Developing
High-Quality,
Functional
IFSP Outcomes
and IEP Goals
presented in collaboration with
Developers
Anne Lucas
ECTA Center / WRRC
Kathi Gillaspy
ECTA Center / ECO
Mary Peters
ECTA Center
With contributions from Naomi Younggren, Department of Defense/Army Early Intervention;
Debbie Cate, ECTA Center; Megan Vinh, WRRC; Joicey Hurth, ECTA Center/NERRC;
Christina Kasprzak, ECTA Center; and Grace Kelley, SERRC
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Goal
Understand how to:
• Develop strategies for
IFSP outcomes
Functional
Assessment
3 Global
Child
Outcomes
• Develop objectives for
IEP goals
• Make service decisions
Meaningful
IFSP Outcomes
and IEP Goals
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SECTION 5
___________________________________________________________
IFSP Strategies to Meet
Outcomes and IEP
Objectives to Meet Goals
• IFSP Strategies
• IEP Objectives
• Services to Meet Outcomes and Goals
Strategies to Meet IFSP Outcomes
and Objectives to Meet IEP Goals
What will we do to
accomplish the
outcome or goal?
Strategies and
objectives specify who
will do what in which
everyday routines,
activities and places.
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Developing Strategies
to Meet IFSP Outcomes
Strategies must:
• Help achieve the outcome
• Be based on how all children learn throughout the
course of everyday life, at home, in early care and
education settings, and in the community
• Be developmentally appropriate for the child
• Focus on naturally occurring learning opportunities
whenever possible
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Developing Strategies
to Meet IFSP Outcomes
Strategies must:
• Support primary caregivers to provide children with
everyday learning experiences and opportunities that
strengthen and promote a child’s competence and
development
• Support learning that occurs in context of things that have
high levels of interest and engagement for child and
family
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Developing Strategies
to Meet IEP Goals
Objectives must be:
• Designed to support the
achievement of the goal
• Used to measure the
progress toward
achieving the goal
• Written in measurable
language
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Services to Meet
Outcomes and Goals
• Overall, deciding what will be necessary to
achieve each functional outcome/goal is the
basis for decisions about services needed
• Always consider the need for assistive
technology and supplementary aids and
supports to ensure meaningful participation in
settings and with peers
Dunst, C. J., & Bruder, M. B. (1999). Family and community activity settings, natural learning environments, and children’s learning
opportunities. Children’s Learning Opportunities Report, 1(2).
Dunst, C. J., Bruder, M. B., Trivette, C. M., Hamby, D., Raab, M., & McLean, M. (2001). Characteristics and consequences of
everyday natural learning opportunities. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 21(2), 68-92.
Dunst, C. J., Bruder, M. B., Trivette, C. M., Raab, M., & McLean, M. (2001). Natural learning opportunities for infants, toddlers, and
preschoolers. Young Exceptional Children, 4(3), 18-25. (Erratum in Young Exceptional Children, 4(4), 25)
Dunst, C. J., Hamby, D., Trivette, C. M., Raab, M., & Bruder, M. B. (2002). Young children's participation in everyday family and
community activity. Psychological Reports, 91, 875-897.
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Services to Meet IFSP Outcomes
There are two broad questions that the team should
consider in determining the frequency of supports and
services needed to meet the outcomes:
•“How often will the child’s intervention likely need to be
changed?”
•“How often does the family/caregiver/teacher need support
to be comfortable in using intervention strategies?”
Jung, L. (2003). More is better: Maximizing natural learning opportunities. Young Exceptional Children, 6(3), 21-26.)
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Services to Meet IEP Goals
In determining the frequency of special education and
related services needed to meet IEP goals, the team
should consider:
•The present levels of functional and academic
performance (or activities of a preschool child) and the rate
of progress
•The level of support necessary for the child to make
progress
34 CFR §300.320
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Services to Meet the Outcomes / Goals
More is better* –
•BUT this means more learning opportunities
•NOT more services
Learning is what happens between professional’s
contacts with child/family
•Throughout the child’s day
•In everyday routines and activities
•Through multiple repetitions and lots of practice
•The way all young children learn and participate with families and
friends in their communities
Jung, L. (2003). More is better: Maximizing natural learning opportunities. Young Exceptional Children, 6(3), 21-26.
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Questions?
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evaluating it at:
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Contact Information
Firstname
Lastname
Firstname
Lastname
Title
Organization
Title
Organization
email@address.org
555-555-5555
email@address.org
555-555-5555
This product was developed collaboratively with staff from ECTA Center and WRRC in
response to the need expressed from state and local providers to have specific information
and resources about developing IFSP outcomes and IEP goals. The full training package,
including a full reference list, is freely available online:
http://www.ectacenter.org/knowledgepath/ifspoutcomes-iepgoals/ifspoutcomes-iepgoals.asp
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