The SGP package offers an efficient means of organizing longitudinal (time dependent) student assessment data into statistical growth plots. The data sgp package offers two common formats for this data, WIDE and LONG; in WIDE format each case/row represents one student while its columns represent variables associated with that student at different times; LONG spreads time dependent variables across multiple rows per student. When you install SGP package it includes example WIDE and LONG data sets (sgpData_WIDE and sgpData_LONG), to assist with setting up your own data sets.
SGP analyses require having access to information in an easily understandable form. SGP calculations work best when presented using percentile terms that are familiar to teachers and parents alike; to facilitate this, the sgpData package contains several percentile rank tables which outline student performance relative to his/her academic peers.
SGP data can be most beneficial when it encompasses multiple years of student assessments. sgpData contains five years’ worth of student assessments for every individual student in five grade levels from 2013 – 2017. Each column (ID, GRADE_2013 – GRADE _2017, etc) represents one year, while the next four (GRADE_2014 – GRADE 2017), provide grade level information. In addition, an instructor number table called sgpData_INSTRUCTOR_NUMBER displays details about teachers assigned to test records.
In addition to percentile rank, sgpData includes several helpful statistical indicators of student achievement and progress, such as mean median standard deviation scores for assessments administered to students. Analyzing this information allows one to detect patterns that might point towards problems with instructional strategies or overall lack of academic progress.
Finally, the sgpData_CONTENTS table presents how much of each content area was covered over each of the five years of data. This information can help identify areas in which students may lack knowledge, and serve as a starting point for dialogue between curriculum coordinators or principals about ways to address deficiencies.
Many students find the student growth percentile to be an accurate gauge of their progress, which measures it relative to similar-aged peers (their academic peers). This percentile report can also be found in the SGP package’s sgpData_CONTENTS page of this website, making its calculation relatively straightforward. Simply use the data set and function sgpData_PERCENTILE in this data set/function package combination to quickly create student percentile reports. This information can be shared with teachers and families to highlight student progress in class and tailor instruction accordingly. Example: if a student falls below the 3rd percentile in mathematics, this could be an indicator that they require additional assistance in this area. Teachers could then take steps to provide extra instruction in this subject area – improving student outcomes and increasing their chances of succeeding in college or the workforce.