In our district, there is a strict policy against assessing material that has not been taught yet. So if the year isn't over, the report card ceiling is 'expected progress'. This applies, for instance, to the 'knows the alphabet' section in kindergarten, even if the kid reads fluently at a 4th grade level.

Our teachers know better, they just aren't allowed to put it in writing. The +#^~#% report card is not necessarily a good reason to lose faith in the teacher. I don't know, but the reading level assessment may have a similar problem.

I hope this is all it is.