How to Find Your Child's School Grades

If your child shows a sudden interest in the U.S. Postal Service right around the end of a semester, there's a good chance that she is working to keep her report card out of your hands. In other cases of missing report cards, it may just be that the mail didn't get delivered or that there was an error at the school. Whatever the case may be, teachers have access to their students' grades. Parents may only obtain grades for children in elementary, middle or high school. After their children have graduated and moved onto their secondary education, they become legal adults and have full rights to their school records. At this point, children must sign a waiver that allows their colleges or universities to release any grades or other information to their parents.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Proper identification
• Student's identification number
• Contact information of school

1. Contact the school. If your child's grades did not show up when they were supposed to, call the school office. For various reasons, the school may be experiencing a delay in shipping out grades. If this is the case, they may be able to reassure you that your child's grades are on the way, resend them or allow you to pick them up yourself.

2. Check for any fines or fees that your child may owe. If a student does not return all of his textbooks, library books or has outstanding cafeteria or book fees, the school may withhold his grades. If your child's report card does not come on time, check with the school and solve any issues with your child's account.

3. Check online. Many schools are using secured online systems to post children's grades. If your school uses this service, use the parent or student identification number and passcode assigned by the school to view your child's grades.

4. Visit the school. If you are unable to obtain your child's grades, visit the school's main office. The receptionist in the office should be able to pull up your child's records and give you a copy. Be sure to bring proper identification, because schools are only allowed to release private records to a child's legal parent or guardian.

5. Request transcripts. By calling the school office or guidance office, you can request transcripts of all the grades your child has received throughout her education.

References

• Sample of How to Obtain Grades