SMARTER GOALS - ATTAINABLE

SMARTER GOALS - A

DEFINE ATTAINABLE ADVANCEMENT THAT IS TIME BOUND.

So many times goals are about balance in addition to all of the other issues that need to be considered.  The goal needs to be attainable within the year, yet there needs to be enough challenge to it that progress toward greater functionality is accomplished.

• Show progress commensurate with the child's potential⁶ (circumstances) to prevent underestimation and to be challenging.
• The educational benefit is the improved, maintained or increased access to typical education experiences for the child’s age. There should be evidence of adequate and consistent progress toward attainment of the goals that increase participation in regular curriculum and participation and evidence of improvement in district-wide testing programs.
  • An IEP [individualized education program] must be reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress appropriate in light of the child’s circumstances.
  • “Every child should have the chance to meet challenging objectives.”
  • A legally sufficient IEP is no longer defined by the Supreme Court of the United States as a program designed to provide a “basic floor of opportunity” and one “designed to provide more than de minimus benefits” (more than nothing).
• Define what resources, authority, and supports are needed to accomplish the objective.
  • Specific skills to be acquired to do the skill
  • Training available
  • Human resources (instructional aide or PCA, co-teaching, related services)
  • Material resources
• Time-bound requires a start and an end to accomplish a goal.
• What are the steps and critical milestones to accomplish it? - objectives
• What intermediate outcomes are expected and by when?

This is the 4th of 8 blogs addressing the use of Smarter Goals in order to attain better functional outcomes  for our children.  Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to the blog so you do not miss any of them.

NEXT UP ON THE AGENDA

5. SMARTER GOALS: RELEVANT

6. SMARTER GOALS: TEACHABLE

7. SMARTER GOALS: EVALUATION

8. SMARTER GOALS: RESEARCH BASED

1. UNDERSTANDING SMARTER GOALS

2. SMARTER GOALS: SPECIFIC

3. SMARTER GOALS: MEASURABLE

4. SMARTER GOALS: ATTAINABLE

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AUTHORS

Marie Lewis is an author, consultant, and national speaker on best practices in education advocacy. She is a parent of 3 children and a Disability Case Manager, Board Certified Education Advocate, and Behavior Specialist Consultant. She has assisted in the development of thousands of IEPs nationally and consults on developing appropriately individualized IEPs that are outcome based vs legally sufficient. She brings a great depth of expertise, practical experience, and compassion to her work as well as expert insight, vision, and systemic thinking. She is passionate and funny and she always inspires and informs.

MJ Gore has an MEd in counseling and a degree in elementary education and natural sciences. She worked as a life-skills and learning support teacher She has been honored with the receipt of the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. She is the Director and on the faculty at the National Special Education Advocacy Institute. Her passion is social justice, especially in the area of education. She is a Board Certified Education Advocate who teaches professional advocates, educators, and clinicians the best practices in education advocacy.