Refuse a food with a no-thank-you signal
When to use this goal
For young children who refuse food by pushing, throwing or crying, or who accept every bite offered even when they do not want it. Fits children learning a clear way to say no, with speech, a sign, a symbol or a gesture, decided by communication levels.
- Baseline
- Record how the child shows refusal now at five offers. Agree as a team, with the family, on the one signal to teach and honor; it must be honored every time to work.
- Tips
- A child who can say no safely is safer at mealtimes and more willing to explore. Honor the signal right away, every time. Pair with an all-done or more request goal.
- Limits
- Food textures, liquid thickness, positioning for safe swallowing and any swallowing precautions come from the student's feeding or swallowing plan, which this goal never changes. A refusal is never overridden to reach a nutrition goal at school; nutrition concerns go to the family and medical team. The goal does not cover what the child eats.
Original IEP Atlas template based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. ID mt-fd-015.
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Goal
By the annual IEP review date, during snack or lunch, when offered a food or drink the student does not want, the student will say no thank you with words, a sign, a symbol or a head shake, and have the food moved away with no adult prompts in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by frequency recording collected daily at snack and lunch.
Baseline: 1 of 5 opportunities.
- Condition
- Observable behavior
- Criterion
- Measurement method
Measurability check11 of 11 met
Met: Observable behavior. Stated as an action.
Met: Condition. Stated.
Met: Unit fits the behavior. Opportunities fits this behavior.
Met: Explicit criterion. Number and unit stated.
Met: Mastery rule and schedule. Both stated.
Met: Method produces the metric. Frequency (event) recording gives opportunities data.
Met: Review timeframe. Stated.
Met: Baseline and target compatible. Same unit, change in the right direction.
Met: Aligned with area of need. Still about Feeding & Mealtime Skills.
Met: Level of support. Defined.
Met: Blanks filled in. Nothing left to fill in.
Checks structure and wording only. Whether the goal fits the student is the team's call.
Short-term objectives (optional)
When are objectives required?Required for students on alternate assessments (34 CFR §300.320(a)(2)(ii)); some states require them for everyone.
Paste into your IEP system
Most district systems have a separate box for each part of a goal. Copy them one at a time, or all at once as labeled text.
- Area of need
- Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE) - Feeding & Mealtime Skills
- Baseline
- 1 of 5 opportunities.
- Annual goal370 characters
- By the annual IEP review date, during snack or lunch, when offered a food or drink the student does not want, the student will say no thank you with words, a sign, a symbol or a head shake, and have the food moved away with no adult prompts in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by frequency recording collected daily at snack and lunch.
- Timeframe
- By the annual IEP review date
- Condition
- During snack or lunch, when offered a food or drink the student does not want
- Behavior
- The student will say no thank you with words, a sign, a symbol or a head shake, and have the food moved away with no adult prompts
- Criteria
- In at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed days
- Evaluation method
- Frequency recording
- Schedule
- Daily at snack and lunch
Copied as plain text, with straight quotes and plain dashes.
Matching data sheet
Opportunity tracker. One box per opportunity in each session.
Opportunity tracker
Opportunities- Student label:
- Target:
- in at least 4 of 5 opportunities
- Mastery rule:
- on 4 of 5 observed days
- Collection schedule:
- daily at snack and lunch
- Method:
- Frequency (event) recording
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, during snack or lunch, when offered a food or drink the student does not want, the student will say no thank you with words, a sign, a symbol or a head shake, and have the food moved away with no adult prompts in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by frequency recording collected daily at snack and lunch.
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. Sheets print blank; no student data is stored.