Results Sgp Student Growth Percentiles (SGPs) measure how much students have improved on this year’s MCAS exam relative to academic peers in a particular subject area. Calculated using the same statistical method used for MCAS scale scores, SGPs provide us with insight into whether any two students achieved equivalent scale scores for one subject but differing SGPs due to differences between academic peer groups. For instance, A and B might both score 100 on that subject’s scale score but have different SGPs due to being part of different academic peer groups.

SGPs can also be aggregated to assess growth at both school and district levels. However, averaged figures can fluctuate more due to their smaller sample of available data.

Parents and educators need to understand how to interpret Student Growth Profiles (SGPs). Unfortunately, learning this new information takes time and effort – which is why OSPI has developed three guides with guidance for administrators, educators, and students on this process.

Each guide offers an introduction to the SGP model, samples of three growth reports and questions for examining students’ progress in specific subject areas. Furthermore, Administrators, Educators and Students Guides each provide prompts on how to incorporate this tool into classroom routines; all three can be downloaded as PDF documents from MCAS Growth’s website.

As well as SGP Guides, many technical resources are also available to schools and districts for understanding new student growth measures. These resources include videos, webinars, presentations and online materials presented by teachers from across the state who possess extensive expertise in understanding SGPs. The MCAS Advisory Panel often hosts such videos or webinars.

By using SGP measures, we are now able to compare our performance against that of other states and districts, which allows us to identify best practices while learning from others what’s working as we strive to improve efforts. This powerful aspect of the new system will act as a catalyst for change: as more students leverage SGP data we will be better equipped to help all reach their maximum potential and achieve their academic dreams. Thank you for being part of this important journey together as we ensure each child reaches his or her fullest potential; we look forward to continuing collaborations so SGPs become part of education here in Washington state!

At the Hong Kong News Awards 2024 hosted by Newspaper Society of Hong Kong, The South China Morning Post took home 12 awards – including best scoop – including best news story prize awarded to Jeffie Lam and Edith Lin from City desk for uncovering unauthorised structures on luxury properties.

Prof Cecilia Chu was awarded the 2024 International Planning History Society Book Prize for her monograph Building Colonial Hong Kong: Speculative Development and Segregation in the City. This prestigious prize recognizes major works that advance our understanding of planning history, while acknowledging Prof Cecilia Chu’s outstanding contribution in urban history.

Submissions that win are judged according to criteria including relevance of theme, systematic use of collected materials, objectivity in analysis, citation of bibliography and footnotes and overall quality assessment. The winning team will be invited to present its ideas directly with key stakeholders within the development sector as well as receiving an award of HK$5000.

At Wong Shiu Chi Secondary School, five teams received merit awards; these included “Hong Kong Pig Farming Industry during 1967 Riots”, which won first prize. Tak Oi Secondary School claimed second prize with “The Canton-Hong Kong Strike”, while Carmel Pak U received third place for Frontier Restricted Area and its Relation to China/Hong Kong Relations.

This year marks a first: the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize has been extended across all of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to encourage scientific researchers from both Mainland China and Hong Kong/Macau special administrative regions to participate. Furthermore, this Prize seeks to foster an environment which values scientific research.

Prizes range from HK$50,000 to HK$110,000 and winning entries will be featured on the HKTDC website. Finalists will be recognized during Hong Kong Economic Summit in March; while winners will be honored at an awards ceremony later in 2019.

The contest is open to HK residents aged 18-30 with an interest in Hong Kong development, who wish to submit an entry. Participants need to produce a short video explaining their proposal and why it contributes to Hong Kong’s further progress. Entries should not exceed 500 words and may include illustrations, charts and diagrams as support. Submitters can submit entries until 1 November 2017. For more details click here.