New Brunswick Report Cards Explained

Quick take

Anglophone schools send home three report cards a year for Kindergarten to Grade 8, in November, March and June.
Each subject strand is rated Excelling (4+ or 4), Meeting (3+ or 3), Approaching (2) or Working Below (1), and high school uses percentages with 60% as the minimum.
Five Learning Habits, such as independence and organization, are marked separately as Consistently, Usually, Sometimes or Rarely.
Repeated 1s or 2s in the same strand, teacher comments that raise the same concern, and homework avoidance are signs that early support could help.

Updated September 2026 with the current provincial report card rules.

Report card day can be a rollercoaster, pride, relief, or maybe a bit of worry. Is my child on track? Are they struggling? How do I make sense of these grades?

In New Brunswick, report cards don’t just hand out marks, they measure skill development, work habits, and overall progress. But understanding what those numbers really mean can be tricky.

This guide will help you decode your child’s report card, spot learning gaps early, and explore how tutoring can provide extra support when needed.

How New Brunswick Schools Assess Student Learning

Unlike traditional letter grades, New Brunswick’s schools use a competency-based system that focuses on real skill mastery instead of just test scores.

Rather than averaging test scores, teachers assess how well students understand, apply, and communicate what they’ve learned in different subjects.

💡 Think of it as measuring progress rather than just performance.

In the anglophone sector, students in Kindergarten to Grade 8 bring home three provincial report cards a year, in November, March and June. Every anglophone school uses the same provincial format, and your district's school calendar has the exact dates. High school courses (Grades 9 to 12) are reported by quarter, with a final mark when the course ends. This guide covers the anglophone sector; if your child attends a francophone school, ask the school how its report card works.

Source: New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Assessing, Evaluating, Reporting Holistic Curriculum K-8

What’s Inside a New Brunswick Report Card?

New Brunswick report cards go beyond just math and reading, they give a big-picture view of your child’s progress:

🔹 Achievement by Strand – A rating on a 4-point scale for each strand (skill area) of a subject, not one mark per subject.
🔹 Learning Habits – Evaluate independence, initiative, interactions, responsibility, and organization.
🔹 Teacher Comments – Personal feedback on strengths and areas for growth.
🔹 Attendance Records – Track absences and tardiness.

💡 This well-rounded approach helps parents see both academic progress and personal development.

Understanding Your Child’s Competency Levels

New Brunswick uses a four-point scale, and teachers rate each strand of a subject separately, so one subject can show different levels:

✔ Excelling (4+ and 4): A thorough understanding of the skills taught so far, applied confidently to new situations. A 4+ means the work goes beyond grade-level expectations.
✔ Meeting (3+ and 3): A solid understanding, applied to familiar situations. Your child is on track for the end-of-year goals.
✔ Approaching (2): Some understanding. Your child needs extra support from the teacher to reach the end-of-year goals.
✔ Working Below (1): A limited understanding. Targeted intervention is needed on top of classroom support.

You may also see NA, which means there was not yet enough evidence to give a level, or a blank box, which means that strand was not taught in this reporting period. Each term's level reflects the skills taught that term and is not averaged with earlier terms, so a move from a 4 to a 3 later in the year does not automatically mean your child has slipped.

For high school students (Grades 9 to 12), marks are percentages, and 60% is the minimum acceptable grade in high school courses.

💡 If your child is receiving mostly "1s" or low percentages, it may be time to consider extra academic support.

How to Spot Learning Gaps Early

Look for Patterns in Competency Scores

Has your child repeatedly received low ratings in the same subject?

Are they struggling more as the year progresses instead of improving?

Pay Attention to Teacher Feedback

Teachers provide detailed comments that highlight what’s working and where extra help is needed:
✔ Strengths: Areas where your child is thriving.
✔ Concerns: Subjects or skills that need reinforcement.
✔ Next Steps: Suggested ways to support learning at home.

💡 If teacher feedback repeats the same concerns across multiple reports, don’t ignore it, addressing gaps early can prevent future struggles.

Consider Work Habits & Engagement

Even if grades look okay, weak learning habits can be an early red flag. The report card rates five Learning Habits, separately from achievement:

✔ Independence: Sets goals, asks for help when needed and does not give up on hard tasks.
✔ Initiative: Wants to learn, makes an effort and takes risks.
✔ Interactions: Works well with others, is respectful and resolves conflict appropriately.
✔ Organization: Makes and follows a plan, manages time and keeps track of materials.
✔ Responsibility: Completes work on time and manages their own behaviour.

Each habit is marked C (Consistently), U (Usually), S (Sometimes) or R (Rarely). In Kindergarten to Grade 5 the homeroom teacher completes this section; in Grades 6 to 8, each subject teacher does.

💡 Strong learning habits = long-term academic success!

When Should Parents Consider Extra Help?

Parents often wonder: "Does my child need tutoring, or will they catch up on their own?"

Signs that extra support might be needed:

Consistently low competency ratings (1s or 2s) in key subjects

Struggling with reading, writing, or math concepts despite putting in the effort

Avoiding homework or getting frustrated easily

Teacher feedback mentions challenges with understanding concepts

Anxiety or lack of confidence in schoolwork

💡 Early intervention can prevent small struggles from turning into long-term gaps.

Guardians can reach PowerSchool, school calendars and their school district through the New Brunswick Parent Portal.

How Connect Education Can Help

At Connect Education, we believe every child deserves personalized support from educators who understand the New Brunswick curriculum.

Why New Brunswick Families Trust Connect Education:

✔ Certified Teachers – Not just tutors, but real educators who understand the provincial standards.
✔ Customized Learning Plans – Tailored instruction focusing on specific competencies.
✔ Flexible Scheduling – Online or in-person tutoring to fit your schedule.
✔ Support for All Subjects – Math, Science, French, English, Social Studies, and more.

Book a FREE assessment today at Connect-Education.com to set your child up for success.

Frequently asked questions

What do the four levels on a New Brunswick report card mean?

In Kindergarten to Grade 8, teachers rate each strand of a subject as Excelling (4+ or 4), Meeting (3+ or 3), Approaching (2) or Working Below (1). A 3 means your child is on track to reach the end-of-year goals, and a 4+ means work beyond grade-level expectations. A 2 means the teacher expects to add support for your child to reach those goals, and a 1 means targeted intervention is needed. Grades 9 to 12 use percentages, with 60 percent as the minimum acceptable grade.

My child is at Level 2 in math. Should I get a tutor?

A 2 means your child has some understanding of the skills taught so far but needs extra support to reach the end-of-year goals. If the same strand stays at 2 across terms, or the teacher's comments keep naming the same gap, act early: ask the teacher which skills to practise, build a short daily routine at home, and consider one-on-one support focused on those exact skills before the gap grows.

What do NA, a blank box, 4+ and 3+ mean on the report card?

NA means the teacher did not yet have enough evidence to give a level, for example after absences or in a course that meets rarely. A blank box means that strand was not taught in this reporting period. A 4+ means your child's work goes beyond grade-level expectations, and a 3+ means your child is meeting expectations more consistently and independently than a 3.

New Brunswick Report Cards: What Every Parent Needs to Know

Read the 4-point competency ratings, spot gaps early, and find the right tutor to close them