• Growth to Standards Model
• Conditional Score Averages Model
• Projection Model
• Student Growth Percentile Model
• Value-Added Interpretations
• ACT Publications

Student Growth Percentile Model

The Student Growth Percentile (SGP) model answers the question “What is the percentile rank of a student’s current score compared to students with similar score histories?” The model describes how well a student performed, relative to peers with similar score histories.

Similar to the Projection model and the Conditional Score Average model, the SGP model can be used to predict how much students will grow and describes the level of growth that occurred. The SGP model is flexible because multiple prior test scores can be used as inputs. The model lets users examine how much future performance varies for different percentile levels. Many states and school systems use the SGP model for describing student growth, predicting future test scores, and as the basis for examining differences in growth across student groups.

The SGP model supported here can be used to predict student’s future scores, at specific percentile levels, relative to their peers with similar score histories. The percentile levels we include are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th. For example, suppose a student took the ACT Plan assessment in the fall of 10th grade and will take the ACT QualityCore Algebra 2 end-of-course test in spring of 10th grade (8 months after the ACT Plan test). The student’s ACT Plan scores were 16 (English), 17 (Mathematics), 15 (Reading), and 19 (Science). His predicted ACT QualityCore Algebra 2 scores are:

• 141 if he performs at the 10th percentile relative to students with similar ACT Plan scores
• 144 if he performs at the 25th percentile relative to students with similar ACT Plan scores
• 146 if he performs at the 50th percentile relative to students with similar ACT Plan scores
• 148 if he performs at the 75th percentile relative to students with similar ACT Plan scores
• 150 if he performs at the 90th percentile relative to students with similar ACT Plan scores

Below, we provide parameters needed for predicting various percentile levels of test scores for several pairs of assessments. Find the assessment pair and select the growth period you are interested in to download the parameters.

How to Apply the Student Growth Percentile Model

• Example demonstrating the Student Growth Percentile model (Excel)

In this example, 85 students took the ACT Plan assessment in the fall and then took the ACT QualityCore Algebra 2 end-of-course test in the spring. For each student, ACT QualityCore Algebra 2 score predictions are made for different percentile levels of growth: 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th. Students’ predicted scores are determined by their ACT Plan scores in all four subject areas.

The predicted values are highlighted in the spreadsheet. Predicted ACT QualityCore Algebra 2 scores can be compared to actual ACT QualityCore Algebra 2 scores to obtain residual scores that measure growth relative to peers.

The worksheet named “SGP Parameters” is obtained from the ACT Plan/ACT QualityCore Algebra II/6–12 months row in the table above.