Measurable Annual IEP Goals

1. Measurable Annual IEP Goals Massachusetts Department of Education 8/2005

2. IDEA 2004 IEPs for all students must include a statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals. Benchmarks or short-term objectives must be included in an IEP for a student with significant cognitive disabilities. (P.L. 108-446, Section 614(d). ) The Department requires school districts to continue to use benchmarks or short-term objectives for all students to address the federal requirement for describing how progress will be measured.

3. Progress ReportingIDEA 2004 All IEPs must contain a written description of how the student's progress toward meeting annual goals will be measured, andwhen periodic written reports will be issued. (Authority: P.L. 108-446, Section 614(d). See proposed regulation 300.320(a)(2) & (3).)

4. Progress Reporting Massachusetts In Massachusetts, writing Measurable Annual Goals and Objectives/Benchmarks, and Progress Reports that answers: What is the student’s progress towards meeting the annual goal? Is the progress sufficient to enable the student to achieve the annual goal by the end of the IEP period? Satisfies the federal requirement

5. Individualized Education Program All of the Pieces Fit Together

6. Access to the General Curriculum and Life of the School Curriculum Frameworks Other Curriculum Areas Life of the School Accessing Accessing A, B, C Vision, Concerns & Assessments Accommodations School Accessing Accessing Specially Designed Instruction and/or Related Services IEP Goals IEP Goals

7. MEASURABLE ANNUAL GOALS 3 Key Concepts • A Goal Must Be Skill Building • There Must Be a Data Collection Strategy • that Supports the • Measurability of the Goal • A Goal Must Contain a Target Behavior, Condition and Criteria

8. Key Concept #1 • In order to access, participate, and • make progress in the • general curriculum and • the life of the school, • A GOAL MUST BE SKILL BUILDING.

9. What skills does the Student need to develop in order to access, participate and make progress in the general curriculum and the life of the school. Measurable Annual IEP Goal

10. GOAL FOCUSA goal must focus on an area of need that will make the biggest difference to the student. The focus of the goal must help the student develop skillsto access, participate and make progress in the general curriculum and the life of the school.

11. These Areas are Easy to Picture as a Goal Focus in Need of Skill Building Memory Communication Time Management I Need Self Advocacy Emotions Organization

12. Harder to Picture • Would • Reading, • Writing and/or • Mathematics • Be Considered • Curriculum or Skill Building?

13. If the student needs to develop skills in reading, writing and math in order to access, participate and progress in the general curriculum or the life of the school, then reading, writing and math move from CURRCULUM to SKILLS.

14. EXAMPLE While all 2nd graders are learning to read, a student in 2nd grade who has dyslexia may require a goal related to reading in order to help her develop the skills necessary to read. The skill being developed through this goal is a different reading skill than the reading skills her peers are developing.

15. What about life skills goals? A Team may decide that a student with disabilities needs to develop skills that will help the student be successful in daily life. These goals must not be the only goals on the IEP or replace academic or life of the school goals.

16. Services and Goals Occupational Therapy, Counseling, Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy... Reminder:Goals are written to reflect what the student will do, not what service is provided.

17. Measurable Annual IEP Goals Measurable Objectives Measurable Benchmarks CHECK FOR MEASURABILITY/ Data Collection Strategy

18. Check for Measurability The Team must beginto discuss what Data Collection Strategy will be used to measure the progress toward reaching this goal. Key Concept #2 The discussion should answer:  What data will be collected?  What is the source of the data?  What is the data collection schedule?  Who will collect the data?

19. Key Concept #3 • Measurable Annual Goal Components • Target Behavior - The skill or behavior in need of change. • Condition - Circumstances under which the target behavior is to occur. • Criteria - Acceptable level of performance of the target behavior.

20. Is this Goal Meaningful? • Goal • When asked to cut a straight line, Sam will be able to use scissors with 80% accuracy. • Benchmarks • By 1st quarter, Sam will cut with 20% accuracy. • By 2nd quarter, Sam will cut with 40% accuracy. • By 3rd quarter, Sam will cut with 60% accuracy.

21. Examples • Measurable Annual Goals • TARGET BEHAVIORCONDITIONCRITERIA • Nadia willidentify types of sentences (simple, compound, complex)when editingscoring 3/4 on the MCAS Scoring Guide for Standard English Conventions. • Monday through Friday, Jillian will use the public transportation system to get to and from her job placement,independently arriving at work on time, for any five consecutive days.

22. Examples • Measurable Annual Goals • TARGET BEHAVIORCONDITIONCRITERIA • When given a topic in History, Social Sciences, English Language Arts or Science and Technology, Jose will be able to independently write a three-paragraph essaycontaining the required elements; introduction, supporting details, and conclusion.

23. Measurable Objectives Objectives break the Measurable Annual Goal into discrete components that are short-term, measurable, intermediate steps. To ensure measurability, each objective should have a Target Behavior, Condition, and Criteria.

24. Examples of Objectives: • Given a list of sentences, Nadia will accurately label the three types of sentences. • Nadia will be able to write acceptable examples of the three types of sentences when asked. • Given a topic, Nadia will be able to write a paragraph using the different types of sentences. • GOAL: Nadia will identify types of sentences (simple, compound, complex) when editing, scoring 3/4 on the MCAS Scoring Guide for Standard English Conventions.

25. Measurable Benchmarks Benchmarks break the Measurable Annual Goal into major milestones that the student is expected to reach within a specified period of time. To help ensure measurability, Benchmarks may also have Target Behaviors, Conditions, and Criteria.

26. Examples of Benchmarks: • By the end of the 1st quarter, accompanied by an adult, Jillian will walk to the bus stop, ride the bus to work, and get off at the correct work bus stop. • By the end of the 2nd quarter, Jillian will be able to identify the steps she will follow to independently travel to work. • By the end of the 3rd quarter, Jillian will independently walk to the bus stop, ride the bus to work and get off at the correct work bus stop. • GOAL: By the end of the 4th quarter, Jillian will use the public transportation system to get to and from her job, independently arriving at work on time, for any five consecutive Monday through Fridays.

27. Examples of Benchmarks: • By the end of the first quarter, Jose will enter his complete math, science, and social studies homework assignments into his daily agenda book at the end of each class, with teacher support. • By the end of the second quarter, Jose will independently enter his complete math, science, and social studies homework assignments into his daily agenda book and ask his teachers to initial the book after each class. • By the end of the third quarter, Jose will independently enter his complete math, science, and social studies homework assignments into his daily agenda book and ask his HR teacher to initial the book at the end of each day. • GOAL: By the end of the fourth quarter, when provided with an agenda book, Jose will independently record his homework assignments in English, Math, Social Studies and Science.

28. FINAL STEPS IN THE PROCESS Measurable Annual Goals Objectives, Benchmarks Now the Team can complete the process and finish the data collection discussion.  What is the source of the data?  What is the data collection schedule?  Who will collect the data? NOTE: This is a suggestion for the process not a new requirement.

29. Data Collection Strategy • Data to be Collected Specific to goal, student, environment • Data Collection Sources Examples:rubrics, checklists, observation, record of verbal responses, portfolios, shortened tests, open book tests, teacher-made tests, illustrations, reports/observations from internships and vocational experiences, hands-on performance, self-evaluation • Data Collection Schedule Examples:quarterly, by mid-year, monthly, 30 consecutive days, last week of each month • Data Collection Person • Examples:general educator, special educator, related service provider, aide

30. The Progress Report • Answers the following questions: • What is the student’s progress towards meeting the annual goal? • Is the progress sufficient to enable the student to achieve the annual goal by the end of the IEP period? Assures the parent that the student’s learning is continuous.

31. The Complete Package • 1. Goal Focus • 2. Current Performance Level • 3. Measurable Goals • Target Behavior/Condition/Criteria • Data Collection Strategy • What - information collected • Where - the source of the data • When - collection schedule • Who - person(s) responsible for • data collection • 4. Objectives/Benchmarks • Target Behavior/Condition/Criteria • 5. Progress Reports • Information from Data Collection Strategy