IEP goals for group work

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

A group work IEP goal names the group task, the student's specific part in it and a criterion, scored the same way every time. Example: during science lab groups, Nora will complete her assigned job, such as materials manager, and share at least 1 idea per session on 4 of 5 labs, scored on a group work rubric.

Group work asks a lot at once: talk at the right time, listen, agree on a plan, do your share and handle the moment when someone disagrees. A student can be strong in the content and still struggle in a group, or the reverse. A group work goal picks one or two of those demands and measures them during real class groups.

The 12 goals below are grouped into four sub-skills, with fictional baselines and template links. The numbers are illustrations. Goals for a pull-out group are in social skills group goals. Broader peer goals live in peer interaction IEP goals and social skills IEP goal examples. The social-emotional IEP goals pillar covers the whole area.

Set up the group before you judge the student

Many group work problems are design problems. Before writing a goal, check how groups run in the classes where the student struggles.

Group size. Groups of 3 or 4 give each student a clear part. Groups of 6 let some students disappear and overwhelm others.
Roles. Assigned jobs, such as recorder, timekeeper, materials manager or reporter, make expectations concrete. Rotate them, and let the student start with a role that fits a strength.
A visible product. A shared worksheet, a poster or a lab sheet shows who did what.
Talk supports. Sentence starters ("I think... because...", "Can you say more about...?") help students who freeze or who talk over others.

Flexible grouping is on the short list of core practices for teaching students with disabilities that the IRIS Center summarizes.^[1] Done well, it gives the student a real seat at the table. Some students also need accommodations in groups, such as a quieter corner, a smaller group or a written role card; see behavior accommodations.

How to choose a group work goal

What the team sees	Sub-skill	How to measure
Sits silently; others do the work	Contributing ideas	Frequency of contributions per session
Wanders off task or does a different part	Doing an assigned part	Rubric or checklist per session
Talks over others or ignores their ideas	Listening and building on ideas	Frequency or opportunities
Group falls apart after a disagreement	Disagreeing and repairing	Opportunities after disagreements

Goals for contributing ideas

These goals bring a quiet student into the conversation. Count contributions; any mode counts, including writing on a sticky note or a device.

During cooperative group work, Nora will contribute at least 2 ideas related to the task per session, spoken or written, on 4 of 5 sessions. Baseline: 0 per session. Template.
During small-group discussion, Caleb will build on a classmate's point using a sentence starter, such as "I agree, and also...", at least once per discussion on 4 of 5 discussions. Baseline: 0 of 5. Template.
When the group passes over his idea, Caleb will restate it once, calmly, such as "Can I explain my idea again?", in 3 of 4 opportunities. Baseline: goes silent on 4 of 4. Template.

Weak: "Nora will participate in group work." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It counts ideas per session and accepts written ones.

Goals for doing an assigned part

These goals measure follow-through. The role card or task list defines "done", so the score is not a matter of opinion.

During group projects, Mason will take an assigned role and complete the agreed part by the group's deadline on 4 of 5 projects. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.
In cooperative learning groups, Nora will carry out her group job, such as timekeeper or recorder, for the full session, scoring 3 of 3 on the job checklist on 4 of 5 sessions. Baseline: 1 of 3. Template.
When the group is dividing tasks, Mason will propose a fair split of the work, such as "I'll do the drawing, you write the labels," on 3 of 4 projects. Baseline: 0 of 4. Template.

Weak: "Mason will do his share." Measurable: Goal 1 above. "By the group's deadline" and "agreed part" make it checkable.

Goals for listening and building on ideas

These goals help a student who dominates, interrupts or ignores the group. They also help peers see the student as a good partner.

During group work, Caleb will ask group members for their ideas, such as "What do you think?", at least 2 times per session on 4 of 5 sessions. Baseline: 0 per session. Template.
During turn and talk, Mason will share his answer and then restate his partner's answer in 4 of 5 turn-and-talks. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.
During group discussion, Caleb will wait until a peer finishes speaking before he talks, interrupting no more than once per 15-minute session on 4 of 5 sessions. Baseline: 6 interruptions per session. Template.

Weak: "Caleb will be a better listener." Measurable: Goal 3 above. Interruptions per session is a clear count with a time frame.

Goals for disagreeing and repairing

Disagreement is part of good group work. These goals teach a student to disagree without the group breaking down, and to come back if it does.

When he disagrees with a group member, Mason will state his different opinion with a reason, such as "I think the answer is 12 because...", without insults in 4 of 5 disagreements. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.
After a conflict in a project group, Nora will take part in an adult-led repair meeting and agree to one change in 3 of 4 conflicts. Baseline: 0 of 4. Template.
After a disagreement, Caleb will rejoin the group and take a task within 5 minutes in 4 of 5 opportunities. Baseline: refuses to rejoin on 3 of 5. Template.

Weak: "Mason will get along with his group." Measurable: Goal 1 above. "A reason, without insults" is specific enough to score.

How to measure group work goals

A short rubric is the fairest way to score group work, because it separates the student's part from the group's grade. Score only the student's goal behaviors, at the end of each session. Here is a fictional 4-row rubric for Nora:

Behavior	0	1	2
Shares ideas	None	1 idea, prompted	2 or more, unprompted
Does assigned job	Did not start	Started, did not finish	Finished the job
Listens to others	Off task or interrupting	Listened with reminders	Listened and responded
Handles disagreement	Left or refused	Stayed with prompting	Stayed and offered an idea

Score out of 8 for each session. A criterion such as "6 of 8 on 4 of 5 sessions" is clear and easy to graph. The rubric scoring data sheet fits, and how to create a rubric for IEP goals explains how to write the levels. For tallies of contributions or interruptions, use the frequency data sheet.

The IEP has to state how progress toward each goal will be measured.^[2] For group work, name the class and the kind of group in the goal, so everyone collects data in the same setting.

Who records it

The teacher running the group usually scores the rubric at the end of the session. In co-taught classes, one teacher can float and score. A paraprofessional can record tallies, but should not sit inside the group, because peers talk to the adult instead of the student.

Short-term objectives

For Nora's contribution goal:

Shares 1 idea per session after the teacher gives her a sentence starter card, on 4 of 5 sessions.
Shares 1 idea per session with the card on the table but no teacher prompt, on 4 of 5 sessions.
Shares 2 or more ideas per session with no prompt, on 4 of 5 sessions in 2 classes.

Adapting by grade

Grade band	Typical group task	Goal focus
Grades K to 2	Shared building, centers, partner reading	Sharing materials, taking turns, staying with a partner
Grades 3 to 5	Science investigations, literature circles	Assigned jobs, sharing ideas, fair turns
Middle school	Lab groups, projects over several days	Dividing work, meeting group deadlines, disagreeing
High school	Long projects, presentations, online collaboration	Planning, follow-through, repair after conflict

The peer interaction goals page lists all 55 templates in that area, and the social skills goal hub groups related ones. For students who freeze when asking peers for help, the requesting help goals page has more. Check any draft with the goal checker.

Frequently asked questions

How do you write a measurable group work goal?

Name the kind of group and class, the student's specific part and a criterion. For example, during science lab groups, the student will complete an assigned job and share at least 1 idea per session on 4 of 5 labs, scored on a group work rubric.

How do you measure group work for one student?

Use a short rubric that scores only the student's goal behaviors, such as sharing ideas and finishing an assigned job, at the end of each session. This keeps the student's progress separate from the group's grade.

Should an adult sit with the student's group?

Usually not for long. An adult inside the group changes how peers talk, and they often speak to the adult instead of the student. Set up roles and supports, then record from nearby.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

High-Leverage Practices, IRIS Center, Vanderbilt University
34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School

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.