Individualized Education Program MODULE 11 Developing Measurable Annual Goals, Short-Term Objectives/Benchmarks

Individualized Education Program

MODULE 11

Developing Measurable Annual Goals, Short-Term Objectives/Benchmarks

MODULE OBJECTIVES:

• Gain knowledge and information regarding state/federal requirements regarding the development of measurable annual goals, benchmarks, and short-term objectives.

• Identify the required components of measurable annual goals, benchmarks, and short-term objectives.

• Provide examples of appropriate measurable goals, benchmarks, and short-term objectives.

Policy and Resource References

• North Carolina Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilities (November 1, 2007)

• Department of Education Federal Register (August 14, 2006)

• http://IDEA.ed.gov

Developing Measurable Annual Goals

NC Policy requires that the Individualized Education Program include:

(2)(i) A statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals designed to-

(A) 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

NC Policy 1503-4.1

Annual Goals

(B) Meet each of the child’s other educational needs

that result from the child’s disability;

(ii) For children with disabilities who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards, a description of benchmarks or short-term objectives.

Policy 1503-4.1

Measurable Annual GoalsCreating Standards-based IEPs

• Title 1/No Child Left Behind requires that students with disabilities assessed through modified achievement standards have annual goals aligned to grade level competencies.

• In NC, students in grades 3-8 & 10 who are assessed via the Extend 2 are subject to this requirement.

ESEA 1111(h)

IDEA 612 (a)(15)

Measurable Annual GoalsStandards Based

• LEAs are not prohibited from requiring standards based IEPs for all students.

• While not required to be documented on the IEP for all students, in developing annual goals for all students,

consideration must always be given to the state standards set forth in the general education curriculum.

• Connecting the standard to the annual goal maintains high expectations and improves results.

The measurable annual goal is a statement that links directly to the areas of need identified in the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance.

ANNUAL GOAL

Measurable Annual Goals

The annual goals in the IEP are statements that describe what a child with a disability can reasonably be expected to accomplish within the duration of the IEP.

Measurable Annual GoalsFor each area needing specially designed instruction, determine the desired level of achievement or outcome for each goal for a student by considering the following:

• Primary concerns stated in the present level of academic

achievement/functional performance.

• Amount of time the student has left in school and the age of the student.

• Skills needed to progress to the next level of performance.

• Skills needed to achieve transition.

• Behavior / skills that will improve with modifications.


• Strengths of the student.

• Concerns of the parent for enhancing the education of her/his child.

• Scope and sequence of the skill, curricular or behavior areas addressed.

• Special factors.

• Student’s learning behaviors.

• Clustering behaviors or skills that are related.

Measurable Annual GoalsMajor Components

• Any important givens/conditions (when, with what, where)…as applicable.

• A skill/domain area (academic, behavioral, functional).

• An observable learner performance (what the learner will be doing, an action).

• Measurable criteria which specify the level at which the student’s performance will be acceptable (e.g., speed, accuracy, frequency)


What exactly does “measurable” mean?Unfortunately, IDEA doesn’t define it.

Characteristics of Measurability:

• Reveals what to do to measure whether the Goal has been accomplished. To measure something is to do something.

• Yields the same conclusion if measured by several people.

• A measurable goal allows us to know how much progress has been made since the last measured performance.

• A measurable goal can be measured as written, without additional information.

• Measurable goals contain givens (if necessary), the learner performance, and the criterion (level of performance to be reached).


Criterion or Level of Performance

(How well the learner must do)

Frequently used examples of criteria:

• 4 of 5 trials

• 3 consecutive days

• % accuracy


Use of percentage:

“The history of how this strange use of percentage began appears to be lost. But we should know not to aspire to have Josh cross the street safely 80% of the time.”

Excerpt taken from: Writing Measurable IEP Goals and Objectives; Bateman & Herr, 2006


“The use of percentage needs to be carefully limited to a narrow range of goals”

Appropriate use of %: Jane will correctly spell 95% of the 6th grade spelling words dictated to her.

Inappropriate use of %: Jane will improve her behavior 80% of the time with 90% accuracy.


Observable means:

• Clearly defined

• Visible

• Countable behavior


Examples of “observable” behavior

• Reading orally

• Dressing one’s self

• Speaking to adults without vulgarities

• Pointing, drawing, identifying, writing, etc.


Non-Examples of observable behavior

• Becoming independent

• Respecting authority

• Enjoying literature

• Improving, feeling, knowing, etc.

Measurable Annual Goals Non-Measurable Measurable

John will use at least two strategies to take responsibility for his anger management with 80% accuracy.

Given verbal prompts by the teacher, John will display no more than one defiant behavior per day.

Given ten words, Alex shall group letters and pronounce letter sounds in words with 80% accuracy.

Given ten unfamiliar, regular CVC words, Alex will decode nine of ten correctly.


Activity #1

PLAAFP: Activity #1ISABEL

Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance

A review of informal checklist of social/emotional skills, indicate that Isabel is very social and loves to tease her friends in a playful way. When required to complete tasks, Isabel often avoids these tasks by talking with her friends, and it often takes 5-10 verbal prompts to get Isabel to begin the task. Once she begins, she almost always completes the tasks. When she is tired she exhibits extreme emotions: uncontrollable giggling, sobbing, and occasional anger, approximately 5 times per week (according to parental and teacher report). This inhibits her progress in the general curriculum, as she needs direct instruction of social skills.

PLAAFP: Activity 1, continued

Isabel

Annual Goal : When required to complete tasks, Isabel will begin the task with a maximum of 3 prompts.

Annual Goal: When Isabel is tired, she will apply a replacement behavior in 3 of 4 instances.

Annual Goal Component Annual Goal Statement

1. Given/Conditions (when or under what conditions), as applicable

When required to complete tasks

2. Skill/Curriculum/Behavior Area or Domain (Academic/Functional)

Social skills

3. Observable Learner Performance (Action)

Begin

4. Desired Level of Achievement/Outcome (Measurable Criteria…how well, how many times)

3 prompts



When Isabel is tired


Behavior


Replace

4. Desired Level of Achievement/Outcome

(Measurable Criteria…how well, how many times)

3 of 4 instances

SAMANTHA

Present Level of Educational Performance:

A review of speech/language anecdotal log of observations indicate that Sam speaks using words and phrases. She doesn’t use complete sentences or questions when speaking. She responds to greetings appropriately. She doesn’t verbally express herself to gain others attention. Instead she grabs others and/or their clothing (e.g. hats, jackets) to initiate conversation or join in a group. These skill deficits affect her ability to communicate within the general education setting and develop appropriate social skills.

Annual Goal: Given non-instructional activities Sam will improve expressive language skills to initiate and/or join in conversations with others, an average of 3 times per week.

Integrated Goal: Yes



Given non-instructional activities


Expressive language


Initiate/join

4. Desired Level of Achievement/Outcome (Measurable Criteria…how well, how many times, over what period of time)

3 times per week

ANTHONY

Present Level of Education Performance:

A review of curriculum based measures indicates that Anthony, a fourth grade student, can read 80 words per minute of connected text with 100% accuracy which is within the range of words per minutes established for typical peers in the second grade. Anthony demonstrates a relative strength in determining the meaning of unknown words by reading words in context and applying word structures (prefix, base words, and suffix). Anthony’s difficulties with reading fluently affect his ability to focus on the details of reading passages/assignments, which affects his ability to comprehend grade level content area subjects.

Annual Goal: Given a second grade reading passage, Anthony will orally read 105 words of connected text per minute with 100% accuracy.

4th Grade Competency Standard: Students will apply the basic features of reading to achieve fluent oral reading.



Given a second grade reading passage


Reading


Orally read connected text


105 words per minute with 100% accuracy

Herbie

Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance:

Based upon classroom informal math assessment, Herbie can count to 50, count objects to 50, recognize and write numerals 0-9, and group objects in sets. He recognizes a line, square, and circle, but not a rectangle or triangle. He cannot add or subtract 2 digit by 1 digit problems without regrouping, These skill deficits impact his ability to apply his knowledge to the third grade curriculum.

Annual Goal: Herbie will correctly mark a rectangle, triangle, cube, and cylinder, 8 of 10 trials.

Annual Goal: When directed by the teacher, Herbie will rote count to 100 with no errors.




Math readiness

3.Observable Learner Performance (Action)

Mark


8 of 10 trials



When directed by the teacher


Math readiness

3.Observable Learner Performance (Action)

Rote count to 100


No errors

JACK

Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance: Based on informal teacher assessment and review of observations from anecdotal record, Jack can sort one dollar bills, up to four dollars. Jack is unable to make coin combinations to equal one dollar. This affects his ability to calculate and problem solve in the general curriculum as well as in daily life skill activities.

Annual Goal: Given coins (quarter, dime, nickel, penny), Jack will make

coin combinations to equal one dollar, in 3 different ways, 9 of 10 trials.



Given coins


Math readiness


Combine coins to equal one dollar


3 different ways, 9 of 10 trials

Amelia


Amelia plays/engages in a preferential activity by herself for up to 30 minutes based on daily log of observations. She does not initiate play with her peers, and only plays alongside others when they have toys that are interesting to her. She often takes those toys rather than asking for a turn (on average 4 times per day). Amelia’s social skills interfere with her educational performance and development of relationships to work and play cooperatively with others.

Annual Goal: When other children are playing, Amelia will ask when she wants to play with particular toys that others are playing with, 4 out of 5 times.


1.Given/Conditions (when or under what conditions), as applicable

When other children are playing


Behavior


Ask


4 out of 5 times

Oliver


According to teacher observation/anecdotal records, Oliver continues to struggle to create a product about a personal event as it relates to text (Competency 8.1). He has improved his recall of personal events. He has worked on creating text about his personal experience by creating photo journals of events he has participated in. He currently can add one or two words to describe the photo. Relating those events to a text is frustrating for Oliver because it is hard for him to make comparisons.

Annual Goal: Given photo journals, Oliver will write text to describe the photo using 5 descriptive words 4 of 5 trials.



Given photo journals


Writing


Write 5 descriptive words


4 of 5 trials


“The IEP is the heart of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and measurable goals developed from appropriate present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, are the heart of each IEP”

“A child is the root of the heart”

Bateman & Herr

Benchmarks/Short-term Objectives

For children with disabilities who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards, the IEP must include a description of benchmarks or short-term objectives;

NC Policy 1503-4.1(2)(ii)

Benchmarks and Short Term Objectives

Once the IEP team has developed measurable annual goals for a child, the team can develop strategies that will be most effective in realizing those goals and must:

• develop either measurable, intermediate steps (short-term objectives) or,

• major milestones (benchmarks) … to monitor progress during the year, and, if appropriate, to revise the IEP consistent with the student’s instructional needs.

Short-Term Objectives

Short term objectives (also called IEP objectives) are:

• measurable, intermediate steps between the present levels of educational performance of a child with a disability and the annual goals that are established for the child, and

• developed based on a logical breakdown of the major components of the annual goals, and can serve as milestones for measuring progress toward meeting the goals.

Short-Term Objectives

• Describe what a given child is expected to

accomplish in a particular area within some specified time period.

• Determine the extent that the child is progressing toward those accomplishments.

Benchmarks

…, IEP teams may develop benchmarks, … describing the amount of progress the child is expected to make within specified segments of the year. … benchmarks:

• establish expected performance levels that allow for regular checks of progress that coincide with the reporting periods for informing parents of their child’s progress toward achieving the annual goals, and

• are the major milestones that the student will demonstrate that will lead to the annual goal. Benchmarks usually designate a target time period for a behavior to occur.

NOTED CHANGE:

An IEP team may use either short term objectives or benchmarks or a combination of the two depending on the nature of the annual goals and the needs of the child.

Benchmarks or Short-term Objectives

• Major Milestones

(Benchmarks)

• Measurable, Intermediate Steps

(Short-term Objectives)

• Accomplished Over an Extended Period of Time

(e.g., school quarter/grading period or semester)

• Define Progress Toward Meeting Annual Goals

BENCHMARKS(Components)

• WHO (Student)

• WHAT (Target Behavior)

• WHEN

BENCHMARKS(Components)

• WHO (Student)• Bill

• WHAT (Target Behavior)• Use decoding strategies with words in isolation,

phrases, and sentences.

• WHEN• Bill will use decoding strategies with words in

isolation, phrases and sentences by 6/1/09.

SHORT-TERM OBJECTIVES(Components)

• WHO (Student)

• WHAT (Target Behavior)

• CONDITIONS / CIRCUMSTANCES – WHEN NEEDED

• CRITERIA (Level To Indicate Attainment)

Short-Term Objectives(Components)

• WHO (Student)Bill

• WHAT (Target Behavior)Identify a (appropriate) decoding strategy

• CONDITIONS/CIRCUMSTANCES – WHEN NEEDED

Given one syllable words

• CRITERIA (Level To Indicate Attainment)8 of 10 trials

Benchmarks and Short-Term Objectives

ACTIVITY #2

PLAAFP: Activity #1ISABEL

Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional PerformanceI

A review of informal checklist of social/emotional skills, indicate that Isabel is very social and loves to tease her friends in a playful way. When required to complete tasks, Isabel often avoids these tasks by talking with her friends, and it often takes 5-10 verbal prompts to get Isabel to begin the task. Once she begins, she almost always completes the tasks. When she is tired she exhibits extreme emotions: uncontrollable giggling, sobbing, and occasional anger, approximately 5 times per week (according to parental and teacher report). This inhibits her progress in the general curriculum, as she needs direct instruction of social skills.



Benchmark Component Benchmark Statement

1. Who Isabel

2. Will Do What Begin a task with no more than 3 prompts

3. By When By April 1, 2009

ISABEL


Benchmarks:

1.By November 1, 2008, Isabel will begin a task with no more than 6 prompts.

2. By February 1, 2009, Isabel will begin a task with no more than 4 prompts.

3. By April 1, 2009, Isabel will begin a task with no more than 3 prompts.

Short-Term Objective Component

Short-Term Objective

Statement1. Who (Student) Isabel

2. What (Target Behavior) Identify 2 replacement behaviors

3. Conditions/Circumstances (as applicable)

Given instruction

4. Criteria/Level to indicate attainment

8 of 10 trials

ISABEL


Short-term Objectives:

1. Given instruction, Isabel will identify 2 replacement behaviors to use when she is tired, 8 of 10 trials,

2. When Isabel is tired and demonstrates emotional outburst, she will apply a replacement behavior in 1 of 4 instances, and

3. When Isabel is tired and demonstrates emotional outburst, she will apply a replacement behavior in 2 of 4 instances.

SAMANTHA

Present Level of Educational Performance:

A review of speech/language anecdotal log of observations indicate that Sam speaks using words and phrases. She doesn’t use complete sentences or questions when speaking. She responds to greetings appropriately. She doesn’t verbally express herself to gain others attention. Instead she grabs others and/or their clothing (e.g. hats, jackets) to initiate conversation or join in a group. These skill deficits affect her ability to communicate within the general education setting and develop appropriate social skills.

Annual Goal: Sam will improve expressive language skills to initiate and/or join in conversations with others, an average of 3 times per week during non-instructional activities.

Integrated Goal: Yes

Benchmark Component Benchmark Statement

1. Who Samantha

2. Will Do What Initiate/join in conversations

3. By When December 10, 2008

Short-Term Objective Component

Short-Term Objective

Statement

1. Who (Student) Samantha

2. What (Target Behavior) Initiate/join in conversations

3. Conditions/Circumstances (as applicable)

Given non-instructional activities

4. Criteria/Level to indicate attainment

3 times per week

Questions/Answers?????

Documents

Individualized Education Program MODULE 11 Developing Measurable Annual Goals, Short-Term Objectives/Benchmarks