Student growth percentiles (SGP) are a measurement of a student’s performance relative to their academic peers. SGPs allow us to fairly compare students who enter school at different levels and help us identify whether or not a student is growing academically, even if they aren’t yet meeting standards.
In SGP calculations, students are compared to their academic peers, who are all other students in Washington State with similar MCAS score histories from previous test administrations in the same grade and subject area. These academic peers do not have to be from the same subgroup such as race/ethnicity, special education, or bilingual learning.
Students’ SGPs are calculated using quantile regression, a statistical method that describes the relationship between a student’s scaled score on an assessment and their previous scores in the same subject area and grade level. Students’ SGPs are also based on trends in the state’s overall growth data, which can vary from year to year. For example, if students are performing worse than expected during a specific testing window, their SGPs will be lower than expected.
A student’s SGP is a number between 1 and 99, and represents how far their score has moved since the prior year. For example, a student with an SGP of 85 is growing faster than 85 percent of their academic peers. If a student has an SGP of 50, they are moving at half the rate of their academic peers.
Often, the same students will have the same SGP each year, but this does not mean that they are moving closer to meeting or exceeding standards. The same students could have very different SGPs in the same subject and grade because they are compared to different academic peer groups each year. For more information on how SGPs are calculated and interpreted, please see the technical resources on the Student Growth School and District Resources webpage.
How do I interpret my child’s SGP?
For instance, if a student’s SGP is 90, they are growing much faster than 90% of their academic peers. In order to reach the 90% mark, a student needs to have at least two scores from the same testing windows. In addition, students must have a valid MCAS score history from the same school year in which they are being tested.
Using this information, a teacher can determine how fast a student is growing and whether they are on track to meet or exceed expectations by the end of their current school year. By using this system, teachers can identify students who need more support and provide appropriate interventions based on their needs. This will help ensure that all students make educational progress and graduate prepared for college and career. This will also allow educators to better support the achievement of high-need students. It will also help to identify schools that need additional training or support for their staff in student growth measures. Finally, this system will help to improve the quality of teaching and support for all learners in Massachusetts.