Student Growth Percentiles (SGP) show how students are progressing in relation to academic peers who have similar raw scores and test section history on state assessments. These academic peers may be in the same grade or school, across grades, or within a specific subgroup such as race/ethnicity, special education or multilingual learning.

SGPs are a common metric used by educators to determine student progress and identify areas for improvement. They are also one of the measures used to calculate value-added growth data for teacher evaluation. The Washington Department of Public Instruction (DPI) uses mean SGPs in their federal ESSA accountability system. Districts use SGPs in their local accountability systems and school report cards.

SGP is the result of a mathematical process that compares a student’s current assessment score with their previous assessment scores. For example, a student who takes an ELA assessment in grade 4 and again in grade 8 will receive two SGPs in ELA and one in math. A student who only took the ELA assessment in grade 6 will receive one SGP in math because they did not take a math assessment in grade 7.

A statewide median SGP is approximately 50. It is important to note that statewide median SGPs are calculated relative to academic peers that have taken the same MCAS tests and have similar test section histories. This is different from other measures such as the percent of students that are proficient and advanced for a particular year.

For a given year, the distribution of SGPs is expected to follow a normal curve with equal numbers of students at each percentile (the diagram on the right shows groupings of 10 percentiles). However, some years can have significant shifts in student performance due to factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

Students with low SGPs can make significant gains in the future to reach proficient status. Conversely, students with high SGPs might struggle to improve their performance over time. It is important for teachers and families to understand these trends so they can make informed decisions about what steps to take to close the gap between a student’s achievement level and what they need to be successful in the future.

The sgp package contains classes, functions and data that allow users to conduct a variety of SGP analyses. This includes SGPs and percentile growth projections/trajectories using large scale, longitudinal educational data.

The SGP vignette and the SGP github repository provide more detailed documentation on how to use the SGP package for these kinds of analyses. The exemplar WIDE data set, sgpData, and the LONG data set, sgpData_LONG, included when the SGP package is installed, model the format of data that is used with the lower level studentGrowthPercentiles and studentGrowthProjections functions.

In addition, the SGP github repository includes wrapper functions (abcSGP and updateSGP) that simplify the code required for conducting these analyses. They combine the six steps required to prepare and run a SGP analysis into a single function call, making them easier to use for operational SGP analyses.

A hot day in Hong Kong is the perfect excuse to cool down with a swim at one of the city’s many pools. From a rooftop pool overlooking the harbour to a pool with an inspiring backdrop of skyscrapers, there is a pool to suit everyone in the 852. Whether you are planning to impress out-of-towners, relax on a weekend with friends or get some serious zen in – a visit to one of these pools will be sure to help.

In Hong Kong, there are 44 public swimming pools that are open to the general public and are operated by various government departments. Some are also operated by community groups and sports clubs. Each pool has its own opening hours and fees. Adult admission to a public swimming pool costs HK$17 during the week, HK$19 on weekends and public holidays and children under three are free. You can buy your admission tickets at the entrance of each swimming pool and use them to access lockers.

Many of the public pools were built in the 1960s and 1970s and are fairly standard in terms of design. The Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park swimming pool, opened in 2011, is an exception, being a modern, well-designed complex that has been a hit with families since it was first launched. The pool has a leisure area with fountains and water slides of different sizes for all ages, as well as a main swimming and training pool.

There are several public pools in the vicinity of Shek Kip Mei Sports Ground, with four games taking place on Monday and two more on Wednesday. The teams are all playing for the last eight spots in the playoffs, with all the matches affecting the playoff picture.

If you are looking for a pool with a view, then head to the top of the city’s tallest building and you will find Cordis Hotel’s rooftop pool. This pool is surrounded by Mongkok’s towering skyscrapers and the views are stunning. The pool is heated and also has a jacuzzi.

The pool at the swanky The Peninsula is another one that will wow you. With a Roman-inspired design and statuesque columns, this pool will make you feel like you are away in Rome, relaxing at your own private pool.

The pool at the Four Seasons is an impressive sight in its own right, and it’s only enhanced by the breathtaking view. The pool is a great spot to watch the sunset and spend an evening with friends.