up to the advanced group in [the subject where effort is lacking].
- Your child puts in great work in [preferred subject]! If they apply those skills to [non-preferred subject], there’s no stopping them.
- [Student] has overcome big challenges this year.
Behavior: Needs Improvement

- Your student struggles with [DESIRED behavior]. We will continue to work on this behavior at school.
- Your child struggles with [UNDESIRABLE behavior] and needs to focus on [DESIRED behavior].
- Your student needs to follow classroom rules more closely throughout the school day.
- Your student has exhibited [UNDESIRABLE behavior]. We will continue to reinforce appropriate behaviors.
- Your student exhibited [UNDESIRABLE behavior] [this many] times this quarter. Let’s work to reduce the incidence of this behavior to [goal] times.
- [Student] is encouraged to demonstrate more responsible attitudes and behaviors in the classroom.
Executive Functioning Report Card Comments
Life skills like time management, organization, and focus can have a big impact on a child’s success in school. Comments like these let parents know which executive functioning skills are already in their child’s toolkit, as well as those they need to focus on developing further.
Time Management

- [Student] approaches classroom assignments, tasks, and group work in an organized way.
- [Student] is on time and prepared for class each day.
- [Student] works at an appropriate pace.
- [Student] is able to pace their work for long-term assignments.
- [Student] completes makeup work in a timely fashion.
- [Student] is working on using time wisely.
- [Student] is working on managing time, especially when there are multiple tasks to complete during a work period.
- [Student] is working on organizing their materials and using organization to support work completion.
- I encourage [student] to use time wisely to finish tasks in a timely manner.
Organization and Work Habits

- [Student] is self-motivated.
- [Student] exceeds expectations with the quality of their work.
- [Student] produces neat and careful work.
- [Student] checks work thoroughly before submitting it.
- [Student] pays attention to work and submits work that does not have errors.
- [Student] is working on producing neat work.
- [Student] is working on checking work thoroughly before submitting it.
- [Student] is working on submitting work that does not have errors. They frequently require additional review to ensure that all errors are corrected.
- Your student should put more effort into [subject area] to avoid incorrect or incomplete assignments.
- Your child is inquisitive and engaged in class, but they have quite a bit of missing work. Please call me to discuss some strategies.
- Your child has a wonderful sense of humor/is helpful/is kind but fails to turn in their assignments. Let’s meet to come up with a plan to move forward.
- Let’s work on strategies that will help your student follow through on their assignments.
- Your child has a fantastic work ethic.
- Your child demonstrates responsibility daily by caring for the materials in our classroom conscientiously.
- Your child is exceptionally organized and takes care of their things.
- Your student comes to school each day prepared to work hard.
Focus and Concentration
![Report Card Comments4 I would like to see your student pay closer attention to [subject/topic] in order to get a better grade.](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Report-Card-Comments4-800x800.jpg)
- When your student is focused, they are a pleasure to have in class. Let’s meet to discuss strategies to keep them on track.
- Your student often struggles to focus in class, which harms their ability to engage well with class activities and assignments.
- [Student] often struggles to focus in class, which impacts their ability to engage in class activities.
- I encourage [student] to show that they are properly engaged in learning by improving quality of work and use of class time. Please support this at home by [idea here].
- Your student needs to slow down in order to produce quality/carefully done work.
- [Student] requires frequent reminders to remain attentive during instruction.
- I would like to see your student pay closer attention to [subject/topic] in order to get a better grade.
- Your student is struggling to understand new concepts in [subject]. Paying closer attention to the assigned reading and class lecture would be beneficial.
- Your child has improved significantly but still needs to slow down and check their work to make sure that all answers are correct.
- Your child exhibits exceptional focus and diligence in their work.
- Your student avoids careless errors through attention to detail.
- Your child is able to focus and stays on task during independent work times.
- [Student] is focused during class activities and participates in discussions.
Motivation and Independence
![Report Card Comments7 With a little more effort, your child could move up to the advanced group in [the subject where effort is lacking].](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Report-Card-Comments7-800x800.jpg)
- I encourage [student] to be more responsible in completing tasks without frequent reminders.
- Let’s work on motivating your student to reach their potential.
- Your child requests a great deal of adult assistance when completing school work. Let’s work on encouraging independent work.
- [Student] is working on independent work production and staying on task.
- Let’s work on motivating your student to reach their potential.
- Your child is very engaged during whole-group [subject instruction] but struggles to work independently.
- When motivated, your child does well on class assignments. We need to extend that motivation further.
- Your child excels at applying what they learn in the classroom to real-world and real-life situations. With a little more work, they could really go far!
- Your student is excellent at taking ownership of their learning.
- Your student seeks new challenges.
- Your student uses instincts to deal with matters independently and in a positive way.
- [Student] has shown an ability to set goals and work to achieve them.
- [Student] is engaged and able to set their own learning targets.
- [Student] works on independent work with focus and confidence.
- Your child sets high standards for themself and achieves them.