Learn about goals and objectives (or benchmarks), which are the core of your child's IEP.
Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings give you and the school a chance to work together to design an IEP for your child with learning disabilities who’s been determined eligible for special education. The goals for academic achievement and functional performance set for your child are the core of the IEP. As a parent, you play an important role in developing these goals.
What are goals?
Goals represent what you and the other IEP team members think your child will be able to accomplish in his area(s) of disability-academic, developmental, and functional-in a year’s time. Annual goals must be written in measurable terms. Here is an example:
Sample IEP Long-Term Goal in Reading*
Given randomly selected passages at the third-grade level, J. R. will read aloud 115 words correct per minute, by the end of the year (or in 35 weeks), as measured by a valid curriculum-based measurement.
*From the National Center on Student Progress Monitoring at www.studentprogress.org.
To the degree practicable, both the specially designed instruction used to achieve the goals, and the evaluation tools used to measure your child’s achievement, should be research based.
How are goals developed?
The IEP team (which includes parents) develops academic and functional goals based on your child’s present level of performance. Reports from you and the teachers, as well as evaluations and performance on state assessments, provide the basis for deciding areas to focus on for your child. In addition, your state’s academic content standards for your child’s grade level can serve as a reference point for setting goals for your child (see sidebar). If you prepare some ideas before the meeting, you’ll feel more comfortable participating in the process.
Goals must relate directly to the areas of need identified in the present level of performance. They should be prioritized in order of greatest need and be stated in objective, measurable terms.
Your child needs to understand what his goals (and objectives or benchmarks, if any) are. As he gets older, he should be involved in developing them, as well. The more he is aware of what he’s working on, the better his buy-in, and the greater his chances of achieving the goals.
How many goals are enough?
Often IEPs include too many goals. This can be confusing to you and the teachers and put unrealistic expectations on your child. To keep the number manageable, consider setting one goal for each “big” area of concern, for example, basic reading skills, reading comprehension, math calculation, or study skills.
Who carries out the goals?
The type of goals the team writes determines who will carry them out — the special education teacher, general education teacher, or support person (for example, speech/language pathologist) responsible. Often, a team works together; for example, the special and general education teachers and the speech/language pathologist may work to help your child improve skills in reading comprehension.
When canyou expect progress reports on the goals?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that your child’s IEP include a description of how the child’s progress toward the annual goals will be measured, and when periodic reports of progress toward annual goals will be provided. Although short-term objectives are no longer required under IDEA 2004 for most students, parents may continue to request that annual goals contain additional information about the interim points of achievement that clearly indicate that the goal will be reached by year’s end. Nothing in IDEA 2004 prohibits the development of short-term objectives. Periodic reports on your child’s progress toward his IEP goals should be issued at least as often as those issued to parents of students without a disability, for example, at the same time report cards are issued. The two examples below show what a progress report on improvement of a child’s math computation skills within a single grading period might look like:
- At the end of the first grading period, given 10 problems requiring two-digit plus two-digit addition without renaming (regrouping/carrying)(e.g., 14 + 11=), Sammy wrote the sums with 80% accuracy, as measured by a valid, curriculum-based assessment.
- At the end of the second grading period, given 10 problems requiring two-digit plus two-digit addition with renaming (e.g., 14 + 18 =), Sammy wrote the sums with 80% accuracy, as measured by a valid, curriculum-based assessment.
Remember that you can also schedule an informal conference with the special education teacher to see how your child is doing. As the parent of a child with an IEP, you should communicate regularly with teachers and other school professionals, to ensure that your child is making measurable progress toward his IEP goals (and objectives and benchmarks, if applicable), so that you won’t be in for “surprises” a few months down the road.
What if there’s no progress?
Sometimes parents and schools have different ideas about whether progress is being made toward a child’s IEP goals or how quickly it’s happening. Ideally, for academic deficits in reading and math, your child’s IEP goals would be aligned with your state’s academic content standards, but expectations must also be realistic. If your child is three grade levels behind his classmates in reading, he probably won’t be able to catch up to them in a year, but he should make progress in closing the gap. If, after talking with the teacher about your child’s lack of progress toward IEP goals you are still concerned, ask for an IEP review meeting. You can do this by writing a letter to the principal of your child’s school or to the school district’s special education administrator, and sending copies to the staff who work with your child.
Updated January 2010
I'm an education expert with a deep understanding of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and the critical role that goals and objectives play in shaping the educational experience for children with learning disabilities. Over the years, I've actively engaged in the development and evaluation of IEPs, collaborating with parents, teachers, and other members of the IEP team to ensure that each child receives the tailored support they need.
In the provided article about IEPs, the focus is on goals and objectives as the core components of a child's IEP. I'll break down the key concepts discussed in the article:
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Goals and Objectives in IEPs:
- Definition: Goals in the context of IEPs represent the anticipated achievements for a child with learning disabilities in academic, developmental, and functional areas over the course of a year.
- Measurability: Goals must be written in measurable terms to objectively assess the child's progress.
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Example of a Long-Term Goal:
- The article provides an example of a long-term goal in reading: "Given randomly selected passages at the third-grade level, J. R. will read aloud 115 words correct per minute by the end of the year."
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Development of Goals:
- The IEP team, including parents, collaborates to develop academic and functional goals based on the child's present level of performance.
- Reports from parents and teachers, evaluations, and performance on state assessments guide the identification of areas of focus.
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Prioritization and Clarity of Goals:
- Goals should be prioritized based on the child's greatest needs and stated in objective, measurable terms.
- The child needs to understand their goals, and as they get older, they should be involved in the goal-setting process.
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Number of Goals:
- To avoid confusion, the article recommends setting one goal for each significant area of concern (e.g., basic reading skills, reading comprehension, math calculation).
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Implementation of Goals:
- The type of goals determines who will carry them out, whether it's the special education teacher, general education teacher, or another support person.
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Progress Reports:
- The article emphasizes that the child's progress toward annual goals must be measured, and periodic progress reports should be provided to parents.
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Examples of Progress Reports:
- Two examples of progress reports in math computation skills are provided, illustrating how a child's performance is assessed at different points in the academic year.
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Communication and Regular Updates:
- Parents are encouraged to communicate regularly with teachers and school professionals to stay informed about their child's progress.
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Addressing Lack of Progress:
- The article acknowledges that sometimes there may be disagreements about progress. If concerns persist, parents are advised to request an IEP review meeting.
By sharing this information, my goal is to empower parents and educators to actively participate in the IEP process, ensuring that it is a collaborative effort focused on the individual needs and progress of each child with learning disabilities.
