IEP Goal Setting for Students with Disabilities: Reading
2013-2014
Target Students: Students below the 25th percentile based on national norms for the
2013-2014 school year.
All students with disabilities in grades K-8 must be assessed in Reading using the Curriculum Based
Measures for their grade level. This document lists the steps for establishing year-long basic reading
goals for students with disabilities.
The goal setting process begins by conducting a survey level assessment (SLA) on each student. The
SLA process is used to determine a student’s present level of performance (PLOP). It identifies the
grade-level material at which the students performs similarly to peers. It also identifies the extent of
the achievement gap so that a goal can be set to help close the gap in performance.
The student is tested in successive levels, beginning with the current grade placement and moving
down each grade level until he/she scores anywhere within the “average range”, the 25th-75th
percentile.
Step 1: Determine student’s instructional level
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Administer probes for the student’s current grade level if benchmark data is unavailable.
For the R-CBM benchmark or initial screening, you must always administer 3 probes
and use the median score.
If the student scores below the 10th percentile, move down to the next grade level and give
the probe for that grade level.
Repeat this process until the student scores at or above the 25th percentile with at least
90% accuracy*. This is the student’s instructional level.
o If the student does not meet the 25th percentile for 1st grade R-CBM (use winter
norms), test down using Nonsense Word Fluency, Phoneme Segmentation, then
Letter Sounds, then Letter Names.
o Formula for accuracy:
 The number of words read correctly/The total number of words the
student read.
*Example: Ben read a total of 88 words and he read 80 of those words
correctly. His accuracy rate is 80/88 or 90%.
Step 2: Identify the student’s goal level
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If the instructional level (where the student achieves the 25th percentile) is one year below
grade level, the goal for progress monitoring is the same as their current grade level.
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If the instructional level is two or more years below the grade level, then the goal
for progress monitoring is written at one grade level above the instructional level.
o Example: Ben’s instructional level (average performance) is 1st grade and his
current grade level is 4th grade. His instructional level is more than two or
more years below his grade level. His instructional level is 1st grade, so 2nd
grade is the level at which he will be progress monitored.
Step 3: Document Current/Present Levels of Performance (IEP)
Complete the following statements:
__________________’s (student’s name) present level of performance in _______ (skill area), as
assessed on a ______(grade) AIMSweb ________(type of probe), is _______ words read correctly or
items correct with _____% accuracy; while the expected performance level is ______ words read
correctly (50th percentile target) with at least 90% accuracy.
Using Survey Level Assessment, ______________’s (student’s name) ________ (skill area) is ______
words read correctly or items correct (percentile) for the _________(benchmark period) when
given a ______(grade) AIMSweb ____ ___(type of probe).
For any words listed in italics, please select one.
Example:
Ben’s present level of performance in oral reading fluency, as assessed on the 4th grade
AIMSweb R-CBM, is 51 words read correctly (below 10th percentile) with 45% accuracy; while
the expected performance level is 103 words read correctly (50th percentile), with 90%
accuracy.
Using Survey Level Assessments, Ben’s oral reading fluency is 80 words read correctly (50th
percentile) for the winter benchmark when given a 3rd grade AIMSweb R-CBM probe.
Step 4: Determine the Rate of Improvement (ROI)
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Use the norm chart for the goal level (grade level) at which you are progress monitoring
Find the 50th percentile for that grade level
Identify the Rate of Improvement (ROI)
Multiply the ROI by 2
Round to a whole number
Example:
The goal level at which Ben will be progress monitored is 4th grade. The ROI for 4th grade at
the 50th percentile on the AIMSweb National Norms Table for 2013-2014 is .89.
.89 x 2 = 1.78 1.78 rounded to the nearest whole number is 2. Therefore, the ROI for Ben is 2
WRC per week.
Step 5: Determine the Annual Goal
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Formula for the annual goal is:
o Present Level of Performance + (36 weeks x Rate of Improvement)
Example:
Ben’s Present Level of Performance is 51. There are 36 weeks in a school year (annual goal).
The Rate of Improvement is 2
51 + (36 x 2) = 123 WRC
The annual goal is 123 Words Read Correct.
Step 6: Determine Goal Errors
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Formula for determining goal errors
o Total errors on goal level probe/2
Example:
Ben’s errors on the 4th grade RCBM totaled 6, therefore the goal errors are 3.
6/2=3
Step 6: Document Goal Statement for the IEP
Complete the following statement:
At the end of 36 weeks, __________________ (student’s name) will read 123 words correctly on a
______(grade) Reading-CBM with at least 90% accuracy.
At the end of 36 weeks, Ben will read 123 words correctly on a 4th grade Reading-CBM with at
least 90% accuracy.
Criteria: 90% accuracy
Criteria: 10 months
Method: Data collected at regular intervals
Schedule: weekly or biweekly
Responsibility: Special Education Teacher