Measurable Annual Goals

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Measurable Annual Goals Objectives

• Presented by Kathy Gomes
• Regional SETRC PDS
• [phone]
• kgomes_at_wswheboces.org

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Participants will be able to

• Write measurable annual goals and objectives or
  benchmarks when needed
• Identify reasons and tools for monitoring and
  reporting student progress on IEP goals

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Why are Measurable Goals Important?

• They are required by Federal New York State
  law
• If an IEP does not include them it is defective
  and open to a challenge that it denies FAPE
  (target for a hearing)
• Goals provide a roadmap for instruction and
  monitoring student progress

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An Annual Goal is

• A statement of knowledge, skills or behaviors a
  student is expected to be able to demonstrate
  within the year
• must address the students individual needs as
  identified in the PLP.
• focus on off-setting or reducing the learning
  behavioral problems resulting from disability

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How many goals?

• What is reasonable given the childs abilities
  rate of progress?
• Write goals for the identified priority need
  areas, not for every curriculum topic

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Key ?s for choosing goals

• What does the PLP say?
• What needs cross multiple content areas and
  settings?
• What needs must be addressed to prepare the
  student to enter the general education
  school-aged program?

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Quality Matters!

• A goal can have all of the required parts and
  still not be measurable. So
• beware of fill in the box goals

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What makes goals measurable?

• Clarity of language describing what the student
  will DO.
• -observable behavior
• -conditions for performance are identified
• (e.g. given one verbal prompt)
• - avoid vague language and jargon

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Observable? . Or Not?

• Point to
• Circle
• Spell orally
• List in writing
• Read orally
• Walk
• Count blocks
• Eat

• Understand
• Know
• Grasp the meaning of
• Remember
• Realize
• Enjoy
• Be familiar with
• Participate in

Will you know it when you see it?
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What makes goals measurable?

• Evaluation plan is identified, including
• -criteria
• -procedure for evaluation
• -schedule for evaluation

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Criteria how well must the student perform?

• accuracy, duration, frequency, speed, distance,
  of trials, by when
• Goals may need gt 1 criteria
• with 3 or fewer errors for 3 consec. trials
• 85 accuracy over 5 consecutive trials

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Criteria Some Suggestions

• Start with the PLP / baseline data
• Be realistic, but aim high
• Match criteria to the behavior
• Keep independence in mind
• Keep safety in mind

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Procedure for Evaluation how will you measure
progress?

• Examples
• Standardized assessment (name it)
• Scoring of work sample using a rubric
• Curriculum-Based Measurement probe
• Observation with behavior checklist
• Review of ______ data

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Schedule for Evaluation When will the
evaluation occur?

• Examples
• Daily
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Once per quarter
• Every 5 weeks
• On January 5, March 15 and June 3

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The Schedule is NOT

• When you will report progress to the parent
  (this goes in a separate section of the IEP)
• By June 2008

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What makes goals measurable?

• Clarity of what the student will DO.
• Evaluation plan is clearly identified.

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Chart Goal Template
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Goal
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PLP Mike reads 4th grade material at 50-70 wpm
with 4-6 errors.
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A Transition Goal

• Sue will complete her assigned tasks while at her
  community work site with at least a 4 out of 5
  rating each week, for 10 weeks, as evaluated by
  task scoring rubric completed by job coach,
  weekly.

How is this better than saying job coach
observation ?
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• Beware of the terms
• ? increase ?decrease ?improve
• when used on their own, they are too vague to be
  measurable
• If using these terms, a start and end level of
  performance are needed - e.g. improve from 5
  words per minute to 25 WPM.

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Objectives and Benchmarks

• Required only for preschool students with a
  disability and school-aged students eligible for
  the NYSAA

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Objectives and Benchmarks

• Objectives The intermediate knowledge, skills
  and/or behaviors that must be learned in order to
  reach the annual goal. Objectives break down the
  skills into discrete components. (Task analysis)
• Benchmarks The major milestones that a student
  will demonstrate to lead to the annual goal.
  Benchmarks usually designate a target time period
  for the behavior to occur. They may coincide
  with reporting periods.

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Annual Goal Benchmarks

• Annual Goal Alexis will sit on her assigned
  spot during circle time for 10 minutes daily
  without prompting, for 2 consec. weeks, as
  evaluated by observation with charting of time
  and prompts, daily.
• Benchmark 1 By October 31, Alexis will sit on
  her assigned spot during circle time for 3
  minutes daily with verbal prompting
• Benchmark 2 By January 3, Alexis will sit on
  her assigned spot during circle time for 5
  minutes daily with verbal prompting
• Benchmark 3 By March 1, Alexis will sit on her
  assigned spot during circle time for 5 minutes
  daily without prompting

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Make Social Goals Measurable

• Whats wrong with these goals?
• Sue will demonstrate an increase in social
  skills, 90 success over 10 months, teacher
  observation, by June.
• Mike will demonstrate improved peer relationships
  8 out of 10 free play opportunities, staff
  observation, quarterly.

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Make Social Goals Measurable

• What observable behavior will demonstrate the
  change in attitude, feeling, etc.?
• For Example, improved social skills may be
  demonstrated by
• number of peer interactions
• time engaged in conversation
• choice of play activities

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Making Social Goals Measurable will improve
peer relationships becomes
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Why Monitor Progress?

• Federal and NY State law require that you report
  progress to the parent
• How will you report progress if you dont measure
  it?
• Progress or lack of progress should inform
  instructional decisions

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How to Monitor Progress

• Do what you committed to when writing the goals
• Use the assessment process identified
• Follow the evaluation schedule
• Track the data

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Progress Monitoring Example

• Annual Goal Tom will have an initial sound
  fluency of 8 per minute, as measured using a 1
  minute picture-based probe, weekly.

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Progress Informs Instruction -Establish a Goal
Line
X
Goal LSF 8
Baseline point
Goal Line
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Progress Informs Instruction -Establish a Goal
Line
X
Goal Line
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Trend Line ShowsProgress at Goal Line
X
Goal Line
Trend Line
Student is making sufficient progress to meet goal
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Progress Greater than Goal Line
X
Trend Line
Goal Line
Increase goal or complete early move on to
other goals
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Progress below Goal Line
X
Goal Line
Trend Line
Modify Instruction (more time, new method, etc.)
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Monitoring Reporting

• Report must be based on data collected
• Statements such as student is doing well or is
  making progress are subjective and open to
  interpretation

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Tools for Progress Reporting

• Computerized Charting Graphing
• Microsoft Office charting tools
• Chart dog (www.interventioncentral.org)
• Behavior Reporter Behavior Report Card Generator
  (www.interventioncentral.org)
• Photocopier
• Provide copies of data charts
  (preferably with a written
  explanation)

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Data Dos and Donts

• Do improve data reliability by
• Clearly stating evaluation conditions, procedure
  and schedule
• Training staff responsible for data collection

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Data Dos and Donts

• Dont draw conclusions based on too few data
  points
• Dont wait too long to make an
  instructional change if there is
  no progress

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Data the Annual Review

• Use the goal progress data youve collected all
  year to update the PLP
• Has the goal been accomplished, or does it need
  to continue into the following year as is, or
  with changes?

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Whats Your Action Plan?

• Evaluate the goals in your IEPs
• Evaluate your data
• Experiment with charting tools
• Evaluate your progress reports
• Arrange for staff training

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THANK YOU
Your commitment will help many children become
happy, healthy, and successful individuals.