SMART or Not? Writing Specific, Measurable IEP Goals

Abstract

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Pursuing Academic and Functional Advancement: Goals, Services, and Measuring Progress

“…Creating effective IEP goals can be challenging because goals should not be based on district curricula or other external standards but rather should focus on students’ individual needs (Hedin & DeSpain, 2018) and the team’s assessment of a student’s potential for growth. Along with knowledge of expected academic and functional performance, the IEP team should be aware of the skills and behaviors expected both in school (e.g., current grade, next grade) and postschool (e.g., community, postsecondary education, career fields) when writing annual IEP goals.…”

“…This is best demonstrated by specifically measuring areas of academic achievement and functional performance alongside descriptions of the knowledge and skills that will be taught and the standardized measures used to evaluate the student’s progress. Goals that are realistic address these unique needs while specifically identifying the targeted result and an appropriate time frame in which the student will achieve these results (Hedin & DeSpain, 2018). Clearly, there should be a direct relationship between a student’s needs identified in the PLAAFP, measurable annual IEP goals, and the method for monitoring student progress toward the goals.…”

“…Each annual IEP goal should contain a method for measuring whether the goal has been achieved. The criteria for measuring progress must be clearly defined through establishing the following: the setting where the student is expected to perform, the materials necessary for completion, and the required levels of support (Hedin & DeSpain, 2018). An easy way to conceptualize the components required for goal writing is the mnemonic ABCD (audience, behavior, condition, degree) developed by Winegarden (2005).…”

IEP 101: Practical Tips for Writing and Implementing Individual Education Programs

“…Numerous IEP goals fail regarding individualization, delivery of adequate detail, connection with students’ PLAAFP, or expression of high expectations (Hedin & DeSpain, 2018). Short-term objectives that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely (SMART) and that match the PLAAP are the cornerstone of a well-written IEP.…”

“…Today many schools have switched to computer-generated IEPs, which has created a false security and expediency of writing IEPs. To augment computer-generated IEPs and be sure that goals are individualized, many professionals (Hedin & Despain, 2018; Jung, 2007; More & Hart, 2013) argue for the use of the condition-learner-behavior-criteria template, which produces well-written, individualized SMART goals.…”