Goal vs accommodation: what belongs where
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
An IEP goal is a skill the student is expected to get better at, measured over the year. An accommodation changes how the student gets information, responds or is tested, without changing what is learned. Ask: is the student expected to improve at this? If yes, it is a goal. If it removes a barrier so the student can show what they know, it is an accommodation.
"Will use a calculator for math" shows up in goals sections more often than it should. So does "will be given extra time." Neither is a skill the student is learning. Both are ways to get around a barrier. When they land in the goals section, the IEP ends up measuring whether adults provided a support, not whether the student grew.
The reverse happens too. A team lists "speech-to-text" as an accommodation for a student who cannot yet use it, then wonders why it never helps. Sometimes the student needs a goal to learn the tool before the tool can work as an accommodation. This page shows how to tell the two apart and when to write both.
The deciding question
If yes, write a goal with a baseline and a criterion. If the item changes how the work is presented, done, timed or set up so the student can show what they know, it is an accommodation. If it changes what the student is expected to learn, it is a modification.
Side by side
| Feature | Annual goal | Accommodation | Modification |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A skill the student will improve, measured | A change in how the student accesses or shows learning | A change in what the student is expected to learn |
| Federal basis | Measurable annual goals[1] | Supplementary aids and services, and accommodations on assessments[1] | Program modifications[1] |
| Measured over time? | Yes, from a baseline toward a target | No; you track whether it is used and whether it helps | Grades reflect the changed standard |
| Changes during the year? | Data should show steady growth | Stays in place while the barrier remains | Stays unless the team revises it |
| Example | Will write a paragraph scoring 10 of 12 rubric points | Uses speech-to-text for written work in science | Writes 3 sentences where peers write 2 paragraphs |
| Where it is written | Goals section | Accommodations, supplementary aids and testing sections | Modifications or program section |
| Who decides | The IEP team, including parents[2] | The IEP team | The IEP team |
| State tests | Not applicable | Must match what state test rules allow[3] | Can affect which test the student takes |
Rules for testing accommodations come from each state's assessment policies. Check your state's list before promising an accommodation on a state test. The IRIS Center module on accommodations covers instructional and testing supports in more depth.[4] For 30 paired examples, see accommodations vs modifications. This is general information, not legal advice.
Three classroom cases
Case 1. "Will use a calculator for multi-step math problems."
Answer: accommodation. The math skill being taught is setting up and solving the problem. The calculator removes computation as a barrier. Write it in the accommodations section. If the team also wants the student to learn which operation each problem needs, that is a goal, measured with problems where the calculator is allowed: "given 10 two-step word problems and a calculator, will write the correct equation for at least 8."
Case 2. "Will ask for a break when frustrated."
Answer: goal. The student is learning a new skill, asking instead of leaving. It has a baseline (1 of 5 times) and can grow. Use a goal such as ask for a break instead of leaving the task. The break itself, a place and a time limit, is a support listed in the behavior plan or accommodations. The goal measures the asking.
Case 3. "Will be given text-to-speech for all reading assignments."
Answer: accommodation, possibly paired with a goal. Text-to-speech lets the student get content from grade-level text. That is access. But if the student cannot yet open a document and start the read-aloud alone, a short goal to use the tool independently makes the accommodation usable. The library has one: open a digital book and start read-aloud.
When you need both
The strongest IEPs often pair the two. The accommodation removes the barrier now. A goal builds the student's ability to use or ask for that accommodation on their own, so it travels with them to the next grade, the next school and eventually work.
| Accommodation | Paired goal | Template |
|---|---|---|
| Speech-to-text for written work | Dictate sentences and fix recognition errors, 85% of sentences | Dictate with speech-to-text |
| Listed testing accommodations | Request a listed accommodation when a task calls for it, 4 of 5 times | Request an accommodation |
| Keyboard for long writing | Use space, shift and backspace correctly, 85% of key uses | Use space, shift and backspace |
| Visual schedule | Check the schedule and move to the next activity on time | Begin the next activity after a change |
Write the pair so they point to each other. The present levels should say which accommodation the student uses and how well, which is the baseline for the paired goal.
Common mix-ups and how to fix them
- An accommodation written as a goal. "Will receive preferential seating" measures the adult. Move it to accommodations. If seating is linked to a skill, such as attending to instruction, write that skill as the goal.
- A goal with an accommodation buried in the condition. "Given extended time, will complete a test" blurs whether the student got faster or just had more time. Put the accommodation in its section and measure the skill under fixed conditions.
- A modification called an accommodation. "Shortened spelling list" changes what is learned if the words removed are the ones peers must master. Call it a modification so grades and reports are honest.
- An accommodation the student cannot use. Listing a tool is not the same as teaching it. Add a short goal or a training note.
The page of non-measurable IEP goals examples has more goals that turned out to be services in disguise. For the full goal-writing method, see how to write IEP goals. When a draft is ready, paste it into the goal checker; a goal that only names a support will fail the behavior check.
Frequently asked questions
Can an accommodation be an IEP goal?
Not as written. An accommodation describes a change adults make. It can become a goal when the student is learning to use or request it, such as learning to use speech-to-text independently or to ask for a listed accommodation.
What is the difference between an accommodation and a modification?
An accommodation changes how the student learns or shows learning, without lowering what is expected. A modification changes what the student is expected to learn, such as fewer or easier standards. Modifications can affect grades and diploma options.
Do accommodations need data like goals do?
They do not need a baseline and target, but teams should check whether each accommodation is used and whether it helps. An accommodation the student never uses, or that does not change performance, is worth revisiting at the next meeting.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Accommodation in the IEP glossary
- Modification in the IEP glossary
- Supplementary aids and services in the IEP glossary
- Request an accommodation goal template
- IEP goal checker
Related guides
- How to write IEP goals: a step-by-step method with examples
- Present levels (PLAAFP) examples that lead to measurable goals
- IEP goal examples: measurable goals for every area
- IEP goal vs objective vs benchmark
- IEP goals and objectives examples, by area
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR §300.321: IEP Team, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.160: Participation in assessments, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- Accommodations: Instructional and Testing Supports for Students with Disabilities, IRIS Center, Vanderbilt University
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.