IEP goals for place value
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
A place value IEP goal names the number range, the model or format, and a criterion out of a fixed set. Example: given 10 three-digit numbers, including some with a zero in the tens or ones place, the student will write each in expanded form for 8 of 10 on 3 weekly probes, up from 4 of 10.
Place value is the idea underneath almost every later math goal. Regrouping, lining up columns, rounding, decimals and multiplying by 10 all fail when a student sees 47 as "a 4 and a 7" instead of 4 tens and 7 ones. A place value goal is often the fix for errors that show up in another goal.
The 12 goals below run from teen numbers as a ten and some ones to the value of digits in decimals. Each shows the condition, behavior, criterion, an illustrative baseline and a link to its template. The numbers are illustrations, not benchmarks. For the wider set of math goals, see the math IEP goals pillar.
Signs that place value is the real goal
Place value gaps show up as errors in other work. Look for these:
- Writes "forty-seven" as 407 or 4007.
- Lines up 352 plus 46 on the left, so the 4 sits under the 3.
- In regrouping, writes 12 in the ones column instead of trading a ten.
- Says 0.5 is less than 0.25 because 5 is less than 25.
- Rounds 348 to 400 because "4 is the biggest digit."
If a student makes these errors, a computation goal alone will not hold. The federal guide on elementary math intervention recommends visual representations and number lines to build this kind of understanding.[1]
How to choose the right place value goal
| Student profile | Sub-skill | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Counts to 100, cannot show 34 as tens and ones | Grouping tens and ones with objects | Opportunities out of 5 |
| Shows tens and ones, loses track past 100 | Hundreds, expanded form | Items correct out of 10 |
| Knows the parts, cannot regroup a number flexibly | Flexible place value (34 is 2 tens and 14 ones) | Items correct out of 10 |
| Fine with whole numbers, rounding and ordering wrong | Using place value to compare and round | Items correct out of 10 |
| Fine with whole numbers, decimals wrong | Decimal place value | Items correct out of 10 |
A student who cannot yet count a set reliably or tell how many with the last number counted needs early numeracy goals first. The early numeracy goals page covers counting, cardinality and subitizing.
Goals for tens and ones
- Teen numbers: Given a written teen number, a filled ten-frame and loose counters, the student will show the number as 1 ten and some ones on 7 of 8 trials. Baseline: 2 of 8. Template
- Grouping objects: Given a loose set of 20 to 60 counters or straws, the student will bundle them into tens, count the tens and ones and name the number on 4 of 5 opportunities. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template
- Counting base-ten blocks: Given 10 mixed sets of rods and unit cubes making numbers from 20 to 99, the student will count by tens then ones and write the number for 9 of 10. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template
Weak: "The student will understand tens and ones." Measurable: the grouping goal, which names the range, the materials and the count.
Goals for hundreds and larger numbers
- Expanded form: Given 10 three-digit numbers, including some with a zero in the tens or ones place, the student will write each in expanded form for 8 of 10 on 3 weekly probes. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template
- Flexible place value: Given 10 two-digit numbers and base-ten blocks, the student will show each number two ways (for example, 34 as 3 tens and 4 ones, and as 2 tens and 14 ones) for 8 of 10. Baseline: 1 of 10. Template
- Large numbers: Given 10 numbers within 100,000 read aloud, the student will write each in standard form for 9 of 10. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template
Weak: "The student will read and write numbers to 1,000." Measurable: the expanded form goal, which names the trap (zeros) and the set size. The flexible place value goal is the one that most directly prepares a student for regrouping.
Goals for using place value to compare and round
- Ordering numbers: Given 10 sets of 4 to 5 numbers within 1,000, including numbers with different numbers of digits, the student will order each set from least to greatest for 8 of 10. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template
- Bracketing between benchmarks: Given 10 two- and three-digit numbers, the student will name the tens or hundreds each number falls between (348 is between 300 and 400) for 9 of 10. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template
- Rounding: Given 10 whole numbers within 10,000 and a stated place, the student will round 8 of 10 correctly on 2 consecutive probes. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template
Weak: "The student will round numbers." Measurable: the bracketing goal, which teaches the step that makes rounding make sense.
Goals for place value in computation and decimals
- Lining up columns: Given 10 problems written across the page with numbers of different lengths, the student will rewrite each with ones under ones and solve 9 of 10. Baseline: 5 of 10. Template
- Multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1,000: Given 20 problems, the student will solve 18 of 20 and explain that each digit moves one place per power of ten. Baseline: 7 of 20. Template
- Decimal place value: Given 10 decimals to the thousandths with one digit underlined, the student will name the value of the digit for 9 of 10. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template
Weak: "The student will apply place value." Measurable: the lining up goal, which ties place value to an error the student actually makes.
How to measure place value goals
Use percent accuracy on fixed sets for written items, and opportunities for hands-on tasks with blocks or bundles. Include the hard cases in every probe: numbers with zeros, numbers with different lengths. Weekly probes graphed over time show whether instruction is working.[2]
Sample data for the expanded form goal on the accuracy data sheet:
| Date | Correct out of 10 | Errors on numbers with a zero | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 | 4 | 4 of 4 | Wrote 300 + 0 + 6 as 3 + 0 + 6 |
| Oct 8 | 3 | 4 of 4 | |
| Oct 15 | 4 | 3 of 4 | Baseline median 4 |
| Oct 22 | 6 | 2 of 4 | Place value chart and blocks |
| Oct 29 | 7 | 1 of 4 | |
| Nov 5 | 8 | 1 of 4 | Chart removed |
| Goal type | Method | Data sheet | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expanded form, ordering, rounding, decimals | Percent accuracy | Accuracy data sheet | Weekly |
| Bundling and blocks | Opportunities | Opportunity data sheet | 2 times a week |
Short-term objectives for place value goals
For the expanded form goal:
- By the first report, given 10 two-digit numbers and base-ten blocks, the student will build and write each in expanded form for 9 of 10.
- By the second report, given 10 three-digit numbers with no zeros, the student will write each in expanded form for 8 of 10.
- By the annual review, given 10 three-digit numbers including zeros, the student will write each in expanded form for 8 of 10.
Adapting place value goals by grade band
| Grade band | Typical target | Supports | Example criterion |
|---|---|---|---|
| K to 1 | Teen numbers, tens and ones to 50 | Ten-frames, straws in bundles | 7 of 8 trials |
| Grade 2 | Hundreds, expanded form, comparing | Base-ten blocks, place value chart | 8 of 10 items |
| Grades 3 to 5 | Rounding, larger numbers, powers of ten, decimals | Number line, place value chart | 18 of 20 items |
| Middle and high school | Decimals in money and measurement | Money, calculator | 9 of 10 items |
Teaching activities are on teaching number sense with manipulatives. Place value feeds directly into regrouping IEP goals and decimal goals. The full template set is on the number sense goals page. Run each draft through the goal checker.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good IEP goal for place value?
One built from the student's errors. If the student writes forty-seven as 407, try: given 10 two-digit numbers read aloud, the student will build each with base-ten blocks and write it for 9 of 10. Add zeros and larger numbers as the student succeeds.
What comes before place value?
Counting objects with one-to-one correspondence, knowing the last number counted tells how many, and counting to 100. Early numeracy goals cover these. A student who cannot count a set of 20 reliably is not ready for tens and ones.
How does place value connect to regrouping?
Regrouping is trading one ten for ten ones, or ten ones for one ten. A student who can show 34 as 2 tens and 14 ones understands why borrowing works. Flexible place value goals are often the best first step for students who struggle with regrouping.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Place value in the IEP glossary
- Number sense goals (math)
- Early numeracy goals (math)
- Percent accuracy measurement guide
- IEP goal checker
Related guides
- IEP goals for math: calculation, problem solving and functional math
- Number sense activities: teaching with manipulatives
- IEP goals for regrouping, and how to teach it
- Teaching money skills (next-dollar, coin counting)
- Functional math IEP goal examples for high school
Sources
- Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Intervention in the Elementary Grades, What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences
- Progress Monitoring: Data & Goal Setting, National Center on Intensive Intervention
Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.