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In order to write goals you must:

Use the information in the referral
Listen to ALL of the concerns brought up during the placement conference
Use the documentation of the placement criteria
Use the results of the mandated assessments
Have a clear understanding of the individual student’s current level of performance
Have a clear understanding of what the committee wants the student to gain during the placement in AE

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S—Specific

M—Measurable

A—Action

R—Realistic and Relevant

T—Time Limited

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Helpful Hint

When writing a goal you need to keep these four things in mind
1. You need an ACTION VERB
2. You need to know the desired result
3. You need to state by how much
4. You need to state by when

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4 Components of Good Goals

Direction of desired behavior—increase, decrease, stay the same, etc.
Area of focus—behavior, reading, math—then keep getting more specific—impulsivity--calling out
To what degree—90%, as grade level peers, minimal assistance, etc.
Time frame—2 weeks, end of semester, etc.

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Bobby’s Profile

Bobby is a 2^nd grade student who was referred to AE because he is academically and socially behind his grade level peers. “Bobby CANNOT do math and is ALWAYS out of his seat, NEVER stops talking and is NEVER here!”
It is suspected that Bobby has ADHD, but there is no documentation and the parents aren’t interested in pursuing a diagnosis.
Interventions that have been done include peer tutoring, one-on-one instruction, one-on-one sessions with the school counselor and FINS petition for the excessive absences.
Placement criteria met are lack of proficiency in math, repeated discipline referrals and excessive absences due to the parent’s negligence.
Documentation includes low math test scores and grades, long list of discipline referrals, documentation of the lack of response to the interventions tried for both the academic and social abilities and court documents concerning the excessive absences.

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Bobby’s Current Level of Functioning

STAR Reading—2.4 (On Level)

STAR Math—1.5 (Below Level)

Brigance Reading—2.6 (On Level)

Brigance Writing—2.7 (On Level)

Brigance Math—difficulty with Measurement and Data—(specifically with time and money) and Operations and Algebraic Thinking—specifically with solving word problems that call for addition of three whole numbers whose sum is less than or equal to 20)

Social, Emotional, Behavior assessments by SBMH provider—indicates Impulsivity in the Clinically Significant Range, Relational Frustration in the Significantly Above Average Range and Hyperactivity in the Clinically Significant Range

Career Interest Inventory—Kinesthetic Learner who wants to work with things rather than people, likes repetitive tasks and prefers to work at night.

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Specific

Clear description of what is to be taught
Give enough detail any educator will understand
Areas to be targeted

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Examples of Specificity

Poor:

Bobby will work on social skills.

Better:

Bobby will work on the following social skills:

A. Not talking when others are talking

B. Taking turns (water fountain, game playing, being called on in class)

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Measurable

Desired result can be counted or observed.
Lay out the ground rules.
What is the desired direction?—increase, decrease, maintain, etc.
If…Then…
Level of mastery--%, non-verbal cues, with prompts, as grade level peers, 8/10, etc.)

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Example of Measurable

Poor:

Bobby will demonstrate the following social skills:

A. Refrain from talking sometimes

B. Often patiently waiting for his turn (water fountain, game playing, being called on in class)

Better:

Bobby will demonstrate the following social skills:

A. Refrain from talking when others are talking 3 out of 5 times.

B. Patiently wait for his turn (water fountain, game playing, being called on in class) 3 out of 5 times.

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Attainable/Achievable

Is the desired action achievable for Bobby?

If not, can it be broken down into multiple goals that can be built on?

If it is not something Bobby will realistically achieve why set it as a goal?

While you want to push your students to achieve their goals you have to be realistic.

For example, how many students do you know who could refrain from talking 100% of the time.

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Example of Attainable

Bobby will demonstrate the following social skills:

1. Bobby should know to be quiet while others are talking 3 out of 5

times.

2. Without verbal or non-verbal cues, Bobby will know when it is his

turn (water fountain, game playing, being called on in class) 3 out of 5

times.

Bobby will demonstrate the following social skills:

1. With reminders, Bobby will refrain from talking when others are talking 3 out of 5 times.

2. With verbal or non-verbal cues, Bobby will patiently (being quiet and still) wait for his turn (water fountain, game playing, being called on in class) 3 out of 5 times.

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Relevant

Does this goal link to the placement criteria and the current level of functioning?
Does the goal relate to the “end game” plan for the student?
Note: Make the goals relevant to the student so that they want to achieve them

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Examples of Relevance

Bobby will adequately express his wants and needs by verbalizing them to his teacher 9/10 times.

Bobby will read a non-fictional passage of 500 words and answer the who, what, when, how questions with 90% accuracy.

Bobby will demonstrate the following social skills:

1. Without reminders, Bobby will refrain from talking when others are talking 3 out of 5 times.

2. Without verbal or non-verbal cues, Bobby will patiently wait for his turn (water fountain, game playing, being called on in class) 3 out of 5 times.

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Time-bound

Should this skill take all year?

One semester?

9 weeks?

1 day?

Why is being time-bound important?

Helps everyone, including the student know not only what is expected, but also when it is expected to be achieved.

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Examples of Time Bound

Bobby will demonstrate the following social skills:

1. Without reminders, Bobby will refrain from talking when others are talking 3 out of 5 times.

2. Without verbal or non-verbal cues, Bobby will patiently wait for his turn (water fountain, game playing, being called on in class) 3 out of 5 times.

During the first 9 weeks of school, Bobby will demonstrate the following social skills:

1. Without reminders, Bobby will refrain from talking when others are talking 3 out of 5 times.

2. Without verbal or non-verbal cues, Bobby will patiently wait for his turn (water fountain, game playing, being called on in class) 3 out of 5 times.