The campaign offers practical tools, trusted resources, and clear information for both families and teachers to strengthen partnerships between home and school so that every child can thrive. Created by national education nonprofit Learning Heroes, Go Beyond Grades works with local and national partners to bring these resources to families and educators in communities across the country.

Go Beyond Grades Milwaukee is led in partnership with City Forward Collective (CFC), a Milwaukee-based nonprofit working to ensure every child has access to a high-quality school. Together, CFC and Learning Heroes have tailored the campaign to the needs and priorities of Milwaukee families, educators, and students.

Across Wisconsin, more than 84% of parents think their children are at or above grade level.* Yet only 31% of 4th graders are proficient in reading and 42% in math.** One reason for this disconnect is that parents rely heavily on report card grades as a measure of academic progress. In Wisconsin, 77% of parents say their children receive mostly B’s or better. While grades matter, they don’t tell the full story about whether a child is meeting grade-level expectations.

Teachers say one of the best ways for families to understand how their child is doing is through ongoing communication with their teacher. Go Beyond Grades Milwaukee offers free tips, tools, videos, and other resources in English and Spanish to help families better understand their child’s progress, support learning at home, and partner with teachers throughout the school year.