Every child is unique and will learn at his or her own rate. The goal is to continue to challenge students as they continue to progress towards their goals, or have met their goal and a new goal is established. We should have challenging, yet attainable goals established for our students.
We have received many calls over the past few months regarding student goals. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
*Goals should progress. Baseline data should be provided to show where the student is performing at the time the goal is established and progress reports should show data to support progress toward goals.
*Goals should be challenging, yet attainable. Teams should not be repeating the same goals time and time again. Once a goal is met, a new goal should be established. If a goal is not met, it should be reviewed and the team should work together to determine if it is appropriate to continue the goal, or establish a new goal.
*Goals should make sense. If something doesn’t make sense to you, ask questions and work collaboratively to establish a more appropriate goal.
*Proposed goals should be sent with the draft paperwork at least three days prior to the meeting. This is an appropriate time to ask questions or provide feedback regarding the documentation, which often helps to move the meeting along since schedules are often tight for teams during scheduled meeting days. However, if more time is needed, it is fine to reconvene if the scheduled time is not long enough.
*Remember, you are a member of the team and contribute to the development of the IEP. If you have questions or concerns, make sure they are noted.
If you have questions or concerns about your child’s goals, reach out. We would be happy to help!
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