Reading IEP goals for ADHD
66 reading templates across 6 skills: reading fluency, reading comprehension, phonics & decoding, vocabulary, sight word recognition, phonological awareness. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
66 templates · 6 skills · K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Reading Fluency Reading
Read connected text accurately
Oral reading accuracy
By the annual IEP review date, given an unpracticed passage at the student's instructional level, the student will read the passage aloud independently with at least 96% accuracy on words read in the passage, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by curriculum-based measurement probes collected weekly.
Self-correct meaning-changing errors
Self-correction
By the annual IEP review date, during oral reading of an unpracticed instructional-level passage, the student will stop and self-correct a misread word that changes the meaning of the sentence independently in at least 6 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Reading Comprehension Reading
Identify the main idea of informational text
Main idea and details
By the annual IEP review date, given 5 unpracticed informational paragraphs at the student's instructional level in which the main idea is not directly stated, the student will state or write the main idea of each paragraph in a sentence and name one supporting detail independently with at least 80% accuracy on main idea and supporting detail responses, on 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
Paraphrase sections at planned stopping points
Comprehension monitoring and paraphrasing
By the annual IEP review date, while reading an instructional-level informational text with 5 marked stopping points, the student will stop at each marked point and paraphrase the section's main idea and one detail in their own words independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Phonics & Decoding Reading
Apply a decoding routine to unfamiliar words
Decoding strategy use
By the annual IEP review date, when encountering an unfamiliar word during oral reading of instructional-level text, before asking for help, the student will apply the taught decoding routine (look for known patterns, say the sounds or chunks, blend, and reread the sentence) independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Timed word chain list
Word chaining
By the annual IEP review date, given a 1-minute list of CVC words arranged so each word differs from the one before by one letter, the student will read the words aloud in order down the list independently at a rate of at least 35 words read correctly per minute, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by timed probes collected weekly.
Vocabulary Reading
Look up an unfamiliar word and choose the fitting meaning
Using reference tools
By the annual IEP review date, when encountering an unfamiliar word during independent reading of a content-area text with a glossary or digital dictionary available, the student will look up the word and record a meaning that fits the sentence using a printed step card, performing at least 5 of 6 steps independently, on 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly.
Complete a word map for a new word
Word maps
By the annual IEP review date, given a new word from the current unit, its definition, and a blank four-part word map (meaning in own words, example, non-example, picture or sentence), the student will complete the word map with the meaning in their own words, an example, a non-example, and a sentence or picture independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 8 on a 4-part word map rubric scored 0 to 2 per part, on 3 of 4 consecutive scored maps, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected weekly.
Sight Word Recognition Reading
Find a word on the word wall
Using the word wall
By the annual IEP review date, during a writing block, when the student needs a high-frequency word that is posted on the class word wall, the student will start searching the word wall and find the needed word independently within 15 seconds, on 4 of 5 observed writing blocks, as measured by latency recording collected twice weekly.
Sort own word cards: known or practice
Self-monitoring word practice
By the annual IEP review date, during independent word practice, given their personal word bank of 10 to 15 cards, the student will independently read each card and place it in the known pile only when read correctly without sounding out in at least 13 of 15 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Phonological Awareness Reading
Show sound counts in a class warm-up
Whole-group response formats
By the annual IEP review date, during a 10-minute whole-class phonemic awareness warm-up, when the teacher says a word and the class shows the number of sounds, the student will hold up the number of fingers or the card that matches the number of sounds in the word independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed warm-ups, as measured by direct observation collected twice weekly.
Phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. Students with ADHD are most often served under Other Health Impairment, and the goals that follow are the executive function, attention, and self-management goals that teams write most. Each one uses a unit that fits the behavior: seconds for starting work, minutes for staying engaged, and percent for work turned in.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 22 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 17 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 6 goals here
- Duration trackerTimes how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.Used by 2 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 10 goals here
- Latency trackerTimes the gap between a cue and the start of the response.Used by 1 goal here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 7 goals here
- Reading fluency trackerWords attempted, errors, words correct per minute, and accuracy for each probe.Used by 1 goal here
Frequently asked questions
Does a student with ADHD automatically get an IEP?
No. ADHD is not its own IDEA category. A student may qualify under Other Health Impairment when the condition affects educational performance and the student needs specially designed instruction. Some students are served with a Section 504 plan instead. The evaluation team decides.
What makes an attention goal measurable?
A clear definition of the behavior (eyes on task, materials in hand, responding when asked), a defined observation period, and a numeric criterion such as minutes engaged or intervals on task. 'Will pay attention' is not measurable; 'will remain engaged for 15 of 20 minutes of independent work' is.
How are reading goals measured for students with ADHD?
With the same measures as any reading goal: accuracy on word lists for decoding, words correct per minute on an unpracticed passage for fluency, and percent of questions answered or a rubric for comprehension. The disability informs the supports and conditions, not the measure.
Which reading skill should the goal target first?
The one the evaluation shows is limiting progress. Foundational skills (phonological awareness, decoding) usually come before fluency, and fluency before comprehension goals that depend on it, but assessment, not sequence, decides.
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