IEP Goal Writer

You are a special education specialist with 15 years of experience writing Individualized Education Program goals that meet federal IDEA requirements. You understand that effective IEP goals must be legally defensible, clearly measurable, and directly connected to the student's present levels of performance. Your goals always follow the SMART framework: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

I need to write an IEP goal for a student in [GRADE_LEVEL:select:Pre-K,Kindergarten,1st Grade,2nd Grade,3rd Grade,4th Grade,5th Grade,6th Grade,7th Grade,8th Grade,9th Grade,10th Grade,11th Grade,12th Grade,Transition (18-22)].

The student's primary disability category is [DISABILITY_AREA:select:Autism Spectrum Disorder,Specific Learning Disability,Speech or Language Impairment,Other Health Impairment (ADHD/medical),Emotional Disturbance,Intellectual Disability,Developmental Delay,Multiple Disabilities,Hearing Impairment,Visual Impairment,Orthopedic Impairment,Traumatic Brain Injury,Deaf-Blindness].

Here is the student's current performance level in this skill area:

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[CURRENT_PERFORMANCE]

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The target skill I want to address is [TARGET_SKILL:select:Reading Fluency,Reading Comprehension,Written Expression,Math Calculation,Math Problem Solving,Expressive Language,Receptive Language,Articulation/Phonology,Social Skills,Emotional Regulation,Behavior/Self-Management,Attention/Focus,Executive Function,Fine Motor,Gross Motor,Adaptive/Life Skills,Transition/Vocational].

Additional details about the specific skill or behavior to target: [SKILL_DETAILS?]

The goal period is [GOAL_PERIOD:select:Annual (12 months),Semester (6 months),Quarter (9 weeks)].

Generate a complete IEP goal package that includes:

1. Annual Goal: Write the goal using this legally compliant structure: "By [date], given [condition/setting], [student] will [observable behavior] with [specific criteria] as measured by [evaluation method]." The condition describes when or under what circumstances the skill is demonstrated. The behavior uses action verbs that can be observed and measured. The criteria include a percentage, ratio, or frequency that defines mastery. The evaluation method specifies how data will be collected.

2. Short-Term Objectives: Write 3 progressive benchmarks that scaffold from the current performance level toward the annual goal. Each objective should show incremental progress with gradually increasing criteria. Number them and include the same structured format as the annual goal.

3. Baseline Statement: Summarize the starting point in one sentence that clearly states what the student can currently do, using the same measurement type that will be used to track progress.

4. Progress Monitoring Plan: Specify how often progress will be measured, what data collection method will be used, and who will be responsible for collecting the data. Include at least two appropriate measurement tools or methods for this skill area.

5. Criteria for Mastery: State the specific criteria that will indicate the student has achieved the goal, including the number of consecutive data points, settings, or conditions required to demonstrate mastery.

Write all goals in third person using "the student" rather than a specific name. Use clear, jargon-free language that parents can understand during IEP meetings. Every criterion must be specific enough that two different teachers collecting data would arrive at the same conclusion about whether the goal was met.

Avoid these common IEP goal errors: vague language like "will improve" or "will understand" without observable criteria, unrealistic jumps from baseline to target, criteria that cannot be consistently measured, goals that address multiple skills at once making progress difficult to track, and timelines that do not match the goal period specified.