Student Growth Measures

Student Growth Measures

  1. Assessments (state-approved or nationally normed) used with value-added measures (VAM)

  2. Pre- and Post-tests

  3. Student Learning Objectives (SLO) - Rating Rubric

  4. Portfolios - ASCD Portfolio Types

  5. “Other” e.g. STAAR Student Progress Measure

Student Learning Objectives

Phase One: Creating the SLO and Determining Student Preparedness Levels Set

What is one of the most important key learnings of this course? (Set learning objective)

  • Deep understanding of the standards for the course, including foundational skills

  • Prioritization of the knowledge and skills to be mastered in the course

  • Development of the learning progression rubric that details what success looks like at various stages of mastery

Where are my students beginning? (Set preparedness levels/initial skill profile)

  • Multiple data sources used to set preparedness levels

  • Previous/historical testing data, literacy levels, general performance considered

  • Previous SLO mastery levels attained considered (where applicable)

  • Current beginning of year baseline data considered, including student work, tasks, projects, assessments, attendance, etc. from the first six weeks of the school year

  • At least 5 levels of beginning skill level considered best practice, e.g. Well Below Typical, Below Typical, Typical, Above Typical, Well Above Typical

What will success look like at the end of the year? (Set learning progression rubric/ targeted skill profile)

  • Various levels of mastery described in terms of what students will know and be able to do at the end of the year

  • Tied to specific, measurable student behaviors

  • At least 5 levels of mastery considered best practice, e.g. Well Below Typical, Below Typical, Typical, Above Typical, Well Above Typical

What is the expected growth for each student? (Set expected growth targets)

  • Set a targeted growth goal (based on the rubric) for each student

  • Based on the preparedness levels

  • A determination of the end of year mastery level for each student

  • Tied to the learning progression rubric, grounded in what students will know and be able to do at the end of the year

Phase Two: Monitor progress and analyze relevant student work

Essential question for Phase Two

Where are my students now with respect to their mastery of the selected learning objective? (Build the body of evidence)


  • Ongoing progress monitoring

  • Use of data driven instruction (DDI) cycles

  • Use of protocols for looking at student work

  • Design of assessments/projects/performance tasks that accurately measure student progress toward mastery of the learning objective

  • Secure collection and storage of all student work that will be part of the body of evidence

Phase Three: Determining end of year skill levels and student growth

Where did my students end? (Determine end of year mastery levels)

  • Use of learning progression rubric to determine students’ end of year skill levels

  • Based on the body of evidence

Did my students meet their expected growth target?(Determine student growth)

  • Comparison of targeted growth goal for each student to end of year actual skill levels in order to determine student growth

  • Based on students’ ability to demonstrate what they know and are able to do according to the end of year learning progression rubric/targeted skill profile

  • Determination of how many students met or exceeded their expected growth goal that was set at the beginning of the yea