School reports: could teachers do better? is the headline of a recent article in the British newspaper, The Guardian.

Here’s how it begins:

The school report is the traditional end to the academic year. But parents are more critical of them than ever: some say computer-generated comments are too bland and general, while teachers grumble about having to produce hundreds of reports in the midst of the busiest term. So what’s the truth of it: could schools make their reports more personal, or are parents simply asking too much?

In our district, at least for high schools, we have a fairly lengthy list of comments we can choose from to include in any of the report cards that the district mails home during the year (we’re limited to three). Based on the feedback I receive about them from parents and students alike, they are very important. However, I don’t think it’s realistic — at least for secondary teachers who have upwards of 170 students — to write personal comments about each one.

What do you do, and what kinds of reactions do you receive from parents and students?