IEP Goals and Objectives
Today’s topic is Goals and Objectives within the IEP. But before you can do anything with an IEP you must first define your child’s needs clearly and specifically.
Goals and Objectives MUST be written after much of the initial IEP preparation is already done. You have already prepared for the IEP by brainstorming your child’s strengths and weaknesses (or you should have), you have brainstormed possible accommodations, modifications, you have gathered all of your documents, and you have mustered up a positive attitude.
Now, FINALLY, its time to evaluate everything and create the goals and objectives with the entire team.
Goals and objectives must be measurable and observable to ensure that your child is making progress. This is the hardest part of creating goals and objectives because they need to be “objective” forms of measurement.
According to Learning Abled Kids, teacher observation and classroom grades are NOT valid forms of measurements and are designated as appropriate measures of progress. Teachers can observe success but they must track progress using tracking sheets. However, objective measurements are based upon standardized testing for specific skills or through ongoing data collection.
Data collection is preferable as it will show a trend over time and doesn’t rely on performance at a single point in time (when the child may be having an exceptionally good or exceptionally bad day). Objective measures should be “observable” by anyone at any time.
Goals and Objectives can be written to address any area of a child’s ability or disability, any area of the curriculum, and educational need, or any behavioral aspect the child struggles with.
Examples of measurable goals: (Note: these are three different ways to write a functional IEP)
Three Year Old High Functioning Autism- Social
Five Year Old Developmental Delay
Seven Year Old Autism
