A goal that cannot be measured cannot be reviewed. The U.S. Department of Education’s IEP guide says annual goals must be measurable, and Indian IEP formats, such as those used by the Delhi Directorate of Education, also ask for annual goals with shorter targets along the way. This guide shows a simple way to write them. The examples are illustrations, not goals for any particular child, and the numbers in them are placeholders: set real targets from your child’s own starting point.
What makes a goal measurable
A strong goal answers five questions:
- What skill? Something you can see or hear, such as reading a sentence aloud or asking for a break.
- Starting from where? The current level, so progress can be seen. This is the baseline.
- How much? The target, such as how often, how accurately or how independently.
- In what conditions? Where, with whom, and with how much help.
- By when, and how will we check? A date, and a method such as an observation chart, a short test or work samples.
A simple template: By [date], [the child] will [do a specific, observable thing] [in these conditions], [how often or how well], as shown by [method].
Weak goals and stronger versions
Reading
Weak: “The student will improve reading.”
Stronger: “By March, the student will read a short passage at class level aloud, about 100 words, with no more than three errors, in four out of five weekly checks recorded by the class teacher.”
Self-regulation
Weak: “The student will behave better in class.”
Stronger: “By the end of term, when the student feels overwhelmed, they will use a break card to ask for a short break instead of leaving the room, on at least four out of five occasions, as noted on the daily chart.”
Communication
Weak: “The student will communicate more.”
Stronger: “By midyear, the student will ask an adult for help using words, signs or a picture board at least five times a day across two lessons, as counted by the classroom helper.”
Social skills
Weak: “The student will have better social skills.”
Stronger: “By December, the student will start a short exchange with a classmate, such as asking to join a game, at least twice a day at break, needing only a gesture as a reminder.”
Steps for writing goals
- Start from the child’s strengths and needs, using assessments, teacher observation and what parents report.
- Choose a small number of goals. A long list is hard to teach and hard to track.
- Write down the baseline for each goal.
- Break each annual goal into smaller steps for a month or a term, so progress shows early.
- Decide how each goal will be measured, and who will record it.
- Agree what support the child needs to reach the goal.
- Set review dates, and share the results with parents.
Common mistakes
- Vague verbs such as improve, understand or be better. Choose something you can see or count.
- Too many goals, so none of them gets enough attention.
- Goals about compliance, such as sitting quietly, when the real need is a skill, such as asking for help.
- Marks as the only measure. Communication, independence and wellbeing matter too.
- No baseline, so no one can tell whether the child has moved.
- Targets that are too easy or too hard. A goal should be a realistic stretch.
A quick check for parents
- Can I picture what this goal looks like in my child’s day?
- Could someone count it or record it?
- Does it matter for my child’s life, not just for the school’s records?
- Will I be able to see progress, and when?
You can bring these questions to the meeting. Our list of questions has more.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Education, A Guide to the Individualized Education Program.
- Reading Rockets, A Closer Look at the IEP.
- Directorate of Education, Government of NCT of Delhi (Inclusive Education Branch), Instructions for preparing the Individualised Education Plan.
This guide is general information, not legal, medical or professional advice. If something here does not match your situation, please speak to a qualified professional.