Pay for an item using the next-dollar strategy
Live goal preview
By the annual IEP review date, given a price under $20.00 on a price tag, menu, or receipt during a classroom store or community-based instruction activity, the student will count out dollar bills using the next-dollar strategy to pay for the item independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Baseline: 1 of 5 opportunities.
- Condition
- Observable behavior
- Criterion
- Measurement method
Measurability check10 of 10 met
All structural checks are met.
Met: Observable behavior. The behavior is stated as an action.
Met: Condition. The goal states when or under what conditions the behavior occurs.
Met: Unit fits the behavior. Opportunities is a reasonable way to quantify this behavior.
Met: Explicit criterion. The success criterion is stated with a number and unit.
Met: Mastery rule and schedule. Mastery rule and collection schedule are stated.
Met: Method produces the metric. Opportunity (trial) recording can produce opportunities data.
Met: Review timeframe. The goal includes a timeframe.
Met: Baseline and target compatible. Baseline and target use the same unit and show change in the intended direction.
Met: Aligned with area of need. The wording still relates to Daily Living Skills.
Met: Level of support. The level of support is defined.
What this checks: the goal's structure and wording, using fixed rules: observable behavior, condition, criterion, method, mastery rule, timeframe, baseline/target consistency, and support. It can't judge whether the goal is appropriate, ambitious enough, or legally sufficient for a particular student. That requires assessment data and the IEP team.
About this template
- Level guidance
- Fits students who can count dollar bills but cannot yet count exact change for purchases. Assessment of counting and number skills, not grade, decides whether the next-dollar strategy is the right purchasing approach and which price range to start with.
- Baseline considerations
- Present 5 prices in the target range, mixing prices with and without cents, and record whether the student counts out the correct number of bills. Note errors such as paying only the dollar amount or adding the cents as dollars.
- Usage notes
- Score an opportunity as correct when the student hands over the correct number of bills for the price (the next dollar, or the exact amount for whole-dollar prices). Use real or realistic bills; move to community settings once classroom performance is steady.
- Known limitations
- Does not include counting change received or paying with cards. Sales tax may make the total differ from the tag; decide in advance whether the student pays from the tag or the register total.
- Source
- Original IEP Atlas draft (AI-assisted) based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. Template ID
fn-dl-005.
Short-term objectives (optional)
When are objectives required?Federal IDEA regulations require benchmarks or short-term objectives only for students who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate academic achievement standards (34 CFR §300.320(a)(2)(ii)). Your state or district may require them more broadly.
Matching data sheet
Opportunity tracker. Your goal counts opportunities, so the sheet has one box per opportunity in each session.
Opportunity tracker
Opportunities- Student label:
- Target:
- in at least 4 of 5 opportunities
- Mastery rule:
- across 3 consecutive sessions
- Collection schedule:
- twice weekly
- Method:
- Opportunity (trial) recording
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, given a price under $20.00 on a price tag, menu, or receipt during a classroom store or community-based instruction activity, the student will count out dollar bills using the next-dollar strategy to pay for the item independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Key: + demonstrated independently · P demonstrated with a prompt (note type) · − not demonstrated · NA no opportunity occurred
| Date | Activity / context | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | # + (of 5) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preview shows 4 of 12 rows.
- Record up to 5 opportunities per session, matching the goal's denominator.
- Define in advance what counts as an opportunity so every data collector records the same thing.
- Count only + marks toward the criterion unless the goal specifies prompted responses.
The CSV opens in Excel or Google Sheets with formulas for the calculated columns. Sheets are blank: IEP Atlas doesn't store student data.