How to Write IEP Goals: A Quick and Easy Formula

How to Write IEP Goals: A Quick & Easy Formula l Miss Rae's Room Special Education Teaching Blog

We all dread it.  Special education teachers groan and mumble that they have to go do it as they procrastinate by chatting with a fellow educator.  It feels monotonous and overwhelming.
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IEP goal writing does not have to be stressful though.  It’s actually quite simple once you get the hang of it - oh, and you obviously have the ever-important, all-knowing data!

Start with the BIG picture!

ASK - What is the student's qualifying disability?

ASK - What impact does the disability (or disabilities in some cases) have on the student's education?

The skill areas that you identify are most likely to be the goal areas.

Then, use this quick and easy formula to generate a SMART IEP goal!

SMART = Specific Measurable Achievable Reasonable (Realistic) Timeframe

Step One:  In what timeframe, will the student achieve this goal?  

By the end of the IEP cycle is typically the answer to this question.  So if the IEP start date is going to be 4/1/2040, then, the goal can be set to be achieved by 4/1/2041.

EXAMPLE:
By the end of the IEP cycle, ...

Step Two:  What will the student be able to achieve in the set timeframe?  

First, think BIG, and then, narrow it down to the specific skill that is required!

Start with the qualifying disability.

How is the disability impacting the student’s ability to access the general education curriculum?

What standards or skills are required?  Look at the student’s current abilities.  What are the steps needed to achieve the grade level standards?  What are the lagging skills needed to achieve the grade level standards?  This will be your goal!

Let’s say Sam is reading at a level L according to the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System.  This is equivalent to a 2.7/2.8 grade level. Sam’s grade level is 3.5.

In order to get Sam closer to grade level, he will receive specialized instruction of lagging skills and strategies, increasing his ability to independently access the general education curriculum.  Skill and strategy instruction will be required for Sam to close the achievement gap AND learn how to function independently and successfully with his disability.

Such specialized instruction aids in increasing the time required to get Sam closer to grade level.  Therefore, in one year’s time frame, when the IEP team reconvenes to assess Sam’s annual progress, Sam should have been able to make one year’s growth in reading; thus, rendering his reading level to be at a level P.  Level P has a grade level equivalent to a 3.8-4.1. When Sam’s annual review occurs, he will be at a 4.5 grade level. If he is able to achieve his goal of a level P, he will have closed the academic gap that much more, getting him much closer to grade level.

EXAMPLE:
By the end of the IEP cycle, Sam will be able to read at a level P according to the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System … (I will give the example, later in this blog, that does not list a specific program)

Step Three:  In what context or setting will the skill be measured?

Will Sam participate in a small group?  Will he be provided staff support in the general education classroom?

EXAMPLE:
By the end of the IEP cycle, Sam will be able to read at a level P according to the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System during small group instruction …

Step Four:  How will progress toward the goal be measured?

What curriculum-based measures will you utilize to assess progress towards the goals?

This is one of the many reasons why progress monitoring is SO important.  With continual progress monitoring, educators are able to pinpoint areas of weakness that are hindering progress towards goals.  Once lagging skills have been identified, instruction can be provided to target those skills. With continued progress monitoring, it is the hope that each lagging skill will become an independently applied skill, and with each gained skill, a student will be one step closer to his/her goal.

EXAMPLE:
By the end of the IEP cycle, Sam will be able to read at a level P according to the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System during small group instruction as measured by running records …

Step Five:  What accuracy toward the goal will be needed to demonstrate mastery?

Refer to the student’s current progress.  For instance, when I am progress monitoring Sam, what percentage of accuracy would demonstrate mastery of a reading level on a running record?  Typically, instructional reading levels are assessed at 90-94 percent accuracy.

EXAMPLE:
By the end of the IEP cycle, Sam will be able to read at a level P according to the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System during small group instruction as measured by running records with 90 percent accuracy in 3 out of 5 trials …

Step Six:  What supports (if any) does the student need to achieve this goal?

What supports will the student need to transition to independently accessing the general education grade level curriculum?  Does the student need a graphic organizer? Adult support? Cues?

EXAMPLE:
By the end of the IEP cycle, Sam will be able to read at a level P according to the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System during small group instruction as measured by teacher-conducted running records with 90 percent accuracy in 3 out of 5 trials with direct given direct instruction using a systematic and scientifically based reading instruction program.

EXAMPLE WITHOUT A SPECIALIZED PROGRAM CITATION:
By the end of the IEP cycle, Sam will be able to demonstrate accurate knowledge of reading skills showing one year's growth (2.7/2.8 grade level to a 3.8/4.1 grade level) during small group instruction as measured by teacher-conducted running records with 90 percent accuracy in 3 out of 5 trials with direct given direct instruction using a systematic and scientifically based reading instruction program.

Objectives!

Think of the objectives as the stepping stones needed to achieve the goal!

What specific skills are required for the student to achieve the goal?

When writing objectives, you can employ the same formula!

Begin by analyzing the current performance.

For example, in Sam’s case, I would analyze his most recent running records.  Through such an investigation, I am able to determine that comprehension is a strength while decoding long vowel and multisyllabic words and reading sight words were areas of weaknesses.

Step One:  In what timeframe, will the student achieve this goal?  
Step Two:  What will the student be able to achieve in the set timeframe?  
Step Three:  In what context or setting will the skill be measured?
Step Four:  How will progress toward the goal be measured?
Step Five:  What accuracy toward the goal will be needed to demonstrate mastery?
Step Six:  What supports (if any) does the student need to achieve this goal?

Decoding:  Given 15 words in isolation at his instructional reading level, Sam will correctly and independently decode 80 percent of the words by the end of the IEP cycle.

Decoding:  Given 15 words within the context of sentence level reading at his instructional reading level, Sam will correctly and independently decode 80 percent of the words accurately by the end of the IEP cycle.

Sight Words:  Sam will be able to accurately and independently read 300 out of the first 400 sight words with 100 percent accuracy by the end of the IEP cycle.

Tah Dah!  And there you have it!  A SMART goal with SMART objectives that were a cinch to write!

Goal:  
By the end of the IEP cycle, Sam will be able to read at a level P according to the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System during small group instruction as measured by teacher-conducted running records with 90 percent accuracy in 3 out of 5 trials with direct given direct instruction using a systematic and scientifically based reading instruction program.

EXAMPLE WITHOUT A SPECIALIZED PROGRAM CITATION:
By the end of the IEP cycle, Sam will be able to demonstrate accurate knowledge of reading skills showing one year's growth (2.7/2.8 grade level to a 3.8/4.1 grade level) during small group instruction as measured by teacher-conducted running records with 90 percent accuracy in 3 out of 5 trials with direct given direct instruction using a systematic and scientifically based reading instruction program.

Objectives:
Decoding:  Given 15 words in isolation at his instructional reading level, Sam will correctly and independently decode 80 percent of the words by the end of the IEP cycle.

Decoding:  Given 15 words within the context of sentence level reading at his instructional reading level, Sam will correctly and independently decode 80 percent of the words accurately by the end of the IEP cycle.

Sight Words:  Sam will be able to accurately and independently read 300 out of the first 400 sight words with 100 percent accuracy by the end of the IEP cycle.

IEP are essentially roadmaps for students that should lead towards independence.  The goals should provide the direction towards a state of independence!

~ By Miss Rae

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