Standards-Based
IEPs
Arkansas Department of Education
Special Education
July 2013
Standards-Based IEPs
 Overview of Modules
 Module 1 Overview and importance of Standards
 Module 2 Present Level and Student Profile
 Module 3 Measurable Goals and Objectives
Pilot Schools
•
•
•
•
Springdale
Magnolia
Bryant
Sheridan
What are the Common Core State
Standards?
 Aligned with college and work expectations
 Focused and coherent
 Rigorous content/application of knowledge, high-order skills
 Build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards
 Internationally benchmarked so that all students are
prepared to succeed in our global economy and society
 Based on evidence and research
 State led – coordinated by NGA Center and CCSSO
Why is this important?
• Currently, every state has its own set of
academic standards, meaning public education
students in each state are learning to different
levels
• All students must be prepared to compete with
not only American peers, but with students from
around the world
Common Core State Standards
www.commoncorearkansas.org/
Carol B. Massanari
ckmassanari@earthlink.net
Standards-Based IEPs
Determining & Writing
Effective Goals
Module 1: IEP Overview – A Plan for Guiding
Instruction and Service Provision
Product vs. Process
Product:

An individualized plan reasonably
calculated to result in educational benefit
(FAPE)
Process:

Planning to determine what is needed for
student to benefit from education
IEP Development Process
Desired
Outcomes/
Instructional
Results
Implement &
Monitor
Progress
General
Curriculum
Expectations
Developing PLAAFP
Statements
Area of
Instructional
Need
Current Skills
and
Knowledge
Select Instructional
Services &
Program Supports
PLAAFP
Statemen
ts on IEP
Form
Write
Measurable
Goals
IEP Development: a “GPS”
 You:





Know where you want to go
Enter data about where you are
Create a map
Adjust to opportunities/barriers
Arrive and choose a new long-term goal
Planning: Two Critical
Components
 Knowing where you want to go
 Using data as the basis
Assumptions
Good IEPs are:

Reasonably calculated to result in
educational benefit

Connected to state standards as a
fundamental component to
educational benefit
Assumptions
Good IEPs are:

Dependent upon knowledge of
curriculum/effective practice

Not an isolated event

Consistent with regulations
The “I” in IEP
Requires:

Consideration of individualized needs

Different goals for different students based on
needs
Reflect & Note:
Why

Are standards important?

Should we consider them?

Standards-Based IEPs?
Special educationspecially designed instruction, at no cost to the parent,…to
meet the unique needs of a child with a disability…
34 CFR 300.39(a)(1)
Specially designed instruction-
adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child…the
content methodology or delivery of instruction to address the unique needs of the child that result from the
child’s disability; and
 To ensure access of the child to the general curriculum
so that the child can meet the educational standards
within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to
all children.
34 CFR 300.39(b)(3)(i); 34 CFR 300.39 (b) (3) (ii)
Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA)
“…must include a statement of present
levels of academic and functional
performance…how the child’s disability
affects the child’s involvement and
progress in the general education
curriculum…
34 CFR 300.320(a)(1)(i)(A)
Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA)
“…meet the child's needs . . . to
enable the child to be involved in
and make progress in the general
education curriculum . . . ”
34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)(i)(A)
Standards Drive Curriculum
 Provide instructional accountability
 Drive general education content instruction
 Support instruction in the least restrictive
environment
 Define the expectations of all students
 Create a structure for linking the IEP to the
general curriculum
Why Connect IEPs to Standards?
 High stakes accountability, performance goals &
indicators
 IDEA – access to the general curriculum
 Essential for closing the achievement gap
 Promotes a single system of education – inclusion and a
common language
 Encourage greater consistency across schools & districts
 It’s best for kids – assumes more, not less
Think and Discuss
How are you using the standards to
develop IEPs?
Connecting IEPs to
Standards…
Does not mean –
 Writing goals that restate the standards
 Using the academic standards alone to
determine goals
 Assuming that every student will work
only on grade level content
Connecting IEPs to
Standards…
Does mean –

Referring to standards to determine
expectations at grade level

Using the standards as a guide to determine
what is important for the student to learn or
be able to do

Conducting an analysis to determine gap
between grade expectations and current
skills/knowledge
General Steps:
1. Consider the grade-level content standards

Discuss expected knowledge and skills

Examine benchmarks

Consider prerequisite knowledge and skills
2. Examine student data to determine where student is
in relation to grade-level standards

Compare expectations with student’s current
instructional level

Gap Analysis
Standards-Based IEP’s:
Review
 Content is determined through
planning process
 Development is like using a GPS
 Knowledge of grade level
standards is key
‘Ready’ means
‘never’ if we
continuously
focus on the
lowest-level
skills.
Maggie McLaughlin,
Autumn 2009
It means that all our kids, even the ones our
system calls ‘hard to teach’ can learn.
Rod Paige,
Former Secretary of Education
Standards-Based IEPs
Determining & Writing
Effective Goals
Module 2: Present Levels of
Academic Achievement and Functional
Performance
IEP Development Process
Desired
Outcomes
Or
Instructional
Results
Implement &
Monitor
Progress
General
Curriculum
Expectatio
ns
Current
Skills and
Knowledge
Select Instructional
Services &
Program Supports
Developing PLAAFP
Statements
Area of
Instruction
al Need
PLAAFP
Statemen
ts on IEP
Form
Write
Measurable
Goals
Standards Drive IEPs
 Provide instructional accountability and
access to general curriculum
 Support instruction in least restrictive
environment
 Link the IEP to the general curriculum
Standards Drive IEPs
 Essential for closing the achievement gap
 Promote a single system of education and
consistency across schools and the district
 Are best for kids – assume more, not less
What Does it Mean to
Connect IEPs to Standards?

Refer to standards to determine expectations at
grade level

Use the standards as a guide to determine what is
important for the student to learn or be able to do

Conduct an analysis to determine the gap
between grade expectations and the student’s
current skills/knowledge
Accessing the General Education
Curriculum
What is meant by the general education curriculum?
 The full range of courses, activities, lessons, and materials
routinely used by the general population
What is meant by access?
 Participation in the knowledge and skills that make up the
general education curriculum
“PLAAFP”: Present Levels of Academic
Achievement & Functional Performance
(1) . . .a statement of the child’s Present Levels of
Academic and Functional Performance, including—
(i) how the child’s disability affects the child’s involvement
and progress in the general education curriculum (i.e., the
same curriculum as for nondisabled children);
(ii) for preschool children, as appropriate, how the disability
affects the child’s participation in appropriate activities;
34 CFR §300.324(a)(1)
Developing Present Level
Statements
General
Curriculum
Expectations
Areas of
Instructional
Need
Current
Skills and
Knowledge
PLAAFP
Statements
on IEP
Form
General Curriculum
Expectations/Considerations
What do I want to know?
 Expectation standards; classroom/grade level;
social/emotional
 Instructional strategies/approaches used in the
general classroom
 Extracurricular activities of school life for students
at this grade level
Consider the Whole Child
 Academic
 Social
emotional/behavior
al
 Communication
 Recreation/Leisure
 Physical, Medical
 Assistive Technology




Jobs/job training
Post-secondary
education
Community
participation
Home/independent
living
Collect Data







Student/family input
Classroom reports
Work samples
Observations
Tests/assessments
Rating scales
Curriculum-based
assessment
 Office
referral/discipline
records
 Attendance records
 Physicals/medical
reports
 Vocational training
records
Present Performance; Current Skills
and Knowledge
What:

Can the student do in school; at home?

Is the student’s performance level on state
and classroom assessments?

Accommodations are necessary?
A Note About Present Levels &
Forms
There are two places to record present
level information on the IEP:


Student Profile Page
Goal Pages
Remember:


Gather information; then record it
Process first; form second
Student Profile
The profile should include general statements
regarding:






Strengths
Needs
Assessment/Evaluation
Status of prior IEP goals
Teacher/Parent/Student input
Transition needs (at least by age 16)
Student Profiles could include:
Student’s response to:
 Learning strategies
 Accommodations
 Interventions
 classroom instruction
Ask…“What have we learned about this student’s
skills and knowledge?”
Must be based on data!!
Practice Time
• IEP
Handout
A: Karen
• Karen
Student
Profile
Practice identifying Student Profile
components.
Present Level/IEP Goal Page

Part I
 Description of what the student can do; strengths,
based on general curriculum expectations

Part II
 Identify the gaps in skills/knowledge associated
with the disability
What:
Identification of Need
 Skills/knowledge are expected for the student in the
general classroom?
 Skills/knowledge does the student currently have?
 Is there a gap, and what skills and knowledge are
critical for the student to be able to access the
general curriculum at grade level?
 Do you know about the student’s learning rate?
 Accommodations have been used successfully to
support the student’s learning?
Identification of Need
Consider other functional skill areas that
may not be directly connected to the
academic standards, and determine which
areas need specialized instruction through
the IEP.
Selecting the Standard
Discuss intent of standards:


What are the knowledge and skills necessary for
the student to achieve to a level that is
expected in the standards?
What are the prerequisite skills?
Selecting the Standard



Determine which standards are most important
for each student (based on progress in the
general education curriculum)
Compare standard(s) with student’s areas of
need and the impact of the disability
Use data to determine the areas the student will
find difficult without additional supports
Critical Considerations
Which standards are:

Leverage-standards in one subject that support student’s
success in other subjects?

Endurance-standards that help students across the years
rather than respond to the testing of a single grade level?

Readiness-essential for the next grade/standards that
help students prepare for the next level of learning?
Critical Considerations
Which standards are most essential to:

Accelerate the ability to progress in the
general curriculum?

Result in educational benefit?
Critical Considerations
Which standards:
 Can be met with accommodations in
the general classroom?
 Require specialized instruction?
Identifying Instructional Need
Consider the target grade level standards
RI.6.2: Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through
particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions
or judgments.
Identification of Need
1. Consider the target grade level standards
 Identify critical knowledge and skills within the
standards
 Use a data analysis process to conduct a drill down
 Identify the gap
Identification of Need
2. Of these skills, where does the student
demonstrate proficiency? (These could
become descriptors in the Present Level
Statements)
 Formal assessment
 Informal assessment
Identification of Need
3. Can the standard(s) be achieved with an
accommodation?
 For example, can the student:

Demonstrate the central idea of a text if
given orally rather than being asked to
read the items independently?

Summarize the text when it is read orally?
Identification of Need
4. Given these responses:
 What skills need to be taught explicitly to
demonstrate proficiency on the targeted
standard?
 Which skills/knowledge can be acquired in
the general classroom with an
accommodation/assistive technology?
Activity 2.1 Practice Data Analysis
Assignment:
2.1.1
• Expectations
and Current
Knowledge
and Skills
• IEP Handout
A: Karen
1.
Review the selected standard for English/Language Arts
2.
Make notes of critical expectations
3.
Document the student’s current skills and knowledge specific
to the standard
4.
Conduct an analysis of data using the process we have just
been talking about and document results

Hang on to your notes. Well be using them later
Writing Present Level Statements

Describe performance in academic and nonacademic areas

Include relationship between
evaluation/assessment data and Present Level
Statements

Use objective, measurable terms

Ensure data is self-explanatory (or provide an
explanation of score)
Present Level Phrase Examples
Specific Verb Phrases
Vague Verb Phrases

Greets peer appropriately

Is friendly

Counts to 25

Received a math score of 90

Speaks in one to two word
sentences

Can’t talk well

Solves problems involving
double-digit addition

Knows his letters

Knows about different careers

Names five careers, and jobs
associated with each

Talks excessively

Is a loner
Writing Present Level Statements
 Jim is fluent (reads 120 words per minute) when
reading material that is written at a 3rd grade reading
level.
 Susie can answer comprehension questions with 90 to
100% accuracy when listening to material that is used
in her classroom.
 When interacting with peers, Paul is quick to get into
arguments using inappropriate language (profanity)
and a loud voice.
Non-Examples of Present Level
Statements

Receives reading in the resource room

STAR reading of 340

The disability impacts progress in the
general education classroom
Academic Performance Example
Use up-to-date descriptive data:
Cory reads 24 wpm, while the benchmark for
2nd graders in the regular curriculum is 60-80
wpm. Cory can say 5 out of 10 short and long
vowel sounds. He cannot read multi-syllabic
words.
Functional Performance
Students:
 social/emotional (behavioral) performance
 communication skills
 performance in areas of recreation/leisure, selfmanagement, independent living, etc.
Ask…“ What have we learned about this student’s ability to
function independently and appropriately with peers and
adults?”
Functional Performance Example
Use up-to-date descriptive data:
In a classroom observation, Cory sat quietly in his seat
for 10 minutes. At the 10-minute mark, he began to
look around the room, followed by twirling his pencil
and playing with his paper. When placed with a
partner to complete his work, he was able to remain
on task and complete the assignment…
Performance in the General
Curriculum
How does the disability affect
performance?
 Consider how it affects progress in
learning the grade-level content
standards – the Impact Statement.
Caution
Do not use the student’s exceptionality to explain how
the disability affects involvement/progress in the general
curriculum when developing the Impact Statement.

What not to write:
Marley’s learning disability affects his progress in the
general curriculum.

What to write:
Marley’s weakness in applying strategies, such as
making inferences and complex predictions, affect
his progress in comprehending sixth-grade literary
materials.
Activity 2.3
Writing Present Level Statements


Strengths, needs and data sources
Adverse affect of the disability in the general
education curriculum (impact statement)
2.3.1
Writing
Present
Level
Statements
Can you improve this
Present Level statement?
Rosie has trouble controlling her
behavior. She gets easily upset when
interacting with peers and does not
take direction from authority. Once off
task it is really hard to reengage her.
What did you think?
•
•
•
•
•
Anything missing?
Specific?
Written in objective, measurable, terms?
Data self-explanatory?
Make it better?
One way…
Rosie enjoys socializing with peers, and will play
cooperatively with them some of the time. Her
teacher reports that more often, Rosie is off task
and interacts inappropriately with her peers.
Observations of Rosie indicated that when
interacting with peers, Rosie became upset (cried,
threw material, left the group)55% of the time
within the first five minutes of a group activity.
Once off task, it took up to 20 minutes for her to
reengage in the activity.
Putting it all together
Rosie has improved in mathematics since last
year. She can add and subtract and do
some multiplication. She has difficulties
solving word problems. Rosie currently has a
grade of 71% in math.
What did you think?
•
•
•
•
•
Anything missing?
Specific?
Written in objective, measurable, terms?
Data self-explanatory?
Make it better?
One way…
Curriculum Based Assessments indicate Rosie can add and subtract
within 100 to solve one-step words problems, involving “adding to”,
“taking from”, etc. She has memorized the multiplication facts for 0 – 5
and 10. She is able to use a multiplication table for facts she does not
have memorized. Classroom assessments demonstrate that Rosie can a
apply the correct operation when presented with the terms or symbols
for “multiply”, and “divide”. Rosie cannot describe a context in which a
total number of objects can be expressed as a multiplication problem,
such 35 = 5 groups of 7 objects. She is not able to interpret a
multiplication equation as a comparison when given word problem,
such as: “A pack of pencils costs 9 times as much as a single pencil,
which costs 5 cents. How much is a pack?” Rosie’s disability impacts
her ability to use multiplication equations to solve real world problems.
Putting it All Together
On the IEP:
 The Present Level Statements must include:
 Academic and functional performance:
strengths, needs and data sources
 Adverse affect of the disability in the general
education curriculum - The Impact Statement
for preschool children, the affect on
participation in age appropriate activities
Standards-Based
Data Sources
Strengths/Need
s
Impact
Statement
What did you think?
• Is the present level describing what
Tina can do in relation to the standard
(strengths/needs)?
Standard: Social Skills, Appropriate Conversation Skills
Present Level of Performance (include - Strengths, Needs and Data Sources):
Classroom observations indicate Tina often attempts to initiate conversations with
peers during small group activities and social situations, and will listen to others
talk about topics not directly related to her interests. The data collected on the
observation sheets used for social skills lessons show that Tina demonstrates
appropriate greeting and conversational skills with peers 70% of the time in role
modeling situations, and 40% of the time in real-life situations. Tina’s parents have
been recording data on her social skills at home and in the community. Their
data show her to be appropriate 30% of the time. When Tina initiates
conversation with peers, and they do not immediately respond, she often yells at
them to get their attention. She stands very close to others when she is talking with
them, sometimes actually pressing her body next to theirs. Tina often grabs the
other person’s arm when she is excited, or when they want to end the
conversation before she does. Teacher observation checklists indicate that
verbal cues and prompts increase Tina’s success rate by 20%. At school, Tina’s
social behavior deficits often lead to peers rejecting her attempts to talk or play
with them.
What did you think?
Is there an impact statement?
– How does the student’s disability affect
learning the standard?
Impact Statement
Tina’s deficits in social skills decrease the
opportunities she has to develop
appropriate relationships with peers, and
limits her opportunity to practice her social
skills in real-life situations.
What did you think?
Data Sources?
– Were assessment types and results
included in the present level?
Data Sources
Present Level of Performance (include - Strengths, Needs and Data Sources):
Classroom observations indicate Tina often attempts to initiate conversations with
peers during small group activities and social situations, and will listen to others
talk about topics not directly related to her interests. The data collected on the
observation sheets used for social skills lessons show that Tina demonstrates
appropriate greeting and conversational skills with peers 70% of the time in role
modeling situations, and 40% of the time in real-life situations. Tina’s parents have
been recording data on her social skills at home and in the community. Their
data show her to be appropriate 30% of the time. When Tina initiates
conversation with peers, and they do not immediately respond, she often yells at
them to get their attention. She stands very close to others when she is talking with
them, sometimes actually pressing her body next to theirs. Tina often grabs the
other person’s arm when she is excited, or when they want to end the
conversation before she does. Teacher observation checklists indicate that
verbal cues and prompts increase Tina’s success rate by 20%. At school, Tina’s
social behavior deficits often lead to peers rejecting her attempts to talk or play
with them.
Review of Present Level Statements
1. Are they related to the vision (desired outcome) for
this student?
2. Do they reflect what the student knows in relation to
the general curriculum or standards expectations;
strengths/needs?
3. Are they stated in measurable terms?
4. Do they include up to date data sources?
5. Do they include strengths, needs, and disability’s
impact on access to the general curriculum?
6. Are they self-explanatory?
•
Implementation - Present Level
Using the IEP Handout A, IEP Handout B, and the
information you gathered in activity 2.1.1, discuss and
write a Present Level based on:

General curriculum considerations

Present Level Statements (academic and
functional) that describe skills and knowledge

Impact Statement (how disability affects
involvement/progress in the general education
curriculum).
•
•
IEP
Handout A:
Karen
Blank IEP
Goal Page
Karen
Student
Profile
Present Level
Remember…
The Present Level of Academic
Achievement and Functional
Performance sets the stage for
developing IEP goals!
Student Profile vs. Present Level
Similarities:



Data-based
Provide a description of the student
Provide a sense of where the student is
functioning in regard to areas of need
Student Profile vs. Present Level
Differences:
Profile is an overview of where student is functioning
in relation to their school experiences
Profile is a general picture of the student’s
functioning in all areas relevant to the IEP
Present level addresses priorities for goal writing
Present level provides a summary of baseline
information that indicates the student’s achievement
on specific standards or functional skills
We cannot always build the
future for our children...
…but we
can build
our children
for the future.
-- Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Standards-Based IEPs
Determining & Writing
Effective Goals
Module 3: Writing
Quality Goals and
Objectives
IEP Development
Process
Desired
Outcomes/
Instructional
Results
Implement &
Monitor
Progress
General
Curriculum
Expectations
Current
Skills and
Knowledge
Select Instructional
Services &
Program Supports
Developing PLAAFP
Statements
Area of
Instructional
Need
PLAAFP
Statements
on IEP Form
Write
Measurable
Goals
What are…
measurable annual goals?
Statements that describe what a
student can be expected to
accomplish within a twelve month
period in the student’s special
education program.
Annual Goals
 Annual goals are related to needs
resulting from the student’s disability that
directly affect involvement and progress
in the general education curriculum
 For preschool children, as appropriate,
to participate in age-appropriate
activities
Annual Goals
Annual Goals answer the question—
“What should the student be doing?”
Prioritize

If multiple areas of need are identified in the
Present Level, the IEP Team must consider how
each need impacts the students’ progress in
the general education curriculum.

Select the need that has the greatest impact
on progress, and develop a goal to address
that need.
Realistic Expectations &
Challenging, Attainable Results
Are they:




Relevant?
Reasonable and attainable?
Challenging?
Attainable in time given?
Identifying Priorities for the Student
Need to Know
 Evaluate how an
author uses words to
create mental imagery,
suggest mood and set
tone
Nice to Know
 Recognize stylistic
elements such as
voice, tone and style
Target a particular hole and fix it – that’s leverage!
SMART Goals
•
•
•
•
•
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Results-oriented
Time-bound
Carol B. Massanari
ckmassanari@earthlink.net
5-Point IEP Goals





The Student...(Who)
Will do what…(Behavior)
To what level/degree…(Criterion)
Under what conditions…(Context)
In what length of time…(Timeframe)
Writing Goal Statements
Focus on what the student will do:
 “Janice will read and analyze a short story
for the literary elements of main idea, point
of view, plot, setting, and characterization.”
Not the process:
 “Janice will use a graphic organizer to
analyze a short story.”
Writing Goal Statements
Use behavioral terminology:
 “Janice will read and analyze a short
story for literary elements.”
Not the process:
 “Janice will review short stories.”
Writing Goal Statements
Add the criterion:
“Janice will read and analyze a short story
for literary elements of main idea, point of
view, setting and characterization with 90%
accuracy using a literature passage from the
sixth grade classroom.”
Writing Goal
Statements
Include the context/timeframe:
 “By the end of the school year, Janice
will read and analyze a short story for
literary elements of main idea, point of
view, setting, and characterization with
90% accuracy using a literature passage
from the sixth grade classroom.”
Let’s Review
 The student (Janice)
 Will do what (read and analyze a short story)
 To what level or degree (90% accuracy)
 Under what conditions (sixth grade literature
passage)
 In what time frame (end of school year)
Activity 3.4
Developing SMART Goals
Specific
based on PLAAFP
Measurable
progress determined at data points
Achievable
realistic, related to critical needs
Results-oriented
developed with outcome in mind
Time-bound
defined beginning/ending
3.4.1
• Developing
SMART
Goals
• Tina Student
Profile and
Goal Page
Choosing a Measure (Criterion)
Refer to Present Level data:
Ask what:

Are the performance expectations in the
general classroom?

Has been the rate of growth?

Will it take to be successful in the general
classroom?

Is the gap in current and desired skill?
Putting it All Together
Activity 3.5
A Present Level Example:
“Karen is in the sixth grade; she has
challenges with reading fluency which
impact her ability to comprehend longer
passages and summarize central themes in
a text.”
3.5.1
• Reviewing
What We
Know
• Karen
Student Profile
• IEP Handout
A: Karen
Activity 3.5
 Reviewing What We Know:
 Area of need
 Past instruction and progress
 Experience with similar
students/situations
 Expectations for the next year
3.5.1
• Reviewing
What We
Know
• Karen
Student Profile
• IEP Handout A
3.5
Putting it all Together
 SMART Goals/5-Point Goals
 Clear, concise measurable
 Measure/criterion well-thought out.
What’s Missing?
Make it better:
When tested, Sara will read at the fifth
grade level.
Make it Better
When tested, Sara will read at the fifth grade level.
 New and improved:
Given a passage in the fifth grade literature book, Sara
will read 130-150 wpm with fewer than 5 errors in one
minute, in three consecutive trials over a three week
period of time, by the end of 5th grade.
What’s Missing?
Make it better:
June will turn in homework on time,
complete in-class assignments, and
complete tests given in class.
Make it Better:
June will turn in homework on time, complete in-class
assignments, and complete tests given in class.
New and improved:
June will meet all required classroom activities (including
submitting homework on time, completion of in-class
assignments, and completing tests) in accordance with
classroom standards for maintaining a “C” or better letter
grade for the class consistently for both semesters of her 9th
grade year.
What’s Missing?
Make it better:
Randy will have basic needs met by
making appropriate requests to a
variety of adults.
Make it Better:
Randy will have basic needs met by making
appropriate requests to a variety of adults.
New and improved:
Across all settings, Randy will use his
communication system to indicate 90% of his
personal needs (e.g., bathroom, drink or eat, go
outside) throughout the school day for five
consecutive days by the end of the school year.
Practice: Goal Writing
• • IEP
IEP
Handout
HandoutAA
• • Karen
Karen
Profile
Profile
Page
Page
• • Karen
Karen
Present
Present
Level
Level
 Use your data on Karen to write a SMART
Goal tied to the reading standard:
 RI.6.2: Determine a central idea of a text and
how it is conveyed through particular details;
provide a summary of the text distinct from
personal opinions or judgments.
Activity 3.6
Review Your IEP
1. Read the IEP goal statements.
3.6.1
• SMART
Goals
• Karen
Goal Page
2. Are they SMART goals?
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Results-oriented
Time-bound
3. Are they connected to the Present Level and include a
reference to the standards?
4. Will the goal support the student’s ability to meet grade level
standards and make progress in the general curriculum?
Benchmarks are the interim steps a
child will take to reach an annual
goal
Marla
Objectives/Benchmarks
 Measurable
 A logical breakdown of the major
components of an annual goal
Objectives/Benchmarks

Short-term objectives and benchmarks are steps that measure the
child's progress toward the annual goals in the IEP.
 When written correctly, short-term objectives provide teachers with a
roadmap and a clear mechanism to evaluate the child's progress.

These could be incremental steps, or a set of skills that together will
lead to meeting the annual goal
Adatped from Wright, P. and Wright, P. (2006). Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition. Hartfield, VA:
Harbor House Law Press, Inc.
Annual Goal: Increase fluency…

Given vowels, consonants, digraphs, and 5
common diphthongs, Jay will say the correct sounds
at 30 sounds per minute with no more than 2 errors.

Given the 200 most common sight vocabulary
words, Jay will read them aloud at 110 wpm with
only random error.

Given first grade material, Jay will read a passage
orally at 50-80 wpm with no more than 5 errors.
Annual Goal: Demonstrate comprehension of
reading materials by answering ‘”wh” questions…

By the end of the first reporting period, JJ will
answer 9 of 10 “who” questions.

By the end of the second reporting period, JJ
will answer 9 of 10 “what” questions.

By the end of the third reporting period, JJ will
answer 9 of 10 “where” questions.

By the end of the fourth reporting period, JJ will
answer 9 of 10 “why” questions.
Determining & Documenting Progress
Consider:
 How expected progress will be
determined?
 What is the rate of growth expected from
initiation of IEP to goal achievement?
 What will be done if progress is not
occurring?
Formative Assessment /
Progress Monitoring



Involves frequent, ongoing, systematic
monitoring of performance
Occurs in core, supplemental, and
intensive instruction with varied frequency
Answers whether or not:

Student is making progress compared to
self, peers and/or the standard?

Instructional adjustments are needed?
Formative Assessment /
Progress Monitoring
Periodic Review of IEP Goals: Are we on track?
Is student making progress at the expected rate?
 Yes. Continue
 No. Adjust
Even if you are on the right track, you’re still going to get run over if you
don’t keep moving.
Will Rogers
Formative Assessment /
Progress Monitoring
Periodic Review of IEP Goals: Are we on track?
Is student progressing at a higher rate than expected?
 Yes. Adjust intervention, continue for a while longer, or
discontinue
Is student progressing slower than expected?
 Yes. Adjust frequency/intensity of, or select different
intervention
Activity 3.7
3.7.1
Assessment
Strategies
for Tracking
and Reporting
Progress
Assessment: Strategies for Tracking and
Reporting Progress
IEP Development
Process
Desired
Outcomes/
Instructional
Results
Implement &
Monitor
Progress
General
Curriculum
Expectatio
ns
Current
Skills and
Knowledge
Select Instructional
Services &
Program Supports
Developing PLAAFP
Statements
Area of
Instructional
Need
PLAAFP
Statemen
ts on IEP
Form
Write
Measurable
Goals
Questions
Please contact us with any questions or
with feedback about this training:
http://arksped.k12.ar.us
lisa.haley@arkansas.gov
jennifer.brown@arkansas.gov
Resources
 Arkansas Department of Education
 Special Education Unit website:
www.arksped.k12.ar.us/sections/standar
dsBasedIEPs.html
Credits
The modules used as a basis for developing this training can be found
at http://sites.google.com/site/individualedplans/
The Standards-Based IEP module project was funded wholly or in part
by the U.S. Department of Education under cooperative agreement
S283B050024. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the
position of the U.S. Department of Education and no official
endorsement should be inferred.
Credits
 Alabama Department of Education
 http://www.alsde.edu/html/sections/doc
uments.asp?section=65&sort=16&footer=
sections
Democracy
does not
guarantee
equality, only
equality of
opportunity.
-- Irving
Kristol.