Growth Planner FAQ
What is the Growth Planner API?
The Growth Planner API analyzes a student’s Lexile and/or Quantile measures derived from summative or interim assessments, along with other inputs to estimate and monitor growth trajectories in reading and math across the K–12 continuum. After data is submitted, the API returns projected growth results and an optional visual graph showing progress toward defined targets. Graph features can be configured to meet partner needs.
All of this occurs without requiring a new assessment, helping educators make better use of data they already collect and increasing the return on instructional and testing time.
How do educators use the Growth Planner graph in practice?
The Growth Planner, powered by its proprietary algorithm and used with interim or summative assessments, helps educators set meaningful academic targets and visualize student growth across the K–12 continuum. By projecting growth in reading and math relative to defined targets, including College and Career Readiness ranges, educators can personalize instruction, monitor progress over time, and strategically support each student’s learning journey.
What is the difference between the Growth Planner Summative and Interim endpoints?
The Summative Growth Planner API endpoint accepts Lexile and Quantile measures from state summative assessments, typically administered at the end of a grade or course (grades 3–12). It generates an estimated growth trajectory through grade 12 and compares results against College and Career Readiness target ranges, returning outputs as both data and an optional MetaMetrics graph.
The Interim Growth Planner API endpoint, released in July 2025, accepts Lexile and/or Quantile measures from interim assessments, which can begin as early as kindergarten and extend through grade 12. Like the summative endpoint, it projects growth through grade 12 and compares results against readiness targets, returning data output and an optional MetaMetrics graph.
Each endpoint offers a level of flexibility, allowing partners to configure the Growth Planner graph to reflect their instructional goals and reporting requirements.
What student information is needed to plot a graph?
To plot a graph using the Growth Planner API, the following student information is needed:
- Grade level of the student
- Lexile and/or Quantile student measure
- Month and year the test was administered
- School year the test was administered
The measurements are then plotted at the appropriate place within the grade, along with a projection of the likely student measure at the end of Grade 12.
How is the growth path estimated?
After a Lexile or Quantile measure is entered, the Growth Planner renders an Estimated Growth Path. This Estimated Growth Path represents how the student is likely to grow, given their Lexile measure(s), by the end of grade 12.
Based on years of student data tracked over time, the path displayed is based on the growth of students in this population of students who perform similarly to this student.
Growth Planner results for individual students are based solely on reading achievement data. Additional factors (e.g., motivation, high school courses taken, performance in high school, etc.) will certainly impact college and career readiness as well. Growth Planner projections are estimates and do not guarantee students will perform as forecasted.
What standard graph elements are included in the MetaMetrics Lexile and Quantile graphs?
For Growth Planner used with Lexile measures:
- Pathway for Reading Readiness describes the text complexity of the materials students typically encounter throughout their educational journey, helping to ensure they are on track for college and career readiness by the end of 12th grade.
- Recommended Growth Path represents how the student should grow and what the student should be able to read to be on track for college and careers after Grade 12, given his/her Lexile measure(s), when defined conditions are met.
- University Readiness Range describes the reading demand of typical materials that a student is expected to read during the first two years of enrollment at a 4-year university.
- Community College Readiness Range describes the reading demand of typical materials that a student will be expected to read while enrolled in a community college program.
- Workplace Readiness Range describes the reading demand of typical materials that an individual will be expected to read both before entering a career and after entering a career.
For Growth Planner used with Quantile measures:
- Pathway for Math Readiness describes the typical skills and concepts students encounter across grade levels, helping ensure they are on track for college and career readiness by the end of 12th grade.
- Recommended Growth Path represents how the student should grow and what math skills and concepts the student should be able to master to be on track for college and careers after Grade 12, given his/her Quantile measure(s), when defined conditions are met.
- Limited College and Career Readiness Range describes the mathematical demand of community college programs and careers that have no specific mathematics requirements.
- Fundamental College and Career Readiness Range describes the mathematical demands of certification, community college, and 4-year university general education programs, as well as careers that require advanced math courses, such as algebra/trigonometry, precalculus, introductory calculus, statistics, finance, and finite mathematics.
- Advanced College and Career Readiness Range describes the mathematical demand of 4-year university programs and careers that require advanced math courses such as calculus and beyond.
How were the projections of student Lexile and Quantile performance calculated?
The projections calculated by the Summative Growth Planner are based on longitudinal summative data gathered from students across their elementary through high school grades. This data has been used to develop statistically defined growth curves for reading achievement, as measured by the Lexile Framework, and for mathematics achievement, as measured by the Quantile Framework. These curves reflect varying levels of initial reading and mathematics status, allowing for different growth patterns related to differing levels of achievement.
Projections of interim growth are calculated by application of a research-based adjustment to the Summative Growth Planner. For both the Summative and Interim Growth Planners, the projection is calculated by identifying the growth curve that best fits the student’s data, and then adjusting that curve to pass through the student’s most recent measure.