Resource
The Effect of Summer Learning Loss on Annually Estimated Student Growth Percentiles
January 2017
Description
The report "The Effect of Summer Learning Loss on Annually Estimated Student Growth Percentiles," authored by Susan Lyons, examines the impact of summer learning loss (SLL) on the validity of Student Growth Percentiles (SGPs) used in high-stakes educator evaluations. Despite the widespread adoption of SGPs in educational accountability systems, limited research addresses their validity, especially concerning the moderate correlations between Mean Growth Percentiles (MGPs) and student characteristics like poverty.
The study analyzes data from two widely-used interim assessment programs to explore SLL as a potential source of bias in MGP estimates. Findings indicate that while SLL does contribute to error variance in aggregate estimates of student growth, it does not primarily explain the relationship between poverty and MGPs. The study employs hierarchical linear models and correlational analyses to investigate the extent to which SLL affects MGP estimates, revealing that controlling for summer learning patterns reduces bias in some cases.
The report discusses policy implications, emphasizing the need for improved assessment models that account for summer learning patterns to ensure fair and accurate evaluations of educator effectiveness. The findings highlight the importance of considering external factors such as SLL when designing and implementing student growth measures in accountability systems.
