NSCAS Growth Measures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In NSCAS Growth reporting, what does a student's 'growth percentile' indicate?
- The student's raw score on the current year's assessment
- How the student's score change compares to peers with similar prior scores (Correct answer)
- The percentage of questions the student answered correctly
- The student's grade-level proficiency ranking statewide
Correct answer: How the student's score change compares to peers with similar prior scores
A growth percentile shows how a student's score change compares to other Nebraska students who started with similar prior-year scores.
Question 2: Which NSCAS subject areas include student growth percentile reporting?
- Science and Social Studies only
- English Language Arts and Mathematics only (Correct answer)
- Reading, Writing, and Science only
- All tested subjects including Science at all grade levels
Correct answer: English Language Arts and Mathematics only
NSCAS growth percentiles are calculated and reported for English Language Arts and Mathematics, which are assessed annually across multiple grades.
Question 3: A student has a growth percentile of 75 on NSCAS. What does this mean?
- The student scored at the 75th percentile on this year's test
- The student grew more than 75% of academically similar peers (Correct answer)
- The student answered 75% of questions correctly
- The student improved by 75 scale score points
Correct answer: The student grew more than 75% of academically similar peers
A growth percentile of 75 means the student's score growth exceeded that of 75% of students with similar prior-year performance.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of measuring student growth rather than only proficiency on NSCAS?
- To replace proficiency scores entirely with growth metrics
- To capture academic progress regardless of where a student started (Correct answer)
- To identify which teachers should receive performance bonuses
- To determine which students qualify for gifted programming
Correct answer: To capture academic progress regardless of where a student started
Growth measures capture academic progress for all students, including high and low performers, regardless of their starting proficiency level.
Question 5: In NSCAS Growth, what is a 'Student Growth Percentile' (SGP) model based on?
- A student's age and grade-level norms
- Quantile regression of current scores given prior scores (Correct answer)
- The difference between two raw scale scores
- Teacher-assigned performance ratings over two years
Correct answer: Quantile regression of current scores given prior scores
The SGP model uses quantile regression to estimate how a student's current score compares to peers who had the same prior-year score history.
Question 6: Which of the following students demonstrates HIGH growth according to NSCAS Growth Measures?
- A student who scored Proficient and remained Proficient with a growth percentile of 42
- A student who scored Beginning and moved to Proficient with a growth percentile of 88 (Correct answer)
- A student who scored Advanced and remained Advanced with a growth percentile of 55
- A student who scored Proficient and dropped to Beginning regardless of growth percentile
Correct answer: A student who scored Beginning and moved to Proficient with a growth percentile of 88
High growth is indicated by a high growth percentile (above 60), which this student with a percentile of 88 demonstrates while also improving in proficiency category.
Question 7: What is the typical range of Student Growth Percentiles reported on NSCAS?
- 0 to 100
- 1 to 99 (Correct answer)
- 0 to 50
- 1 to 100
Correct answer: 1 to 99
Student Growth Percentiles on NSCAS are reported on a scale of 1 to 99, similar to national percentile rankings.
NSCAS Growth Measures 2
In NSCAS Growth reporting, what does a student's 'growth percentile' indicate?