Reading Comprehension IEP goals for middle school (grades 6 to 8)
59 of the reading comprehension templates in the library are written for middle school (grades 6 to 8). Each opens in the builder, where the grade band is a starting point and the baseline comes from your own assessment.
59 templates · 1 skill · 6–8 · 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.
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.
Identify the cause and effect of an event
Cause and effect
By the annual IEP review date, after reading an unpracticed instructional-level passage, given 5 questions that each ask for the cause or the effect of a named event, the student will state the cause or the effect asked for in each question independently with at least 80% accuracy on cause-and-effect items, on 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
Middle school reading comprehension goals account for multiple teachers, changing classes, and more independent work. They often pair the skill with a strategy or tool, and the data can be collected across settings by different staff or by the student.
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 26 goals here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 19 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 5 goals 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
How are reading comprehension goals measured across several middle school classes?
By defining the task and the observation period so any teacher can use the same sheet, or by work samples collected from more than one class. Student self-monitoring with a weekly check is common.
Should middle school goals include study skills?
When assessment shows that organization, planning, or test preparation limits the student's progress, yes. Those goals are measured with task-analysis checklists and percent of assignments completed.
When does transition planning start?
The IEP in effect when the student turns 16 must include postsecondary goals and transition services, and many states start at 14. Middle school goals can build the self-advocacy and independence those plans rely on.
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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.