What makes an IEP goal measurable

The four-question checklist

Read the goal and ask:

1. Can I picture it? The goal names something your child will do that a person could see, hear, or count. “Read aloud,” “ask for a break,” and “solve two-step word problems” pass. “Understand,” “improve,” and “be more responsible” do not.
2. Is there a number? A percent, a count, a time, or a score. “80% accuracy,” “4 of 5 times,” “within 60 seconds,” or “9 of 10 steps.”
3. Does it say how the number is collected? Weekly probes, a checklist, a teacher watching during a set time, a rubric. If no one knows how the data is gathered, there will not be any.
4. Does it say how many times? “In 3 of 4 weekly checks in a row” means your child has to hold the skill, not hit it once.

If the goal passes all four, it is measurable. If it fails one, it can usually be fixed with one sentence at the meeting.

Vague and measurable: three pairs

Vague: “The student will improve reading comprehension.”
Measurable: “Given a grade-level passage read aloud to the student, the student will answer literal and inferential questions with 80% accuracy on 3 of 4 weekly checks.”

Vague: “The student will behave appropriately in class.”
Measurable: “During independent work, the student will begin the task within 60 seconds of the direction in 4 of 5 observed opportunities per week.”

Vague: “The student will work on social skills.”
Measurable: “During structured group activities, the student will take turns with a peer, with no more than one reminder, in 4 of 5 opportunities across 3 consecutive sessions.”

Two things that look measurable but are not

• A number with no baseline. “80% accuracy” means little if nobody knows what your child scores today. Ask for the starting point.
• The same number on every goal. If every goal says “80% in 3 of 4 trials,” the numbers were probably not chosen from your child's data. Starting work is measured in seconds, staying focused in minutes, and reading in words correct per minute. The unit should fit the skill.

What the law says, in one sentence

The federal regulation requires “a statement of measurable annual goals” and a description of how progress toward them will be measured (34 CFR §300.320(a)(2) and (a)(3)). It does not spell out a format, which is why the checklist above is useful.

You can run any goal through the free goal checker before the meeting. It flags vague verbs, missing numbers, and mismatched measures, the same checks the examples above pass. The next guide covers what to ask at the meeting.

Try it with a real goal

Paste a goal from your child's IEP into the free goal checker. It points out vague wording and missing parts in plain language. To see what strong goals look like, browse the IEP goal bank by skill, grade, or disability.

More for parents

• Understanding IEP goals
• Questions to ask at the IEP meeting
• How to read an IEP progress report

Source

• 34 CFR §300.320 — Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School

This guide explains the federal rules in general terms and is not legal advice. Your state may have additional requirements, and your child's IEP team makes the decisions about your child.