Create Effective IEP Goals Using DIBELS: A Step-by-Step Guide for Special Education Teachers Learn how to craft measurable IEP goals using DIBELS data. Discover examples, tips, and resources to support your special education students in achieving reading fluency and comprehension. Writing effective IEP goals can feel daunting, but using a reliable tool like DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) can simplify the process and ensure your students’ needs are met. DIBELS provides valuable data to monitor progress and helps create specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals tailored to each student. This blog will guide you through writing IEP goals using DIBELS and offer practical examples to inspire your own. Step 1: Review DIBELS Data Administer the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills-8th Edition (DIBELS). DIBELS is a standardized tool for assessing the acquisition of early literacy skills from Kindergarten through 6th Grad...

How to Write SMART IEP Goals: A Quick & Easy 8-Step Formula for Special Educators Let’s be honest—Special Education teachers love working with students. Helping them learn, grow, and reach their goals is the most rewarding part of the job. But the paperwork? Not so much. If you've ever volunteered to cover recess duty, sharpen pencils, or—let’s be real—even taken a bathroom break just to avoid writing IEP goals, you're not alone. Writing IEPs can feel overwhelming and tedious, even for seasoned educators. But here’s the truth: it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right tools and structure, IEP goal writing becomes straightforward—and dare I say—manageable! That’s why I created my go-to strategy: the SMART IEP Goal Formula. It’s simple, effective, and it actually makes writing goals feel doable (yes, really). Ready to change how you feel about IEP goals? Let’s dive into this step-by-step formula that breaks everything down. STEP 1: Identify the Goal Areas Start with...