Decoding the IEP Part 2: Your Guide to Ensuring Measurable Progress
Parents of children with IEPs– Have you ever felt lost in an IEP (Individualized Education Program) meeting when the school team “progress” measures? You’re not alone. Many teams provided “data” about progress that is hard to understand, or does not provide enough data. Because of this, parents struggle to understand how much progress their child is making.
IEP goals serve as a roadmap for your child’s progress. When goals are vague, confusing, or not measurable (meaning they can be evaluated using data), it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to track whether your child is making meaningful progress.
What is the Mark of a Well-Written IEP Goal?
A well-written IEP goal should be:
- Specific – It should clearly define what your child will learn and be able to demonstrate upon achieving the goal.
- Measurable – It should include a way to observe or quantify progress so that skill development can be tracked and monitored. This usually means numbers or percentages.
- Ambitious – It should be appropriately challenging.
- Relevant – It should be focused on your child’s unique needs.
- Time-bound – There should be a deadline for completing the goal with and for the interim objectives that support the goal.
When these elements are missing, it’s hard to know whether your child has made progress and how to hold the school accountable for implementing their IEP.
There is a general formula for building an effective IEP goal:
By (time frame) => the Student will (skill to accomplish) => in what setting/context (classroom, therapy, specialized instruction), => as measured by (data collection, work sample) => with (percentage, 4 out of 5 trails).
If your child’s IEP goals don’t follow this formula, you should feel empowered to ask questions and take action.
1. Ask for Clear, Meaningful Goals
If a goal doesn’t make sense to you, ask questions. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t understand this. Can you explain it?”
Ask the team to rewrite vague goals. Instead of:
“Jasmine will improve reading comprehension with 70% accuracy.”
Ask for:
“By June 2025, Jasmine will correctly answer 4 out of 5 reading comprehension questions after reading a third-grade level passage in 4 out of 5 trials.”
This version provides:
- A specific skill (reading comprehension)
- A measurable outcome (answering 4 out of 5 questions correctly)
- A timeframe (by June 2025)
2. Ask to Measure Progress in Numbers, Not Just Percentages
A school may track progress in a way that makes sense to them but not to you, leaving you unsure of whether your child is actually improving. Many parents struggle with progress reports that show only percentages. The percentages selected often lack clear criteria for measurement. They may be inappropriately low, and don’t reflect mastery of the skill addressed by the goal. For example, fluently reading a grade-level passage with 60% accuracy, the stated criteria for mastery, may not be evidence of actually achieving fluent reading. Percentages should generally be at 80% or higher and shouldn’t be the only method of measurement.
For example, if a math goal says,
“Alex will complete 75% of multiplication problems correctly.”
You can ask:
- How many total problems will he attempt?
- What level of difficulty are the problems?
- How often will he be tested?
A clearer version of this goal might replace percentages with numbers and instead say:
“Alex will correctly solve at least 15 out of 20 two-digit multiplication problems in 4 out of 5 trials by June 2025.”
3. Ask for Interim Progress Updates
Schools often report progress once a quarter, making it difficult to catch problems early. You can request more frequent updates, such as monthly progress reports or biweekly data collection.
For example, you might ask:
- How will progress be tracked through assessments, teacher observations, or work samples?
- How often will data be collected?
- When will I receive updates?
What Should You Do If the School Pushes Back?
It’s not uncommon for schools to resist making changes to an IEP. If that happens, here’s what you can do:
- Remain calm and persistent – Ask, “How can we make this goal more specific and measurable?”
- Request documentation – If a school refuses to change the criteria for mastery or change a goal so it is measurable, ask them to put the reason in writing.
- Seek outside support – A special education advocate or attorney can help if the school is not meeting your child’s needs.
Tip: Schools are legally required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to create clear, measurable IEP goals. If they are not doing so, you have the right to challenge their decision.
You don’t have to be an expert in special education to effectively participate in your child’s IEP meeting. By asking the right questions and requesting clear progress measures you can help shape an education plan that truly supports your child’s needs.
If your child’s IEP goals are confusing, vague, or lack real progress tracking, don’t be afraid to speak up. You have the power to ensure that your child gets the support they need to succeed.
This blog post is for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
If you need advice from an education lawyer or special education advocate, you can schedule a call HERE.