The data sgp package provides an efficient means for organizing longitudinal (time dependent) student assessment data into statistical growth plots. The package offers two common formats for this data: WIDE format, where each case/row represents a single student and columns represent variables associated with that student at different times, and LONG format, where time dependent variables are spread across multiple rows per student. When you install the data sgp package, it includes exemplar WIDE and LONG data sets (sgpData_WIDE and sgpData_LONG) to assist with the creation of your own data set.
A student’s SGP score represents her relative performance in relation to the average of her academic peers. Teachers and administrators use SGP scores to quickly determine if students grew more than, less than, or as much as expected. The SGP score is a number between 1 and 99, where higher numbers indicate greater relative growth. For example, if a student’s SGP is 75, it indicates that she showed more growth than 75 percent of her academic peers.
SGP is calculated by comparing a student’s most recent test result to his or her previous test results. It takes into account the difficulty of the question asked, the amount of time allowed for the student to answer each item, and the amount of time between tests. The results are then converted into percentages, which allow the comparison of students from different schools and districts to be made in a consistent manner.
The SGP package also provides two additional formats for the data: window specific SGP and current SGP. Window specific SGP uses one or more test results from a single testing window to compare student growth and need to correspond to a school’s or district’s calendar year. Current SGP, on the other hand, is based on the most recent test result available for a given student, along with a minimum of one prior test from an earlier testing window.
SGP is a free, open source tool that can be downloaded from the project website. It has numerous features that make it easy to use, including the ability to import data from a spreadsheet, generate reports, and view student data. It is also compatible with other analysis programs, making it possible to create and use data sgp in conjunction with other tools. This allows users to analyze and interpret student data more efficiently, which is especially important when assessing student growth over time. The SGP package is available for both Windows and Mac OS. SGP is currently being used by many schools and districts across the country to evaluate student growth. Moreover, it is being used by several research organizations to develop and validate predictive models for student performance. Consequently, the potential for this tool to improve student learning is immense. It is critical that educators take advantage of this resource in order to optimize student outcomes. For more information about how to use the SGP package, visit the project website at http://datasgp.org/.
