Preschool Reading IEP goals
68 reading templates list preschool (ages 3 to 5) among their grade bands, across 8 skills: phonological awareness, print concepts & early literacy, phonics & decoding, reading fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, letter names & sounds, sight word recognition. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
68 templates · 8 skills · Pre-K · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Phonological Awareness Reading
Blend spoken phonemes into words
Phoneme blending
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 words presented orally as separate phonemes with about a one-second pause between sounds, the student will blend the sounds and say the whole word aloud independently with at least 80% accuracy on oral blending items, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Produce a rhyming word
Rhyme production
By the annual IEP review date, given a spoken one-syllable word during a small-group phonological lesson, the student will say a real or made-up word that rhymes with the spoken word independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during small-group instruction at least twice weekly.
Print Concepts & Early Literacy Reading
Handle a book from front to back
Book handling
By the annual IEP review date, during independent book time, given an unfamiliar picture book handed to the student closed and upside down, the student will look through the book from the front cover to the back cover following the book handling steps, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, across 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly.
Turn the page when the adult finishes reading
Book handling
By the annual IEP review date, during one-to-one shared reading of a picture book when the adult reads the last word on a page and pauses, the student will turn to the next page at the pause independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Phonics & Decoding Reading
Sound out and read CVC words
CVC blending
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 printed CVC words made only of taught letters, the student will say each sound and then read the whole word independently with at least 90% accuracy on CVC words, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Blend sounds without stopping between them
Continuous blending
By the annual IEP review date, given a printed CVC word that starts with a continuous sound (m, s, f, l, n, r), the student will independently say the sounds without stopping between them and then say the word in at least 9 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Reading Fluency Reading
Echo-read a sentence with the adult's phrasing
Echo reading
By the annual IEP review date, during shared reading of a predictable book, after the adult reads a sentence aloud with natural phrasing while pointing to each word, the student will read the sentence back while pointing to each word, matching the adult's phrasing and pauses independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Join in on the repeated line of a predictable book
Choral participation
By the annual IEP review date, during a group read-aloud of a familiar predictable book with a repeated line, when the adult pauses and signals the group to read the line together, the student will say the repeated line along with the group independently in at least 5 of 6 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed read-alouds, as measured by direct observation collected daily during story time.
Vocabulary Reading
Point to the picture of a spoken word
Receptive vocabulary
By the annual IEP review date, given a spoken word from the current unit's word set and a choice of 4 pictures, the student will point to or touch the picture that matches the word independently with at least 85% accuracy on receptive vocabulary items, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Name the category and find the one that does not belong
Categories
By the annual IEP review date, given 4 pictures, 3 from one category and 1 from another, the student will point to the picture that does not belong and name the category of the others independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Reading Comprehension Reading
Point to pictures to answer questions about a story read aloud
Listening comprehension with pictures
By the annual IEP review date, after listening to a short picture book read aloud, given 5 who, what, and where questions with a choice of 3 pictures for each, the student will point to the picture that answers each question independently with at least 85% accuracy on picture-choice questions, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Put story pictures in order
Picture sequencing
By the annual IEP review date, after listening to a short story read aloud, given 3 picture cards of its main events in mixed order, the student will arrange the pictures in the order the events happened and tell what happens in each independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Letter Names & Sounds Reading
Point to a named letter
Receptive letter identification
By the annual IEP review date, given a row of 3 uppercase letter cards and the spoken name of one of them, the student will point to or touch the named letter independently with at least 85% accuracy on letter identification trials, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Name uppercase letters shown in random order
Uppercase letter naming
By the annual IEP review date, given 26 uppercase letter cards shown one at a time in random order, the student will say the name of each letter independently with at least 90% accuracy on uppercase letters, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Sight Word Recognition Reading
Match identical printed words
Word matching
By the annual IEP review date, given a printed word card and a row of 3 word cards, one of which is identical, the student will point to or place the word that matches independently with at least 90% accuracy on word matching trials, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Match a printed word to its picture
Word-to-picture matching
By the annual IEP review date, given a printed word from the student's first word set and a choice of 3 pictures, the student will point to or place the picture that goes with the word independently with at least 90% accuracy on word-picture matches, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Preschool reading goals are measured inside daily routines rather than with worksheets, and the criteria are small: a few opportunities a day, a handful of steps, short periods of time. Conditions name the routine (circle, centers, snack) so any adult in the room can take the data.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 34 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 30 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 4 goals here
Frequently asked questions
What do reading goals look like for preschool?
They describe a readiness or developmental skill performed during a classroom routine, with a criterion in opportunities or steps. The support level is written in, since most preschool goals start with prompting and fade it.
How often should preschool goals be measured?
A few opportunities on most days, recorded on a trial or task-analysis sheet. Short, frequent samples match how young children show skills.
Does a preschool IEP need the same parts as a school-age IEP?
Yes. Measurable annual goals, present levels, and progress reporting are required at every age under 34 CFR 300.320. Preschool IEPs may also address participation in appropriate activities rather than the general curriculum.
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