SGP Data – Preparing and Analyzing SGP Data
“Big data” has quickly become a buzzword in science and daily life, yet in comparison with global Facebook interactions analysis, SGP data is relatively small. Luckily, SGP data does not require complicated or costly software – rather the majority of work involved in SGP analysis occurs during data preparation prior to performing analyses with tools that utilize simple relational databases for this process.
This database, known as sgpData, serves as the central repository of state-level SGP data. Access can be gained to this data via BAA Secure Site with various options available for viewing SGP information at both student and school levels.
SGPs provide a useful snapshot of student performance across several years. Such snapshots can assist in understanding long-term trends in student achievement, pinpointing specific areas for improvement and comparing individual schools against the state average. Furthermore, SGPs enable educators to monitor students’ development over time and guide instructional decisions accordingly.
As such, SGP data graphical presentations offer teachers and parents an effective means of conveying important information regarding student progress. For instance, percentile ranks give educators and parents insight into a child’s academic peers and represent how well their progress compared to them is progressing; providing clear communications on these figures that most can understand.
A student’s current SGP is calculated using their scores from both their most recent assessment and one or more previous assessments from various testing windows. While their most recent assessment always serves as the foundation for this calculation, adding additional assessments allows us to account for any variations in student performance more accurately.
At the state level, median SGPs typically lie around 50 since norms are usually established using only current year students as evidence. However, in certain instances they may differ due to slight misfitting between student bodies, assignment of Highest Obtained Scale Score (HOSS) students to an SGP of 99 or other factors like using baseline methods to calculate SGPs.
SGPs are calculated and reported on an individual student level, marking a major departure from past reporting methods and creating new challenges for educators, parents, and policymakers. Of particular note are changes to how data are accessed, displayed, and interpreted by the public.
An SGP is an exciting development, but educators must first become proficient at reading and interpreting its growth data before using it for educator evaluation purposes. The guides below aim to assist educators with this tool so that they can maximize its educational benefits as effectively as possible.