Data SGP is an analysis tool that uses longitudinal student assessment data to produce statistical growth plots (SGP) which provide visual evidence of a student’s academic progress relative to peers. A student’s SGP score is based on a combination of a student’s standardized test scores with covariate information using an “averaged growth standard” that is established through prior testing history. SGPs offer more accurate measurements of growth than traditional percentile score comparisons.
While SGPs are a useful tool for educators, it is important to remember that they do not give any indication of whether or not a student’s level of academic achievement is deemed adequate by stakeholders. Therefore, SGPs should not be used for educator evaluations until the state’s SGP methodology is more widely known and fully understood.
Teachers who wish to view their students’ SGP results should register on the BAA Secure Site and then log in with their MDE username and password. Once logged in they can download reports that will include SGPs for each of their students (4th – 11th grade) with an explanation of the SGP results, the SGP score scale and the student’s overall performance index (OPI). The report will also display the averaged SGP score for all teachers in the school/district as well as the number of students falling outside the range of 50 or higher.
When reviewing the SGPs, it is important to recognize that the majority of SGPs will be sloped upward (toward L on the chart) and the median SGP will be 57. This is what schools would hope to see, however, some schools may have SGPs with a downward slope or lower than the median score.
Another important aspect to remember when reviewing the SGPs is that while SGPs do not indicate if a student’s level of achievement is deemed adequate by stakeholders, they are more sensitive to classroom composition than VAMs and do not reflect a teacher’s ability to improve student performance. For this reason, it is essential that educators review all of the available information before making decisions regarding their own classroom practices. We encourage districts to utilize the available tools and resources provided by the Macomb and Clare-Gladwin ISDs in order to better understand the SGP methodology. If you have any questions about the SGPs please do not hesitate to contact your district’s data liaison.