A school's raw proficiency score tells you where students are. The Academic Growth Percentile tells you how fast they are improving — and it is often the more important number.
How to Read a School's Academic Growth Percentile
Proficiency rates are where most parents start. What percentage scored at grade level in math and ELA? That's fair, but it misses something. A school can post great proficiency numbers because it enrolls kids who were already ahead — not because it's doing great teaching. The Academic Growth Percentile cuts through that.
What AGP Measures
The Academic Growth Percentile (AGP) measures how much each student's scores improved compared to students who had the same score the previous year — their academic peers statewide. An AGP of 70 means the student grew faster than 70% of Nevada peers who started at the same level.
Why It Matters More Than You Might Think
Consider two schools:
- School A: 80% ELA proficiency. Serves a high-income community with tutors, enrichment programs, and college-educated parents who read at home every night.
- School B: 50% ELA proficiency. Serves a low-income community where 30% are English language learners — but students grow at the 75th percentile statewide.
School B is almost certainly doing better teaching. High proficiency, low AGP: probably riding its zip code. Low proficiency, high AGP: probably the most effective school on the list.
How to Interpret What You See
- AGP above 60: Growing students faster than most comparable students statewide.
- AGP around 50: Median growth — a steady, functional school.
- AGP below 40: Students growing more slowly than academic peers. Look closely before choosing.
The Combination That Matters Most
A school with both high proficiency and high AGP is the clearest signal: students start strong and keep accelerating. That is a school actually earning its numbers.
Explore AGP data for every Nevada school at NevadaSchools.org.