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South Carolina's Educational Growth Model Overview

Apr 17, 2025

Lecture: South Carolina's Added Value Growth Model

Introduction

  • Speaker: Matthew Lavry, Director of Research, South Carolina Education Oversight Committee (EOC)
  • Focus: Transition of South Carolina's educational accountability to a new value-added model for student progress indicators
  • Objective: Reward year-to-year growth towards standard proficiency

Background

  • South Carolina historically values student growth in its accountability system.
  • Previous Model: Used a value table to award points when students moved to a higher achievement level.
    • Issue: Prioritized students close to cut scores, also known as "bubble kids."
  • Norm-Referenced Value-Added Model: Compared year-to-year increase in achievement scores to typical increases statewide.
    • Issue: Lacked direct connection to grade level proficiency.

Development of the Added Value Growth Model

  • Goal: Combine the best of previous models, focusing on proficiency and growth for all students.
  • Model Type: Criterion-referenced value-added model.
  • Individualized Growth Targets: For grades four through eight to move towards proficiency.

Methodology

  • Historical SC READY scores (2017-2019) used to determine typical growth.
  • Average growth differs by grade level and prior year score.
    • Finding: Growth percentiles are used to create individualized growth targets.

Growth Percentiles

  • Conditional Growth Percentiles: Used to set growth targets based on prior scores.
  • Examples:
    • 50th growth percentile means typical growth.
    • Higher percentiles (60th, 70th, etc.) indicate greater than typical growth.

Individualized Growth Targets

  • Median Annual Target (MAT): Reflects typical gains (50th percentile).
    • Schools earn points for meeting/exceeding MAT.
  • Added Value Target (AVT): Progressive and based on prior achievement levels.
    • Designed to move students towards proficiency.

Application of AVTs

  • Case Study: The Added Value Family
    • Six hypothetical children with different achievement levels.
    • Illustrated how different growth percentiles shift achievement levels over five years.
    • Outcome: Most children meet or exceed grade level standards within five years.

Potential Impact

  • Visualization: Shows potential benefits of AVTs over five years using historical data.
    • Shifts in achievement levels with added value growth.

Implementation

  • AVTs can work with interim and benchmark assessments.
  • Collaboration with assessment vendors to monitor student growth.

Scoring and Ratings

  • 2023 Report Cards: Report proportions of students meeting/exceeding MAT and AVT.
  • 2024 Report Cards: Will include scored Added Value Growth Model.
  • Scoring Features:
    • Growth metric not overly correlated with poverty levels.
    • Points based on meeting/exceeding MAT and AVT.
    • Indicator points vary by growth percentiles.

Conclusion

  • Additional resources and videos to be provided for stakeholder understanding.
  • EOC staff available for questions and support.

Note: This overview is a high-level summary of the Added Value Growth Model aimed at educators to help support students' progress towards proficiency.

Full transcript