Data sgp is an R package that facilitates the process of converting student growth percentiles, percentile projections and other statistical aggregates from longitudinal educational assessment data into statistical growth plots. It requires users be proficient in the use of R, an open source software platform available for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux.
The sgpData set is an anonymized, panel data set that includes 8 windows (3 windows annually) of assessment data in LONG format for 3 content areas. This set includes the data necessary to run SGP analyses on students with a single identifier and multiple instructors for one or more content area assessments, using the sgpData_INSTRUCTOR_NUMBER field to connect student records with their respective instructor.
This process is useful for both teachers/parents and administrators to estimate the performance of their students, and helps educators/administrators understand what a student needs to improve in order to be a proficient student in the next grade level. This information is displayed in the Star Growth Report under Window Specific SGP when selecting a prior or current school year in the Timeframe drop down menu.
Aside from identifying students’ strengths and weaknesses, SGP is also used to project the range of possible future growth trajectories for each individual student, including how much additional progress they will need to make in order to reach proficiency. These projections are updated regularly and displayed in the Star Growth Report as Window Specific SGP when selecting a previous or current school year in the Timeframe dropdown menu.
It is important for districts to have access to a reliable and accurate method of interpreting their student data, especially when making decisions regarding instructional practices, student assignment, and reporting. To help meet this need, Macomb and Clare-Gladwin ISDs have made their SGP data readily available in formats compatible with operational SGP analyses. The sgpData_INSTRUCTOR_NUMBER table, included in the sgpData set, is an invaluable lookup function that allows districts to connect students with their instructors through unique identifiers associated with the student’s test record.
Having access to a high quality SGP data set is essential for understanding and analyzing student growth and progress over time. However, sifting through raw and unprocessed data can be cumbersome, especially when dealing with large sets of student assessments. To reduce this burden, a number of tools have been developed to simplify the process of creating a comprehensive, user-friendly SGP data set. These tools include data sgp, an online web application for creating and processing SGP data, and a variety of Excel add-ins that enable users to import and process SGP data. Each of these tools offers distinct advantages and limitations. Ultimately, the choice of which tool to use depends on the specific requirements of each situation.