Data SGP

Data SGP

Data sgp leverages longitudinal student assessment data to produce statistical growth plots (SGPs) that measure students’ relative progress compared to academic peers. SGPs are calculated by comparing a student’s current scale score to a growth standard established using their prior test scores and student covariates. The purpose of establishing such a growth standard is to ensure that the student makes sufficient progress towards meeting their achievement target or, alternatively, a specified level of proficiency.

The SGP methodology is unique in that it allows educators to stipulate both what the achievement target/goal should be and how much a student must grow, expressed as a growth percentile, in order to meet their goal. Unlike other common methods of student growth analysis, the SGP method utilizes a multi-year model that can provide both a forecast and a historical view of a student’s progression toward an identified target or a specified level of proficiency.

Currently, the sgpData dashboard provides SGP reports for students in grades 4 through 11. The growth graphs display the results of student SGP calculations and projections by grade for each year of assessment. The dashboard is updated each week to include new results for the current reporting period. Please note that the dashboard does not include SGPs for the 2014-15 school year (only the Badger Exam was administered in that year) because of data challenges related to the statewide performance on that assessment, which was very different from the WKCE and Forward exams that preceded it.

SGPs are calculated for students who have taken at least two tests within a testing window (typically Fall, Winter, or Spring; the assessment dates do not need to match up with a district’s school year). A student’s current SGP is defined as the percentage of their growth that exceeds 90 percent of the growth of all students with a comparable MCAS performance history. For example, a student with a growth of 85 percent indicates that they made more progress than 85% of their academic peers.

To facilitate the processing and comparison of SGPs, the sgpData package includes a number of essential tables and files. One of the most useful is sgpData_INSTRUCTOR_NUMBER, an anonymized lookup table that provides instructors associated with each student’s test record. The sgpData_STUDENTS_PERCENTILE_TABLE is another vital sgpData table that enables teachers and parents to easily compare the performance of students in their class or school by grade and demographic group. Please refer to the SGPdata package documentation for detailed instructions on importing and utilizing these tables and files.