Growth Planner FAQ

What is the Growth Planner API?

The Growth Planner API is a tool that analyzes a student’s Lexile and Quantile measures, along with other inputs, to estimate their growth trajectory in reading and math by the end of grade 12. Once the data is submitted, the API returns predicted growth data and, if requested, a visual graph representing progress toward specific targets.

All of this happens without adding a new assessment, making better use of the data already collected and increasing the return on testing time.

How do educators use the Growth Planner graph in practice?

The Growth Planner, powered by its proprietary algorithm and used in conjunction with summative or interim assessments, is a powerful tool for setting meaningful academic targets and charting a clear path toward college and career readiness. By projecting student growth in alignment with long-term goals, educators can personalize instruction, track progress, and support each student’s learning journey more strategically.

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 grade or end of course (grades 3–12). It generates an estimated growth trajectory toward college- and career-ready target ranges by the end of grade 12.

In July 2025, MetaMetrics introduced an Interim Growth Planner API endpoint that ingests Lexile and Quantile measures from interim assessments administered throughout the school year (grades 3–12). Like the summative version, it estimates growth toward college- and career-readiness by grade 12. In addition, the interim endpoint offers greater flexibility:
  • Clients can customize the grade range displayed on the growth chart.
  • Clients can define up to three custom target ranges, which must be provided in advance.

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 other optional graph elements are included in a standard graph?

For Growth Planner used with Lexile measures:
  • Pathway for Reading Readiness describes the text complexity of typical materials that students should encounter to be on track for college and career after 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).
  • The 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.
  • The 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 Mathematical Readiness describes the mathematics skills and concepts that students should encounter and learn to be on-track for college and career after 12th grade.
  • Recommended Growth Path represents how the student should grow and what the student should be ready for, mathematically, to be on track for college and careers after Grade 12, given his/her Quantile measure(s).
  • The Limited College and Career Readiness Range describes the mathematical demand of community college programs and careers that have no specific mathematics requirements.
  • The 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, pre-calculus, introductory calculus, statistics, finance, and finite mathematics.
  • The 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.

How applicable are the growth projections to my students?

he data used to construct the summative decile growth curves came from a single large state, with over 100,000 students in grades 3 through 11. While there were some discrepancies in the comparisons of the state’s demographic percentages to the country as a whole, they were generally comparable. The data on which the interim adjustment was based were much smaller, although drawn from multiple states and assessments. Consequently, the models used to generate the projections are based on data that’s reasonably inclusive and representative of the nationwide student population.

What student subgroups were included in the research on the Growth Planner and how applicable are the growth projections to my students?

The data used to construct the growth curves comes from student performance on state-mandated assessments that has been longitudinally collected across those students’ elementary, middle, and high school experiences. The demographic profile of the students in our sample is generally representative of the demographic profile of students nationwide as documented in reports from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Only students who repeated a grade have been excluded so that the curves would reflect growth as a function of grade rather than age. No other exclusionary criteria (e.g., ELL students, students with an IEP) have been applied. No attempt has been made to develop demographic-specific growth curves due concerns about insufficient sample size.

Is there evidence that students grow as projected by the Growth Planner?

Not at this time. We expect these projections to be aspirational, and students meet or exceed projections based on instruction and intervention.

Do I need to install or manage any software for the Growth Planner REST API?

No installation or software management is required on the client end beyond your chosen REST API client or SDK. The Growth Planner REST API is hosted and maintained by MetaMetrics, utilizing highly available and scalable infrastructure provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) across multiple geographically distributed data centers.

What are the benefits of working with the Growth Planner API?

There are many benefits to working with the Growth Planner API, including:
  • Time savings– data flows automatically between systems.
  • Works with what you already use– APIs help tools "talk" to each other, whether it’s your learning platform, assessment system, or student information system.
  • Flexible for your needs– your team can pull just the information that you want reflected in your offering.
  • Grows with you– as you add districts, schools, students, or new tools, APIs support that growth without extra setup.
  • Safe and secure– data sharing is controlled, encrypted, and access is granted only to approved systems.

How quickly can we be “up and running” with the Growth Planner API?

The time required to go live with the Growth Planner API typically ranges from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on your technical setup and available resources. To help ensure a smooth integration, follow this simple 3-step checklist:
  1. Obtain API Access
    • Request your credentials
    • Confirm required scopes
  2. Build the Integration
    • Use a script, connector, or middleware to send and receive data
    • Implement error handling and timeout management
  3. Go Live
    • Conduct testing
    • Confirm data flows and target ranges display as expected
    • Move to production and begin using the API in your live environment

How do I authenticate with the API?

Before using the Growth Planner API, you must obtain an Authentication Token from the authToken endpoint. Use that endpoint to pass your client credentials and receive an accessToken. Click on the Authorize button and paste the token into the designated field. This will allow you to make requests to the protected endpoints.

For more detailed information on how to access Growth Planner’s protected API, visit Partner Help and click on Authentication, within the API Calls section.

Does the graph rendering meet WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliance for visual representation?

Yes, the Growth Planner graph is WCAG 2.1 AA compliant, and all information required to generate informative alt-text is made available in the response data. Clients should use this data to write their own alt-text.

What data format does the API accept?

The Growth Planner API supports JSON and returns data in UTF-8 encoding.

What kind of performance can I expect out of the Growth Planner API?

Performance expectations, including uptime commitments, issue resolution procedures, and maintenance schedules, are outlined in our Service Level Agreement (SLA). Please refer to the Growth Planner API documentation for full details.

Who do I contact for support issues?

If you need help with setup, troubleshooting, or have a technical question about our product, our support team is here to help.

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