How to Create SMART Goals for Effective IEPs

What Is an IEP?

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An IEP, or Individualized Education Program, is a legal document that outlines the specific educational needs and goals of a student with a disability or learning difference. It is a written plan developed by a team of professionals, including educators, parents, and sometimes the student, that is tailored to meet the individual needs of the student.

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The IEP includes information about the student's current abilities, their specific needs, and goals for the school year. It also includes details about the services and accommodations that will be provided to help the student reach those goals.

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The purpose of an IEP is to ensure that students with disabilities and learning differences have access to the same educational opportunities as their peers and to also support them in achieving their full potential.

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To qualify for an IEP, a student must have a disability that affects their ability to learn and requires special education services to address those needs. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the nation's federal special education law and provides a list of 13 categories of disabilities that qualify for special education services and an IEP. These categories include:

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1. Autism
2. Deaf-blindness
3. Deafness
4. Emotional disturbance
5. Hearing impairment
6. Intellectual disability
7. Orthopedic impairment
8. Other health impairment
9. Specific learning disability
10. Speech or language impairment
11. Traumatic brain injury
12. Visual impairment, including blindness
13. Multiple disabilities

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The Role of the Evaluation in the IEP Process

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If a student is suspected of having a disability or learning difference, a referral can be made to the school's special education team for an evaluation. A family may also choose to seek an evaluation outside of the school or county, but there is no guarantee the school will accept this evaluation. The evaluation will include a comprehensive assessment of the student's abilities, including academic, social-emotional, and behavioral functioning. If the evaluation determines that the student has a disability and requires special education services, the special education team will work together to develop an IEP to address the student's individual needs. The IEP team, which includes parents, teachers, and other professionals, will work together to develop goals and determine the services and accommodations necessary for the student to make progress in their education.

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A Successful IEP Takes Effective IEP Goals

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Essential to the success of a properly implemented IEP are well-designed goals. IEP goals are important because they:

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• Provide a clear roadmap for a student's education
• Help teachers and parents focus their efforts
• Ensure that the student receives the appropriate support to achieve their full potential.

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There are several reasons why well-developed IEP goals are important:

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1. Focus: Strong IEP goals help teachers and parents focus their efforts on specific areas where the student needs support.  Effective IEP goals ensure that everyone is working together towards the same objectives.

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2. Measurement: Well-developed IEP goals provide a clear way to measure progress and determine whether the student is making adequate progress towards their objectives. This enables teachers and parents to adjust the student's education plan as needed throughout the school year.

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3. Motivation: Thoughtful IEP goals can be motivating for students, families, and teachers, as they offer a clear sense of what the student is working towards and what they need to do to achieve their objectives.

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4. Accountability: Successful IEP goals  help to hold teachers and schools accountable for ensuring that the student receives the appropriate support to achieve their goals. They also provide a way for parents to monitor progress and advocate for their child's needs.

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5. Success: Good IEP goals increase the likelihood that students will succeed academically, socially, and emotionally, and achieve their full potential.

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IEP SMART Goals

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One of the best ways for special education teams to develop strong and effective IEP goals is to use the SMART goals method.

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IEP SMART goals can be an essential part of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for students with disabilities. These goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, which makes them effective tools for educators to create targeted learning objectives for their students.

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SMART IEP goals should clearly state what the student will achieve, how progress will be measured, and when the goal will be achieved. If designed well, these goals are designed to help students reach their full potential and improve their academic, social, and functional skills.

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SMART is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Each IEP goal should meet all of these criteria to be effective.

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• Specific: Goals should be clear and concise, leaving no room for interpretation. This means that the goal should describe what the student will do, how they will do it, and when they will do it.

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• Measurable: Goals should have a clear and practical way of measuring progress and determining when they have been achieved. This means that the goal should be quantifiable, so progress can be tracked.

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• Achievable: Goals should be attainable and realistic for the student. This means that the goal should be challenging but not overwhelming for the student.

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• Relevant: Goals should be meaningful and relevant to the student's needs, abilities, and interests. This means that the goal should align with the student's strengths and weaknesses and relate to their academic, social, or functional needs.

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• Time-bound: Goals should have a specific timeline for completion. This means that the goal should have a specific date or deadline for when it needs to be achieved. For example: by the end of the semester, after 9 weeks, by the end of the school year, etc.

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Anatomy of a SMART Goal

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Putting each component together is key to creating successful IEP SMART goals. See the example breakdown below:

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Specific: The student will read 25 high-frequency words with automaticity by the end of the school year.

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Measurable: Progress will be measured through weekly assessments of the student's ability to read high-frequency words.

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Achievable: This goal is achievable given the student's current reading ability and the support they will receive from their teacher.

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Relevant: This goal is relevant to the student's reading development and will help them improve their reading fluency as the high-frequency words are taken from the grade-level curriculum.

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Time-bound: The goal will be achieved by the end of the school year.

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Putting it all together: By the end of the school year, the student will read 25 high frequency words with automaticity and 100% accuracy as measured by weekly, quarterly, and yearly assessments.

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Examples of SMART Goals for Special Education Teams

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Creating SMART goals for students with disabilities can be a challenging task for educators. To help with this process, we have put together an IEP SMART goal bank with 100 SMART goals for different content areas.  

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Additionally, we have included a few examples of different types of SMART goals below.

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Academic Goals

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1. By the end of the school year, the student will improve their reading fluency by 20 words per minute, as measured by the DIBELS assessment.

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2. By the end of the semester, the student will improve their math problem-solving skills by accurately solving multi-step word problems with 80% accuracy.

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3. By the end of the quarter, the student will increase their writing skills by completing a five-paragraph essay with correct grammar and punctuation.

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Social Goals

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1. By the end of the semester, the student will increase their participation in class discussions by asking and answering questions at least three times per class.

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2. By the end of the school year, the student will improve their social skills by initiating a conversation with a peer at least once per week.

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3. By the end of the quarter, the student will improve their conflict resolution skills by using a specific strategy (e.g., "I statements") in at least two situations.

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Executive Functioning Goals

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1. By the end of the semester, the student will increase their independence by successfully navigating their way to three different classes on their own.

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2. By the end of the school year, the student will improve their time management skills by completing assignments on time with no more than two reminders.

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3. By the end of the quarter, the student will improve their organizational skills by keeping their desk and locker tidy and organized.

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Conclusion

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IEP SMART goals are crucial for students with disabilities to reach their full potential. These goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. With our SMART goals bank and examples for special education teams provided above, IEP teams can have a starting point to create targeted learning objectives that will help their students succeed. By setting and achieving these goals, students can improve their academic, social, and functional skills, leading to increased success during the school year.

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