Student Growth Models

Video Transcription

Hi. My name is Ashley, and today's lesson is titled Student Growth Model. In today's lesson, we'll demonstrate how student growth is connected to teacher evaluation. We'll identify how student growth should be considered when selecting a model. Then we'll look at how growth is determined based on student growth percentiles.

Next, we'll identify how student growth is determined using two types of value-added models. Using the content of this tutorial, we'll decide which model is the best.

How is student growth connected to teacher evaluation? Most evaluation models consider student growth when determining teacher effectiveness. Assessments such as standardized assessments and local and state assessments are used to demonstrate student growth. How students will be measured is normally noted in the teacher evaluation model. Multiple measurements can be used to measure student growth. Not all teacher evaluation models use the same methods. Today, we'll look at three types of methods that can be used.

How should student growth be considered when selecting a model? Since student growth is a part of the teacher evaluation model, it must be considered when choosing the model that is best for the district. There are three main methods to measuring student growth as it relates to teacher evaluation. Student growth can be measured using student growth percentiles, the value-added model controlling for student backgrounds, and the value-added models that correlate student growth with school and teacher growth. We'll take a look at each of these in more detail.

How is growth determined based on student growth percentiles? This method combines student growth percentiles from standardized assessments and compares students' performance to similar students. For example, a student growth percentile of 54 for a fifth grade student would suggest that the student perform better than half of the students with the same fourth grade score from the previous year.

The student scored a standard score of 480 in grade four and then scored 570 in grade five. This will be compared to the performance of all the fourth graders who scored a 480 in grade four and their new score in grade five. With this example, half of the students who scored a 480 in fourth grade scored a 570 or lower in the fifth grade, and the other half scored higher than a 570.

The Student Growth Percentile, or SGP, of the district, school, or teacher includes data from all the students in the group being measured. The evaluation model will state the number of year student assessment data is used to determine the average SGP. SGP is only determined using assessment scores. Demographics of the student or school are not included.

The advantages of this model are the demographics are not included, and expectations are the same for all students. The disadvantages are that it does not account for environmental factors or demographics, which may penalize schools with large numbers of English language learners, schools with low socioeconomic status, or schools with a high number of students receiving special education.

How is student growth determined using value-added models? Let's take a look at two types of value-added models that are used to determine student growth. Both types control student backgrounds. This means that student achievement is combined with student demographics. Demographics include the school environment and student socioeconomic status and race. This is calculated along with the student's math and language arts performance scores.

This type of model is beneficial because it controls the student background and it considers the typical effects of schools and teachers. The disadvantages of this model is that it is biased because it is based on high socioeconomic status schools that are not diverse or that may have a small amount of students.

On the other hand, the other model, which is also a value-added model that controls student backgrounds, is a two-step model. Just as the first model, it combines student achievement with the student demographics, but it differs by forming a growth measure for each school using data from assessments and correlating student growth with school and teacher growth.

This model is beneficial for two reasons. It combines the student growth to the school and the teacher, as well as the students' demographics. It also gives equal opportunity for schools based on the characteristics of the students they serve. The disadvantage of this model is that it may overadjust for the student and school characteristics.

Which model is the best? The two-step value-added approach is best to use, according to research, to demonstrate student growth. It's an added benefit to see student achievement presented in two ways-- the results without adjustments and the student growth correlating the school and student characteristics using the two-step approach. It's a possibility that trends can be overlooked or expectations lowered for student achievement when only analyzing the actual score.

When evaluating data in the teacher evaluation model, there is a concern that when actual scores are not considered, the teacher effectiveness rating is not truly reflective of student achievement and groups of students. Most often, when that is the concern, the student growth percentile model is selected. On the other hand, others are concerned that when demographics of school characteristics are not considered, the evaluation of the teacher is not a fair reflection of teacher effectiveness, either.

The belief is that teacher effectiveness should be compared to the effectiveness of teachers who teach similar students in similar environments. Remember that a portion of the teacher's final effectiveness rating is based on their students' growth. Therefore, the greater growth a student demonstrates, the greater the teacher's overall evaluation score will be.

Let's recap what we have discussed in today's lesson. Student growth is considered when determining teacher effectiveness. Multiple measurements can be used depending on the teacher evaluation model that is selected. We identified three main methods of measuring student growth-- student growth percentiles, value-added models controlling for student backgrounds, and value-added models that correlate student growth with teacher and school growth. We identified the best model as being the value-added model that correlates student growth with teacher and school growth, because it offers a two-step approach.

Using the content from this tutorial, what do you think is the best model to demonstrate student growth data for your district? To dive a little deeper and learn how to apply this information, be sure to check out the Additional Resources section associated with this video. This is where you'll find links targeted toward helping you discover more ways to apply this course material.