Writing Standards Based IEPs

Ground Rules Be courteous Take care of your needs Questions on sticky notes Please do not write on colored paper Choose the following at your table: –Recorder –Reporter

District Activity

Standards-Based IEPs Day 1 –Overview of Standards-Based IEPs –Student Profile Summary –Determining Needs Day 2 –Standards –Present Level of Performance –Impact Statement Day 3 –Measurable Annual Goals –Objectives –Putting it all together

Student Profile Paints a verbal picture of the students academically, functionally, socially, behaviorally. Student Profile Paints a verbal picture of the students academically, functionally, socially, behaviorally. Standard Area of need for the student Standard Area of need for the student Present Level of Performance The areas of strengths & needs pertaining to the identified standard Present Level of Performance The areas of strengths & needs pertaining to the identified standard Impact Statement How the stated needs keep the student from reaching the standard selected Impact Statement How the stated needs keep the student from reaching the standard selected Annual Goal

Student Profile Paints a verbal picture of the students academically, functionally, socially, behaviorally. Student Profile Paints a verbal picture of the students academically, functionally, socially, behaviorally. Standard Present Level of Performance Impact Statement Annual Goal

Standards Based Goals IDEA ’04 says: –34 CFR (a)(2)(i)(A) A student’s IEP must contain a statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals designed to --- »Meet the child’s needs that result from the child’s disability to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum; and »Meet each of the child’s other educational needs that result from the child’s disability.

Measurable Administrative Law Judge, Larry D. Bartlett says, “Could a stranger to the IEP goal be able to implement the assessment of the student’s progress on the goal, and be able to determine whether the student’s progress was satisfactory? Goals should be written to address…

Measurable Goals should be written to address… When and how the student will demonstrate performance What the student will do to achieve the goals established The student’s expected level of performance.” This criteria is referred to as “the stranger test.”

Measurable Annual Goals Use baseline data from the present levels statement Describe what the student can reasonably be expected to accomplish in the area of need within a specified period of time Written so the student’s progress is clear and measurable Target the unique needs of the student Allow parents and teachers to observe whether the student is making progress, regressing, or staying the same Describe the general education curriculum List what the child is expected to learn in every content area Just provide broad statements about what the student will accomplish within a year

Mindset Shift for Goals Goals are skills and knowledge based on the student’s disability area and needs Goals are simply goals and not the curriculum Curriculum should cover goals You will teach skills not included in the goals that are part of the curriculum

Measurable Annual Goals Measurable goals contain 4 critical components : Timeframe Conditions Behavior Criterion 123

Measurable Annual Goals Timeframe Identifies the amount of time in the goal period and is usually specified in the number of weeks or a certain date for completion.

Measurable Annual Goals Conditions Describe the specific resources that must be present for a child to reach the goal. The condition of the goal should relate to the behavior being measured.

Measurable Annual Goals Behavior Clearly identifies the skill or performance that is being monitored. Represents an action that can be directly observed and measured. Remember the stranger test…What will you see?

Clearly Defined Behavior Measurable Terms Match Speak State Write Choose Order Sort Solve Summarize List Non-Measurable Terms Know Understand Listen Appreciate Enjoy Maintain Participate

Measurable Annual Goals Criterion Identifies how much, how often, or to what standard the behavior must occur in order to demonstrate that the goal has been achieved. The criterion specifies the amount of growth that is expected.

Criterion How will mastery be measured? Be clear and specific. Can be based on: Curriculum based measurement Rate Time Percentage Descriptive statement

Using Arkansas Standards to Write Annual Goals Arkansas Standards are used to provide the framework for annual goal writing by establishing grade level expectations. Arkansas Standards statements alone are not measurable as written.

Example: Statement: Student will learn to read. Improved: Student will learn to read at the sixth grade level. Better: At the end of the school year, student will read at the sixth grade level. Much better: At the end of the school year, when given reading materials on a sixth grade level, student will read and correctly answer five comprehension questions about material read.

Measurable IEP Goals Checklist  

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ACTIVITY

Activity

Annual Goal Examples ◦ When given a graphic organizer, Joe will write and edit a composition of at least 5 paragraphs each containing at least a main idea and two supporting details in 3 of 4 paragraphs by June ◦ At the end of 36 weeks, Nicole will solve 6 th grade level addition and subtraction problems involving mixed fractions when given step-by-step directions as demonstrated by earning 70% on class assignments. ◦ By the end of the first semester, Fred will answer text-based comprehension questions related to an 8 th grade reading passage with 70% averages on assignments. Color Key: Whobehavior condition criteria timeframe

Annual Goal Examples By the end of the school year, Carlos will remain on task for three minutes with no more than 2 verbal cues. Ricky will independently use words or pictures to express frustration and anger when presented with social conflict in four of five trials, by December of By the end of 36 instructional weeks, Julian will correctly sort eight out of ten objects by one characteristic (color, shape, etc.) when presented up to ten items and a mat with pictures to show groups. Color Key: Whobehavior condition criteria timeframe

Short Term Objectives or Benchmarks Only required for students taking Alternate Assessment; HOWEVER, districts may require objectives for all students Steps taken between the child’s Present Levels and the attainment of the annual goal Consider frequency and duration

Short Term Objectives or Benchmarks

Why Should Objectives be Functional? Objectives must consider what skills the learner will need in order to function more independently. Skills are functional when they promote movement to less restrictive environments, are used frequently in everyday settings, and when they result in less dependence on others. Example: –Which is more functional for the student? Knowing where Spain is or knowing his address.

Student Scenarios

Practice Measurable Goals for Larry Look at the IEP page you have for Larry. You completed the following: –Standard –Present Level of Performance –Impact Statement Write a Goal for Larry Share out Compare yours to this one.

Practice Measurable Goals for Karen Look at the IEP page you have for Karen. You completed the following: –Standard –Present Level of Performance –Impact Statement Write a Goal for Karen Compare your Goal with that of your table partners Share out Compare yours to this one.

Practice Measurable Goals for Jerome Look at the IEP page you have for Jerome. You completed the following: –Standard –Present Level of Performance –Impact Statement Write a Goal for Jerome Compare your Goal with that of your elbow partner Share out

Practice Measurable Goals for Your Student Look at the IEP page you have for your student. You completed the following: –Standard –Present Level of Performance –Impact Statement Write a Goal for your student Write objectives for your student if needed

FAPE Impact Without measurability, progress cannot be monitored If a goal isn’t measurable, it cannot be measured If a goal cannot be measured, it violates IDEA and may result in a denial of FAPE

Old to New: A Comparison Old WayStandards-Based Standard = GoalStandard Goal Standard = GoalMay have more than one goal per standard. Present Level separate from goals and did not relate directly to the goal. Present Level specific to a standard or portion of standard Present Level = a list of scoresPresent Level written with objective terms and self-explanatory Standard and Goal not very measurable or attainable. Goal is both measurable and attainable within one year Goals did not inform instruction beyond the most basic level. Goals do inform instruction.

Put the Pieces Together Present Level of Performance Text here Objectives Student Profile Standard Selection Annual Goal

More Resources InterventionCentral.org/ LiteracyLearningProgressions.org ml ml

Questions

Bibliography Bateman, B (2007). From gobbledygook to clearly written annual IEP goals. Verona, WI: IEP Resources. Bateman, B, & Herr, C M (2006). Writing measurable IEP goals and objectives. Verona, WI: IEP Resources. Braman, B.J., & Catlett, S.C. (2007). Instructional Objectives Handbook. Houston: Courtade-Little, G, & Browder, D M (2005). Aligning IEPs to academic standards.Verona, WI: Attainment Company. Etscheidt, S.K. (2006).Progress Monitoring: legal issues and recommendations for IEP teams. Teaching exceptional children. 38, Holbrook, M.D. National Association of State Directors of Special Education, Project forum. (2007). Seven step process to creating standards-based ieps. Alexandria, VA: Project Forums printing office. Holbrook, M.D. National Association of State Directors of Special Education, Project forum. (2007). Standards-based individualized education program examples. Alexandria, VA: Project Forums printing office.

Bibliography Assessing Special Education Students SCASS (2012). Module 1: Introduction to Standards-based IEPs [Power Point slides]. Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers. Lignugaris/Kraft, B, Marchand-Martella, N, & Martella, R.C. (2001). Strategies for writing better goals and short term objectives or benchmarks. Teaching exceptional children. 34, LRP Publications, (2006). Use the 'stranger' test to revise IEP goals. Today's school psychologist, 10 LRP Publications, (2006).Annual progress may be measured in inches for some students. Special education IEP team trainer. 7, 6. Region 4, (2005). Framework for developing individualized education programs. Houston, TX: Region 4. Steere, D.E., & Cavaiuolo, D. (2002). Connecting outcomes, goals, and objectives in transition planning. Teaching exceptional children. 34,