Request help when stuck during independent work
Live goal preview
By the annual IEP review date, when they are unable to continue an independent work task, the student will request help from an adult by raising a hand, placing a help card on the desk, or saying or signing "help" independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three times per week during independent work.
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 Requesting Help.
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
- For students who stop working, guess, or leave the task when stuck instead of asking. Present levels and observation of what the student does when work becomes difficult, not grade, decide fit. Make sure the work is at the student's instructional level so being stuck is occasional, not constant.
- Baseline considerations
- During several independent work periods, record each time the student becomes stuck and what they do next (asks for help, waits silently, guesses, leaves the task, shows distress). Note how long the student waits before anything happens; this also helps decide whether se-rh-003 (latency) fits better.
- Usage notes
- Define "stuck" for observers: the student has stopped writing or working on the same item for 30 seconds, erases repeatedly, or says something like "I can't." Score correct when the student uses the help signal within 1 minute of becoming stuck. Respond to every request quickly at first; a request that goes unanswered teaches the student not to ask.
- Known limitations
- Requires an agreed definition of "stuck" or data will be inconsistent. If the work is frequently too hard, the student will need help on most items and the goal will reflect task difficulty instead of the skill. Does not measure the quality of the request (see se-rh-002).
- Source
- Original IEP Atlas draft (AI-assisted) based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. Template ID
se-rh-001.
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 data collection days
- Collection schedule:
- three times per week during independent work
- Method:
- Opportunity (trial) recording
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, when they are unable to continue an independent work task, the student will request help from an adult by raising a hand, placing a help card on the desk, or saying or signing "help" independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three times per week during independent work.
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.