Table of Contents
LEA/District Value-Added

Understanding the Data

Overview of "Growth" and "Achievement"

This report enables you to assess trends in growth and achievement in the LEA/districts that you have access to.

Growth is the difference between students' entering and exiting achievement. You have two options for how to display growth data, and you can view both at once, if you prefer.

  • The growth color indicator is the color-coded bar that plots the growth index in the context of the growth standard.
  • The columns of Growth data include key metrics related to students' growth, such as the growth measure, its standard error, and the growth index.

Achievement is student performance at a single point in time. Achievement metrics, which are described by columns of achievement data, are helpful when interpreting growth metrics and understanding student learning in context.

Additional information about how these measures are calculated can be found in the Statistical Models and Business Rules. For more information about growth and achievement, see Concept of Growth.

Growth Color Indicator

Each growth index is plotted on a color-coded growth color indicator bar to indicate the amount of statistical evidence we have that the LEA/district meets, exceeds, or falls short of the growth standard.

The Growth Standard

The growth standard indicates the amount of growth the group of students must make to maintain their entering achievement. For more information, see Understanding Growth.

Figure: Sample report. The colors might be different in your reports.

Definitions of Column Headings

Growth columns

Growth Columns

Use growth data to:

  • Make fair comparisons across subjects, grades, Keystone content areas, and years
  • Find areas of strength and areas that need improvement

The table below gives general information about the growth columns and links to more in-depth information.

Column NameGlossary DefinitionWhere to Find More Information
Growth IndexAn indicator of the amount of evidence that the group of students met, exceeded, or fell short of the growth standard.Understanding the Growth Index
Effect SizeAn indicator of magnitude and practical significance that the group of students met, exceeded, or fell short of the growth standard.Understanding Effect Size
Growth Measure

A conservative estimate of the growth that students made, on average, in a grade and subject or course.

Growth Measures And Standard Errors
Standard ErrorA measurement that establishes a level of certainty around the growth measure and describes the amount of evidence that the group of students met, exceeded, or fell short of the growth standard.Growth Measures And Standard Errors
Student CountThe number of students included in the analysis.Understanding the Student Count
Achievement columns

Achievement Columns

Use achievement data to:

  • Observe shifts in entering achievement for different groups of students over the years
  • Identify patterns of effectiveness with students at differing levels of entering achievement
  • Support vertical conversations with feeder schools or teachers of prerequisite courses

The table below gives general information about the achievement columns and links to more in-depth information.

Column NameGlossary DefinitionWhere to Find More Information
Entering Achievement and Exiting Achievement

Depending on the assessment, achievement is reported in Normal Curve Equivalents (NCEs) or scale scores.

  • Entering achievement is either the average of the students' NCEs from the most recent prior year available or the average of the students' predicted scale scores.
  • Exiting achievement is either the average of the students' current year NCEs or the average of the students' actual scale scores.
Understanding Entering Achievement and Exiting Achievement
Student CountThe number of students included in the analysis.Understanding the Student Count

How the Colors Are Assigned

The model generates growth measures and standard errors. You can see rounded versions of these numbers by selecting the Growth Measure and Standard Error columns under Data to Display. We calculate each growth index by dividing the unrounded growth measure by the unrounded standard error. We assign colors to growth indexes based on how far the indexes are from the growth standard.

Growth Color IndicatorGrowth Index Compared to the Growth StandardInterpretation
Well Above

At least 2 standard errors above

Significant evidence that the LEA/district exceeded the growth standard.

Above

Between 1 and 2 standard errors above

Moderate evidence that the LEA/district exceeded the growth standard.

Meets

Between 1 standard error above and 1 standard error below

Evidence that the LEA/district met the growth standard.

Below

Between 1 and 2 standard errors below

Moderate evidence that the LEA/district did not meet the growth standard.

Well Below

More than 2 standard errors below

Significant evidence that the LEA/district did not meet the growth standard.

When a growth index falls exactly on the boundary between two colors, the higher growth color indicator is assigned.