Using Student Growth Percentile (SGP) to Plan Interventions – Accelerated Reader

Renaissance Star assessments provide Student Growth Percentiles (SGP) in addition to achievement scores and rankings. These percentiles compare students to their academic peers - students of similar age who performed similarly on previous assessments - and allow teachers to monitor students' growth in addition to overall achievement.

SGPs provide an opportunity to celebrate the significant growth a student is making, even if (perhaps especially if) they are still not meeting grade-level standards. SGPs also allow us to identify students who are currently meeting grade-level standards but not making adequate growth. This provides teachers with an opportunity to adjust instruction or provide interventions before the students fall behind.

Low Growth, High Achievement

Monitor classroom assessments closely to ensure students are making adequate progress.
If resources allow, consider an intervention or curriculum adjustment to prevent students from falling behind.

High Growth, High Achievement

Students are being well served by Tier 1 classroom instruction.
Provide additional enrichment opportunities.

Low Growth, Low Achievement

Students should be receiving targeted interventions.
If students are already receiving interventions, they may need to be supplemented or replaced.
If several interventions have been tried, consider referring to a Student Support Team.

High Growth, Low Achievement

Continue current intervention supports until students meet grade-level standards.
If many students are receiving the same intervention, consider expanding it to other students.

Student Growth Percentiles (SGPs) compare student scores on a recent assessment to those of their academic peers - students who scored similarly on a previous assessment. In Renaissance Analytics, the first Fall test in the school year (August - November) is always used as the starting point, and the current SGP is shown. Note: SGPs shown in Star reports may use different starting tests, and those reports may use either window-specific or current Student Growth Percentiles. For more information about Student Growth Percentiles, the windows used, and Star, see Student Growth Percentile (SGP).

Using the clickable bar charts on the Our Students dashboard, you can see how many students are low-performing and how many students are making above-average growth, which can help you see whether students are being well served by current instruction. (You can see which students fit each category by selecting the sections on the bar chart or by selecting filters using the icon next to the metric name.)
Star Reading PR Urgent Intervention segment
Star Reading High Growth SGP segment

You can also see how many students students have typical achievement and how many have well-below-average growth, meaning students would benefit from intervention before they fall behind.
Star Reading PR At/Above Benchmark segment
Star Reading SGP Low Growth Segment

You may notice that the total number of students shown in growth categories is different from the total shown in benchmark categories under the Percentile Rank and State Benchmark Level. This is because those categories use tests taken during district screening windows, while Student Growth Percentiles use other scores as well. For more information, see Student Growth Percentile.

To get more information as you plan interventions, do the following on the Our Students dashboard:

If you have access to all students in a building, use the Demographics drop-down list at the top of the page to narrow the list to the students you serve. This might mean selecting only certain grade levels or students with or without IEPs, for example.
Click on a portion of the bar chart for the assessment percentile score to filter the list to students in that category.
Sort or filter by the Student Growth Percentile metric.
Consider focusing on students who are making below average growth. These are students in need of a new or additional intervention.