Annual review progress summary template
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
An annual review progress summary closes out each goal from the IEP that is ending. For every goal it gives the baseline, the final level from the median of the last 3 data points, the target, the status, what helped, what got in the way, and what the team recommends next. It is one page the team reads before writing new present levels and goals.
The annual review asks one question about the IEP that is ending: did it work? The progress summary answers it goal by goal, on one page, before anyone starts drafting the new IEP. Without it, the meeting drifts into memories of good and bad days. With it, the team starts from the same numbers.
Below is a fill-in template, a completed example for a fictional fifth grader, and notes on what parents and reviewers look for in each section. For the reports that feed this summary during the year, see how to write an IEP progress report. For the full cycle, see the IEP progress monitoring pillar.
Why the summary comes before the new IEP
The team must review the IEP at least once a year to decide whether the annual goals are being achieved, and revise it to address any lack of expected progress.[1] The new present levels then have to describe where the student is now, and each new goal has to be measured and reported.[2] A goal-by-goal summary links those steps. Its final levels become the new baselines.
Send it to the parents a few days before the meeting if your district allows. Parents who see the numbers ahead of time come with questions instead of surprise.
The fill-in template
Copy this block once per goal. Keep each answer short: a number, a date, or one sentence.
| Field | Fill in |
|---|---|
| Goal area and number | ____ |
| Goal as written | ____ |
| Measure and data sheet | ____ |
| Baseline (date, score) | ____ |
| Target and criterion | ____ |
| Final level (median of last 3 points, with dates) | ____ |
| Growth made / growth planned | ____ of ____ |
| Status | Met / Not met / Met earlier, maintained / Discontinued |
| Services delivered (sessions or minutes delivered / scheduled) | ____ of ____ |
| What helped (dated changes that moved the trend) | ____ |
| What got in the way (data-based) | ____ |
| Generalization (other settings or materials) | ____ |
| Recommendation | Continue with new target / New skill in same area / Discontinue / Move to accommodations |
| Proposed new baseline for the next IEP | ____ |
Add one line at the top of the page with the student's name, the IEP dates, the date the summary was written and who contributed.
Completed example: Leila's reading comprehension goal
Leila is a fictional fifth grader with a specific learning disability in reading. Her IEP ran from November 12 to November 11 of the next year. This is her first goal.
| Field | Completed |
|---|---|
| Goal area and number | Reading comprehension, goal 1 of 3 |
| Goal as written | Given a grade 5 informational passage she reads silently, Leila will answer 8 of 10 literal and inferential questions correctly on 3 consecutive biweekly probes. |
| Measure and data sheet | Questions correct out of 10, accuracy data sheet |
| Baseline (date, score) | November 4: 3 of 10 (median of probes of 2, 3, 4) |
| Target and criterion | 8 of 10 on 3 consecutive probes |
| Final level | 7 of 10 (probes on October 7, 21 and November 4: 7, 8, 7) |
| Growth made / growth planned | 4 of 5 questions |
| Status | Not met |
| Services delivered | 104 of 112 scheduled 30-minute sessions |
| What helped | Text-feature lessons from January raised literal answers from 4 of 5 to 5 of 5 by March. A question-type chart added in April moved inferential answers from 1 of 5 to 2 of 5. |
| What got in the way | Inferential questions stayed at 2 or 3 of 5 from May to November. Probes in which she read below 95% accuracy scored lower. |
| Generalization | Science teacher reports 6 of 10 on chapter check questions, up from 3 of 10 |
| Recommendation | Continue in the same area with a new inference target; check decoding of multisyllable words |
| Proposed new baseline | 7 of 10 overall; inferential 2 to 3 of 5 |
A short narrative goes under the table:
For new goal wording in this area, see the comprehension goal templates and the reading comprehension strategies goal hub. The guide to IEP goals for reading comprehension covers how to write them.
What parents and reviewers look for, section by section
Goal as written. Copy it exactly. Parents compare it with their copy of the IEP. A paraphrase looks like a different goal.
Baseline and final level. These two numbers carry the page. Use the same unit and the same kind of probe for both. Reviewers check that the final level is a median of several points, not the best day.
Growth made and planned. Parents read this line closely. "4 of the 5 questions planned" shows real growth even when the status is not met. It also gives the team a rate to project the next target from; see how to set realistic IEP goal targets.
Status. Use plain words. If the goal was not met, say so; the guide to writing a report when the goal was not met covers the wording.
Services delivered. Reviewers look for this first when progress was weak. If many sessions were missed, the team needs to know before it judges the goal or the method.
What helped and what got in the way. Tie each item to a date and a change in the data. "Question-type chart added in April; inferential answers rose from 1 to 2 of 5" is evidence. "Leila worked hard" is not.
Generalization. One line on whether the skill shows up outside intervention. Parents often care about this more than the probe score.
Recommendation and new baseline. This is the bridge to the new IEP. The proposed baseline should appear, unchanged, in the new present levels; the present levels for reading examples show how.
A second goal on the same page
Most students have several goals. Keep each goal's block the same shape so the team can scan across them. A behavior goal example, in short form:
| Field | Completed |
|---|---|
| Goal | Leila will begin independent work within 2 minutes of the direction in 8 of 10 observed work periods. |
| Baseline / final | 2 of 10 / 9 of 10 (last 3 weekly observations: 9, 9, 10) |
| Status | Met in May, maintained through November |
| Recommendation | Discontinue as a goal; keep the visual start card as an accommodation |
Tips for writing the summary in under an hour
- Graph every goal first. The aimline and trend line guide shows how.
- Pull session counts from your logs before you start.
- Ask each provider to fill in their own goal's block and send it 5 school days before the meeting.
- Keep the whole summary to 1 or 2 pages. Long data tables can go in an appendix.
Repeated measures over the year are what make the final level and the growth line believable.[3] If a goal has fewer than 6 data points for the year, say so on the summary.
Frequently asked questions
Is an annual review progress summary required?
Federal rules require the team to review the IEP at least once a year and revise it to address lack of expected progress, but they do not require a separate summary document. Many districts ask for one, and it makes the review faster and clearer.
Who writes the annual review progress summary?
Usually the case manager compiles it, and each provider fills in the goals they serve. The speech-language pathologist writes the speech goal block, for example. The case manager checks that every goal is covered and the format matches.
Should the summary use the last progress report or new data?
Use the newest data. If the last report went home in June and the review is in November, collect fresh probes in the weeks before the meeting. The final level should reflect where the student is now.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Comprehension goals (reading)
- Reading comprehension strategies goal hub
- Reading comprehension in the IEP glossary
- Annual review in the IEP glossary
- Progress report in the IEP glossary
- Accuracy data sheet
Related guides
- IEP progress monitoring: how to track, graph and report goal progress
- How to write an IEP progress report
- How to write a progress report when the goal was not met
- IEP progress monitoring examples by goal type
- Reading comprehension IEP goal examples
- Progress monitoring for behavior goals
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.324: Development, review, and revision of IEP, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 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.