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Yes, you can make mistakes but…

With the new MA IEP form we wonder where to put information

Put information on Present Levels page where you think it belongs – you won‘t be wrong. (Blume Method will provide suggestions)

Your district may have specific requirements for locations within the IEP

Ground yourself in FAPE, Good Faith and LRE

The IEP – You can’t do it wrong!

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Present Levels Pages

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Requirements of

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

IDEA regulations set forth the requirements for what must be included in an IEP

Among these requirements are:

(1) Present levels of academic achievement and functional performance and

(2) A statement of measurable annual goals designed to-

(A) Meet the child’s needs that result from the child’s disability…to be involved in and make progress in the general curriculum; and

(B) Meet each of the child’s other educational needs that result from the child’s disability [Emphasis added]

34 CFR 300.320 (a) (1 – 2)

https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.320

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Functional

School Mobility
Physical Participation
Use of classroom tools and materials
Social Participation
Functional Communication
Daily Living Skills

Academic

Reading
Writing
Math
Executive Function
Classroom Readiness
Classroom Participation
Play Skills

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Present Levels�Academics�

(Reading, Writing, Math, Executive Function, Play)

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Present Levels

Behavioral, Social, Emotional�

(Behavior skills�Self-awareness, Self-management, Social-awareness, Decision making, Relationship skills)

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Present Levels�Communication

(Expressive, Receptive, Social Pragmatic, Articulation)

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Present Levels�Additional Areas

(Pre-Voc. - Employability, Fine, Gross, and Visual Motor, Daily Living)

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Functional

School Mobility (Additional Areas)
Physical Participation (Academic, Additional Areas)
Use of classroom tools and materials (Academics)
Social Participation (B/S/E)
Functional Communication (Academic/Communication)
Daily Living Skills (Additional Areas)

Academic

Reading (Academic)
Writing (Academic)
Math (Academic)
Executive Function (Academic)
Classroom Readiness (Academic)
Classroom Participation (Academic, B/S/E, Communication, Additional Areas)
Play Skills (Academic, B/S/E, Communication, Additional Areas)

Where might these be found in the MA IEP? Consider these…

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How other states do it:

Rhode Island IEP Form

https://ride.ri.gov/students-families/special-education/iep-individual-education-program

New Hampshire IEP Form (pg. 2)

https://www.education.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt326/files/inline-documents/sonh/sample%20iep.pdf

Connecticut IEP Form (pg. 44)

https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sde/special-education/iepmanual.pdf?rev=8358f7fe45a741e69569acdd07a3bb10

New York IEP Form

https://www.nysed.gov/special-education/general-directions-use-states-mandatory-individualized-education-program-iep-form

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Column One

*Current Performance

(Academic, Behavioral, Social, Emotional., Communication, and Additional Areas), Performance

*not Current Performance Level – that is now Baseline

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It might be appropriate to copy and paste summaries of formal evaluations and educational assessments that were part of the formal evaluation process. (Update every three years) Provide classroom performance summaries for each content subject area. (Update yearly) If not already addressed in #1 and #2 Provide an evidence-based summary of the student’s relevant academic skills (reading, writing for purpose, writing mechanics, writing process, math, executive function, or play skills). (Update yearly) When including information from evaluations, the IEP Team may include the key conclusions from those evaluations rather than repeating extensive details that can be easily found by reading those evaluations separately from this IEP. (MA IEP Technical Guide, page 6) https://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/ImproveIEP/default.html

Column One

Current Performance

Evaluation results

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Sample Present Levels Statements

Re-Evaluation (May 2022): Results from social, emotional, and behavioral questionnaires (The Behavior Assessment System for Children, Third Edition, BASC-3, and Social Skills Improvement System, Social-Emotional Learning, SSIS-SEL) completed by teachers and self-report suggest that overall STUDENT has strengths and weaknesses across all areas assessed. He is not noted to have any more difficulties than peers with aggressive or rule-breaking behaviors, and his functional communication skills are age-appropriate. He is reported to have difficulty with attention, concentration, and focus, as well as impulsivity and hyperactivity. Additionally, STUDENT can need help listening and following directions and may make careless mistakes. Socially, he appears to possess age-appropriate skills and can create lasting relationships with others. He reportedly easily makes friends, quickly joins group activities, and is kind and helpful to others. Academically, STUDENT can have more difficulty starting and completing and schoolwork than peers. He is noted always to work hard and try to do his best. Teachers also note that STUDENT sometimes struggles with self-confidence and self-advocacy in school.

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Sample Present Levels Statements

ELA: STUDENT is making progress with the English Language Arts curriculum standards. He has been asking more clarifying questions when he isn't sure what to do next or to ensure he is on the right track. STUDENT uses provided models and supports, such as sentence starters for text structure. He has shown a consistent willingness to try new strategies that will help him grow as a reader and writer in ELA.

�Math: STUDENT is meeting the curriculum standards for 7th-grade math. He is most successful in mastering individual skills such as solving one and two-step equations, adding and subtracting integers, and identifying proportional relationships. He struggles more when applying those skills in multi-step or more complex application problems. In those cases, STUDENT benefits from having someone read the problem to him, being able to talk through it out loud, or creating a model or diagram of the situation.

�

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Column Two

�Student strengths, interest areas, preferences – Possible templates

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[Student name]’s

Academic
Behavioral
Social/Emotional,
Communication,
Pre-Voc.,
Daily Living,
Motor

strengths are

[Student name]’s

Academic
Behavioral
Social/Emotional,
Communication,
Pre-Voc.,
Daily Living,
Motor

and/or personal interest areas are

[Student name]’s

Academic
Behavioral
Social/Emotional,
Communication,
Pre-Voc.,
Daily Living,
Motor
and /or personal preferences are

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Sample Strengths/Interests/Preferences

STUDENT has excellent decoding and reading comprehension strategies. He has solid sentence-combining skills, along with average skills on lengthier writing tasks.

�STUDENT’S favorite classes in school are Physics and Blue Raider Block.

STUDENT enjoys spending time with his friends and working out.

STUDENT has strong communication skills. He is articulate and enjoys conversing with both teachers and peers.

STUDENT can access his community independently. He is social and enjoys hanging out with his friends and working out.

STUDENT has the skills to live independently and access his community.

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Sample Strengths/Interests/Preferences

STUDENT exhibits relative strengths in his ability to utilize technology, orally respond to comprehension questions, and engage in discussions that interest him.

�STUDENT's favorite classes this school year are wellness and gym.

When not at school, STUDENT enjoys both listening to and playing music. STUDENT also enjoys riding his bike. STUDENT participates in a basketball league, an area he excels at.

��

STUDENT recently expressed an interest in the culinary industry as well.

STUDENT strengths include social engagement with peers in preferred school settings such as PE, cafeteria, and technology classes.

�STUDENT prefers physical space with adults supporting him within the educational environment.

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Column Three�

Impact of the disability

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Writing the Impact of the Disability Statements

The impact of the disability statement could likely provide two forms of information:

Major areas of need that impact participation in the explicit and implicit curriculum of the school

Subset areas of need from the major areas of need

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Writing the Impact of the Disability Statements

Major areas of need that impact participation in the explicit and implicit curriculum of the school

Possible template

(consider what is in red, and write what is in blue)

[Student name]’s areas of [academic, behavioral, social-emotional, communication, motor, daily living, pre-voc.) need are (use short narrative or bullets to identify the major and subset skill areas of need)

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Sample Impact of the Disability

Andrew is a student with autism and intellectual impairment.

Reading Skills (functional comprehension): When reading, Andrew struggles to understand figurative speech, draw inferences, and comprehend complex passages without specially designed instruction. When reading unfamiliar words and sentences, lagging skills with decoding and fluency make it difficult for Andrew to understand unfamiliar words.

Math Skills (money): Andrew’s math calculation and problem-solving skills impact his ability to estimate how much money he needs and successfully shop for items. �

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Sample Impact of the Disability

STUDENT’S areas of academic need are

Reading – fluency, comprehension
Writing – grammar, spelling, punctuation, organization
Executive Function –task initiation, task completion

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Baseline

Formerly

Current Performance Level

The Baseline is the Starting Point for the IEP Year.

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The goal area is a need previously identified in the Present Levels pages (column three).

Baseline (formerly Current Performance Level) is a data and evidence-based summary of the student’s goal-focus skills. START POINT

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A Baseline (or Progress Report) should not be written without data.

Before writing a baseline, consider three things:

Data must be taken
Data must be interpreted
Data can then be written about in the baseline

Baseline�Data, Data, Data

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Data collection methods.

E.g.,

Notes from observations

Work samples

Informal Assessments (Annual)

Formal Assessments (Initial)

Checklists

Rubrics

Running records

Etc.

1. Take the data

Note the color coding here. This is relevant for the Blume Method model later

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Other sources of data?

Notes from observations Notes from sessions with the student Work samples Running records Checklists Behavioral data Curriculum-based assessments	Frequency data Duration data Interval data Rubrics Inventories Formal assessments (primarily for an initial IEP) Other?

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Baseline

The baseline refers to the student's current level of performance or skill in the targeted area. It serves as a starting point for measuring progress toward the annual goal and is determined through assessments, observations, or other data collection methods. [color added]

MA IEP Technical Guide, page 23

https://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/ImproveIEP/default.html

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2. Interpret the data

Review a specific number or percentage of data sources

E.g.,

Ten observations
80% work samples
12 checklists
Etc.

Review the data sources over time.

E.g.,

Across a specific number of consecutive weeks
Across the quarter/trimester
Across a month, two months, etc.

Note the color coding here.

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3. Write about the data

Identify when and how the data was taken for the baseline or Progress Report. (Use the green, red, blue pattern)

Identify what the data revealed regarding the subset skills from the Present Levels.

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The major area of need– executive function

�Subset skills – task initiation, task completion

Data for this baseline is based on 10 work samples and 5 observations across two months.

It was documented that starting new tasks it took Student an average of 4 minutes and 3 verbal prompts. It took Student approximately 50% more than the allotted time to complete tasks.

Blume Method 7 starter words

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Goal Number:1	Goal Area: Executive Function
Baseline (What can the student currently do?): - How much data do you need? Enough to create a valid and reliable baseline. Data for this baseline is based on 10 work samples and 5 observations across two months. It was documented that It was documented that starting new tasks it took Student an average of 4 minutes and 3 verbal prompts. It took Student approximately 50% more than the allotted time to complete tasks.
Annual Goal/Target What skill(s) will the student be expected to attain by the end of this IEP’s timeframe?		Criteria What measurement will be used to determine whether the goal has been achieved?	Method How will progress be measured?	Schedule How frequently will progress be measured?	Person(s) Responsible Who will monitor progress?

Short-term objectives and/or benchmarks (intermediate steps between the baseline and the measurable annual goal)

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Goals

Objectives

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Goal Number:	Goal Area:
Baseline (What can the student currently do?):
Annual Goal/Target What skill(s) will the student be expected to attain by the end of this IEP’s timeframe?		Criteria What measurement will be used to determine whether the goal has been achieved?	Method How will progress be measured?	Schedule How frequently will progress be measured?	Person(s) Responsible Who will monitor progress?

Short-term objectives and/or benchmarks (intermediate steps between the baseline and the measurable annual goal)

The goal area is a need previously identified in the Present Levels pages (column three).

Baseline (formerly Current Performance Level) is a data-based summary of the student’s goal focus skills

Goals are structured in four columns identifying the targeted skill, criterion/criteria, method, and schedule. In addition, the fifth column identifies the person or persons responsible for monitoring the goal. Multiple people responsible for a goal means a more holistic view of the student’s skills/needs rather than compartmentalized approaches of the past.

This part of the goal page focuses on benchmarks or short-term objectives.

The Goal is the anticipated END POINT of the IEP year.

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Seven Parts of a Goal or Objective

Condition
Accommodation or Modification
Student Name
Skill
Criterion or Criteria
Method
Schedule

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The difference between baseline, goal and objective, benchmark

Baseline = Starting Point for the IEP year
Goal = Anticipated End Point of the IEP year.
Objectives/Benchmarks = Steps between the Baseline (Start) and Goal (End)

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4. Start with the identified SKILL (the targeted skill, performance, or behavior)

EX – answer questions

Then, identify the CONDITION (what needs to be present for the skill to occur)

EX – Given content-based inferential questions

Name any necessary ACCOMMODATION or MODIFICATION the student requires for the skill

EX – word bank

Insert the STUDENT NAME

5. Identify the CRITERION or CRITERIA (the measurement of the goal)

EX – at least 80% of the questions correctly

6. What METHOD is used to measure the goal?

EX – in 7 out of 10 work samples (or in 80% of measured observations)

7. Identify the SCHEDULE (how frequently will progress be monitored?)

EX – weekly across the quarter (or across 3 consecutive weeks)

Write goals in the 7-part order BUT consider creating them inside out.

Given content-based inferential questions and a word bank Allan will answer at least 80% of questions correctly in 7 out of 10 work samples weekly across the quarter

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Condition	Accommodation or Modification	Student Name	Targeted Skill	Criterion or Criteria	Method	Schedule
Given a content-specific reading passage	And highlighted text	Student Name	Will read	At least 5 paragraphs independently	in 70% of measured reading opportunities	Across one month.
Given assignments with designated due dates	And the use of electronic calendar reminders	Student Name	Will submit assignments	On the assigned due date	In 8 out of 14 assignments	Across the quarter

Blume Method Model�The parts of single-skill goals or objectives

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Possible single-skill goals or objectives

Baseline (What can the student currently do?): Data for this baseline is based on … (follow the red, green, blue pattern)
Reading – After reading a teacher-selected content-based reading passage and highlighted text, Student will answer correctly at least 80% of questions independently in 50% of randomly selected work samples across three consecutive weeks.
Self-awareness –After instruction and support with personal abilities and guidance from counseling sessions, Student will identify at least 5 personal abilities in two teacher reports across the term.
Expressive language – Given skills and strategies learned and practiced in the context of speech and language sessions Student will describe at least 5 actions/events in 3 out of 5 observations within the context of the classroom across two months.
Physical Participation – Given strategies learned and practiced in the context of PT sessions, Student will ascend and/or descend stairs with fewer than 2 partial physical prompts in 4 out of 7 gross motor checklists across the last two consecutive weeks of the term.

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Possible single-skill goals or objectives

Writing process– Given a teacher or student-selected topic and multiple opportunities for revision and editing, Student will write about the topic that contains at least 70% of the rubric-required elements in one large writing project that spans the term.
Executive Function Given the requirement to start an activity, Student will begin the task with independently and within two minutes of the request in at least 6 out of 9 work samples across one month.
Behavior - Given a disruption in routine and interventions from the behavior plan Student will comply with the change in routine with fewer than 5 verbal aggressions in greater than 40% of daily observation data across the last two consecutive weeks of the term.
Classroom readiness – When in a teacher-led whole class activity and with verbal prompts Student will initiate a task within one minute of a request in 8 out of 10 measured observations across two consecutive weeks.

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The new MA IEP – Parts of a Goal

What skills will the student be expected to attain by the end of this IEP?	Criteria – What measurement will be used to determine whether the goal has been achieved?	Method – How will progress be measured?	Schedule – How frequently will progress be measured?	Person(s) Responsible – Who will monitor progress?
Condition, accommodation or modification, name, skill	Accuracy, frequency, latency, duration independently, time, distance, etc.	in x out of x: in x out of x% of work samples, observations, checklists,	Across The quarter The trimester The term X number of days, weeks, months X number of consecutive days, weeks	The role of the person, not the person’s name

1,2,3,4

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How the parts fit into the new IEP (single-skill goals)

Condition, accommodation or modification, name, skill	Criteria	Method	Schedule	The role of the person, not the person’s name
Given a teacher or student-selected topic to write about and a visual model to follow, Student will write	At least 5 sentences about the topic	In 8 out of 10 writing prompts	Across the quarter.	Special educator and Occupational Therapist
When in situations of conflict and with strategies learned in counseling sessions, Student will use	Five learned strategies independently	In x out of x observed occasions	Across the term	Classroom teacher and school adjustment counselor

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How the parts fit into the new IEP (multiple-skills goal)

Condition, accommodation or modification, name, skill	Criteria	Method	Schedule	The role of the person, not the person’s name
Given a [question, request,] and learned expressive language strategies, [Student name] will label, and retell,	Using at least 5 different descriptors to label or retell	In 8 out of 10 measured observations	Across the quarter.	Special educator and Speech and Language Therapist
This goal would have two subsequent objectives – one for labeling and one for retelling.

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Goal Number:1	Goal Area: Executive Function
Baseline (What can the student currently do?): - How much data do you need? Enough to create a valid and reliable baseline. Data for this baseline is based on 10 work samples and 5 observations across two months. It was documented that It was documented that starting new tasks it took Student an average of 4 minutes and 3 verbal prompts. It took Student approximately 50% more than the allotted time to complete tasks.
Annual Goal/Target What skill(s) will the student be expected to attain by the end of this IEP’s timeframe?		Criteria What measurement will be used to determine whether the goal has been achieved?	Method How will progress be measured?	Schedule How frequently will progress be measured?	Person(s) Responsible Who will monitor progress?
Given tasks with designated start and end times, Student will begin and end the tasks		immediately, independently and within the allotted time	in 7 out of 10 work samples and 4 out of 5 observations	Across two months.	Special educator, General educator
Short-term objectives and/or benchmarks (intermediate steps between the baseline and the measurable annual goal)

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Specific
Measurable
Action Words
Realistic
Time-limited (timely, time-bound)

IDEA says nothing about SMART goals – it only identifies that goals must be measurable (and, of course, observable)

SMART is a concept for writing goals

https://www.tableau.com/learn/articles/smart-goals-criteria

https://www.khanacademy.org/college-careers-more/learnstorm-growth-mindset-activities-us/elementary-and-middle-school-activities/setting-goals/v/learnstorm-growth-mindset-how-to-write-a-smart-goal

Short-term objectives and/or benchmarks

�What IDEA says about goals:

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Goals and Objectives/Benchmarks?�https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.320

(i) A statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals designed to—

(A) Meet the child’s needs that result from the child’s disability to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum; and

(B) Meet each of the child’s other educational needs that result from the child’s disability;

(ii) For children with disabilities who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate academic achievement standards, a description of benchmarks or short-term objectives;

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Federal regulations require goals for ALL students.

Federal regulations require objectives/benchmarks ONLY for students who take alternate assessments.

States can exceed the federal standards but not fall short of those standards. Massachusetts has always had goals AND objectives for all students.

Depending upon the needs of the student and the makeup of the goal, the IEP Team may break down the goal into objectives, benchmarks, or a combination of the two. (MA IEP Technical Guide, page 23, https://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/ImproveIEP/default.html)

SMART �goals and short-term objectives or benchmarks

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Blume Method suggestion –

Single skill goal = Benchmarks


Reading goal – After reading a teacher-selected content-based reading passage and highlighted text, Student will answer correctly at least 80% of questions independently in 50% of randomly selected work samples across three consecutive weeks.
Benchmark – By the end of the first term, after reading a teacher-selected content-based reading passage and highlighted text, Student will answer correctly at least 20% of questions independently in 50% of randomly selected work samples across three consecutive weeks.
Benchmark – By the end of the second term, after reading a teacher-selected content-based reading passage and highlighted text, Student will answer correctly at least 40% of questions independently in 50% of randomly selected work samples across three consecutive weeks.
Benchmark – By the end of the third term, after reading a teacher-selected content-based reading passage and highlighted text, Student will answer correctly at least 60% of questions independently in 50% of randomly selected work samples across three consecutive weeks.

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Blume Method suggestion

Multiple skill goal =n Objectives

Goal
Executive function goal – When engaged in structured discussions or role-playing activities and using self-monitoring strategies, [Student Name] will demonstrate improved EF skills of [reducing impulsive responses, and moving freely between activities, starting tasks] independently in 3 out of five measured observations across two months.
Objective - When presented with triggering stimuli or situations and learned coping strategies (such as deep breathing, counting to ten, or requesting a break), [Student name] will demonstrate improved impulse control by engaging in fewer than five impulsive responses (e.g., blurting out, interrupting, physical outbursts) with fewer than three prompts in greater than 2 out of five measured observations across two months. .
Objective - When it is necessary to move from one activity to another, [Student Name] will transition from one activity to the next within the school day, including classroom tasks, group activities, and transitions between locations, and will complete transitions within two minutes, in greater than 2 out of five measured observations across two months.