The Georgia Student Growth Model (GSGM) provides various stakeholders, including students, parents, educators, and the public with information on student growth. Considering student growth (progress) in addition student achievement (proficiency) provides a more complete picture of the academic performance of Georgia students. Student achievement and growth scores are reported with the Georgia Milestones End of Grade (EOG) and End of Course (EOC) assessment results at the end of the school year.
How is student growth calculated?
The GSGM uses the Student Growth Percentile (SGP) methodology. SGPs describe the amount of growth a student has demonstrated relative to academically-similar students from across the state. Growth percentiles range from 1 to 99, with lower percentiles indicating lower academic growth and higher percentiles indicating higher academic growth. With SGPs, all students – regardless of their prior achievement level – have the opportunity to demonstrate all levels of growth.
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Who receives SGPs?
SGPs are calculated for English language arts and mathematics for students in grades 4-8 and high school participating in the Georgia Milestones Assessment System. To receive a growth score, students must have at least one prior score and a current score in the same content area.
How are SGPs interpreted?
SGPs describe the amount of growth students demonstrate relative to academically-similar students (i.e., students with a similar achievement history). SGPs range from 1 to 99 and are interpreted like percentile ranks, where lower percentiles indicate lower growth relative to academically-similar students and higher percentiles indicate higher growth relative to academically-similar students. For example, a student with an SGP of 60 grew the same or more than 60% of academically-similar students.
Growth levels classify SGPs into three categories: low (1-34), typical (35-65), and high (66-99). These growth levels were set using information about the relationship between student growth and achievement. A student who demonstrates low growth may struggle to maintain their current level of achievement. A students who demonstrates typical growth may maintain or improve academically. A student who demonstrates high growth may make greater academic improvements.
Growth targets estimate the level of growth a student would likely need to demonstrate to reach the next achievement level. Growth targets range from 1 to 99 and correspond to the estimated SGP associated with the next achievement level. For example, a mathematics growth target of 68 for a 6th grade student who achieved at the Developing Learner achievement level means the student will likely need to demonstrate at least 68th percentile growth to achieve at the Proficient Learner achievement level in 7th grade.
Additional information on interpreting growth and achievement scores can be found in the Resources section of this page and in the EOG and EOC Score Interpretation Guides located on the Georgia Milestones Resources page under Educator Resources.
Where are SGPs reported?
Students and parents receive student growth information on the student's individual student report for the Georgia Milestones assessments. Educators have access to achievement and growth data for their students through Georgia's Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) and on the DRC INSIGHT interactive reporting system. The public can access growth information summarized at the school, district, and state level by clicking on the GSGM data visualization image or the Statewide GSGM Data link on the side panel.
How are SGPs used?
The primary purpose of reporting student growth information is to provide various stakeholders with a key piece of information about academic performance. Students and parents can work with teachers to better understand their academic performance and the support or enrichment opportunities available to them. Educators can use student growth information, in addition to other information about student performance, to improve student learning, instruction, and educational programs.
SGPs also contribute to school and district accountability. SGPs are used as a measure of student progress in the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI). SGPs are combined with other measures to provide an overall indication of school and district effectiveness. SGPs are also one of multiple measures used to provide an indication of teacher and leader effectiveness in the Teacher and Leader Keys Effectiveness Systems (TKES and LKES). Please see the Accountability and Teacher and Leader Effectiveness pages for more information.