Write an opinion piece with reasons, examples, and a conclusion
Live goal preview
By the annual IEP review date, given an opinion prompt on a familiar topic and a 40-minute writing period, the student will write an opinion piece that states an opinion, gives at least two reasons with supporting examples, and ends with a concluding statement independently, earning a score of at least 8 out of 10 on a 10-point opinion writing rubric, on 3 of 4 consecutive scored writing samples, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected twice monthly.
Baseline: 4 out of 10 rubric points.
- 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. Rubric score 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. Rubric scoring can produce rubric score 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 Written Expression.
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 state a preference in writing but give one reason or none, or who stop without a conclusion. Present levels and current writing samples decide fit; a student at any grade may need this target if the components are missing from their work.
- Baseline considerations
- Collect two or three opinion samples on familiar topics under the goal's conditions and score each row 0–2. If reading the source texts is a barrier, decide before baseline whether texts will be read aloud and keep that constant.
- Usage notes
- Use prompts on topics the student knows enough about to give reasons, so the score reflects writing rather than background knowledge. For older students, the rubric rows can be renamed claim, reasons, evidence, and conclusion without changing the measurement.
- Known limitations
- The rubric does not score conventions or sentence quality. Topic familiarity strongly affects reasons and examples, so rotate prompts of similar difficulty. A score of 8 can come from different row patterns; review the rows, not just the total, when planning instruction.
- Source
- Original IEP Atlas draft (AI-assisted) based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. Template ID
wr-exp-004.
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
Rubric tracker. Your goal is a rubric score, so the sheet scores each rubric criterion and totals them.
Rubric tracker
Rubric score- Student label:
- Target:
- earning a score of at least 8 out of 10 on a 10-point opinion writing rubric
- Mastery rule:
- on 3 of 4 consecutive scored writing samples
- Collection schedule:
- twice monthly
- Method:
- Rubric scoring
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, given an opinion prompt on a familiar topic and a 40-minute writing period, the student will write an opinion piece that states an opinion, gives at least two reasons with supporting examples, and ends with a concluding statement independently, earning a score of at least 8 out of 10 on a 10-point opinion writing rubric, on 3 of 4 consecutive scored writing samples, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected twice monthly.
| Date | Task / sample | States a clear opinion | Gives at least two distinct reasons | Supports each reason with an example or fact | Uses linking words to connect reasons to the opinion | Ends with a concluding statement | Total (of 10) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preview shows 4 of 12 rows.
- Score each sample with a 10-point opinion writing rubric. Attach or reference the rubric's score descriptors.
- Use the same prompt type and conditions for each scored sample.
- If two people score, check agreement on a few samples before relying on the data.
The CSV opens in Excel or Google Sheets with formulas for the calculated columns. Sheets are blank: IEP Atlas doesn't store student data.