Data sgp is a data management and analytics project that will allow researchers to access legacy data, metadata, and unpublished information. It will also enable researchers to analyze data from a variety of geochemical and geological databases. The ultimate goal is to migrate the data to permanent repositories.
The data sgp package is available as an open source application for the R software environment. As such, it requires a computer that has the latest version of R installed. The R software is available for both Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. While running SGP analyses does require some familiarity with the program, OSPI staff is ready to offer training and support.
To use the SGP package, users must first choose whether to format their data in WIDE or LONG format. Both formats are supported by the lower level functions studentGrowthPercentiles and studentGrowthProjections, but for most operational SGP analyses, users should be prepared to work with LONG data as it provides numerous preparation and storage benefits.
Once the data is in the proper format, users can begin the process of analyzing their students’ performance data. SGPs provide a snapshot of a student’s achievement over time, as well as a projection of how that student is likely to perform in the future. This allows educators to identify areas where students need extra support, as well as those whose progress is above expectation.
SGPs are particularly useful for schools attempting to meet state requirements that students be proficient within a certain timeframe. By calculating multi-year growth standards, SGPs help educators understand the complexity of these requirements and how their programs may be able to improve performance in a shorter period of time than previously thought.
A student’s SGP is a number between 1 and 99 that indicates the relative rank of his or her growth with academically-similar students. A score of 85, for example, means that the student demonstrated growth equal to or greater than 85 percent of students with comparable test history scores.
SGPs are calculated using up to five years of prior test scores, including the 2014-15 Badger exam. For this reason, the dashboard omits the Badger year from school-level SGP reports. This is one of several factors that make SGPs more sensitive to classroom composition than VAMs. Educators should review individual SGP reports for their students and consider them in the context of their educational goals and planning. They can also use school and district-level SGPs to guide continuous improvement efforts.