Reading Comprehension IEP goals for grades 3 to 5
43 of the reading comprehension templates in the library are written for grades 3 to 5. Each opens in the builder, where the grade band is a starting point and the baseline comes from your own assessment.
43 templates · 1 skill · 3–5 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Reading Comprehension Reading
Answer literal questions about a passage
Literal questions
By the annual IEP review date, after reading an unpracticed instructional-level passage and given 10 literal questions about it, with the passage available for look-backs, the student will answer who, what, where, when, and why questions about details stated in the passage independently with at least 80% accuracy on literal comprehension questions, on 3 of 4 consecutive weekly passages, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
Retell a story with key elements
Narrative retell
By the annual IEP review date, after reading an unpracticed instructional-level narrative passage, the student will retell the story orally in sequence, including the characters, setting, problem, key events, and resolution without looking back at the text, earning a score of at least 8 out of 10 on a 5-element story retell rubric scored 0–2 per element, on 3 of 4 consecutive scored retells, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
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.
Make inferences supported by text evidence
Inference with text evidence
By the annual IEP review date, after reading an unpracticed instructional-level passage and given 3 inferential questions, the student will answer each question with an inference and a quoted or paraphrased piece of text evidence that supports it independently, earning a score of at least 9 out of 12 on an inference-and-evidence rubric (3 questions, each scored 0–2 for the inference and 0–2 for the evidence), on 3 of 4 consecutive scored probes, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
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.
Answer questions about grade-level text heard aloud
Comprehension of grade-level text with access supports
By the annual IEP review date, given a grade-level text presented through text-to-speech or read aloud by an adult, followed by 10 literal and inferential questions, the student will answer each question orally or in writing independently with at least 80% accuracy on comprehension questions, on 3 of 4 consecutive probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected every two weeks.
Grades 3 to 5 reading comprehension goals build on foundational skills and begin to use longer tasks, multi-step work, and independence as the target. Measurement shifts toward curriculum-based probes, work samples, and rubrics the student can see.
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 20 goals here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 13 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 8 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 1 goal here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 1 goal here
Frequently asked questions
What changes in reading comprehension goals between the early and upper elementary grades?
Tasks get longer and more independent, and the support level in the goal moves from prompts toward checklists and self-monitoring. The measure often changes too, from direct observation to work samples and probes.
Can an upper elementary goal include self-monitoring?
Yes. Students at this age can check their own work or rate their own behavior, and the goal can measure both the skill and the accuracy of the self-rating.
How do I set a criterion for a grade 3 to 5 student working below grade level?
Use the student's baseline on the measure and expected growth for that measure, not the grade-level benchmark. The goal should be ambitious for the student, as Endrew F. requires, and reachable within the year.
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Count trials, prompts, and minutes live in the session; the graph and trend line draw themselves; progress reports are drafted from your data.