Writing Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) is one of the most impactful parts of a special education teacher’s job. While some may find it daunting, I’ve come to love the process—so much so that it’s a key reason I enjoy my role as a special education coordinator! Between assisting with IEPs and attending numerous IEP meetings (I have three this week alone!), I’ve seen firsthand the importance of crafting clear, effective goals for our students.
In a previous post, we explored the importance of the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) section. Today, let’s dive into one of the most crucial components of IEP goals: mastery criteria. If you’re looking to write better goals that truly set your students up for success, here are a few key insights to keep in mind.
Rethinking the 80% Rule
Let’s address a common misconception: 80% accuracy is not a one-size-fits-all measure of mastery. Despite its common appearance in IEPs, no federal mandate dictates that every goal must be mastered at 80% accuracy. Mastery should be defined by the nature of the skill and the needs of the student.
Take the "crossing-the-street" example—a skill that must be performed with 100% accuracy for safety reasons. For certain life skills, anything less than perfection isn’t acceptable. Always consider the real-world implications of a skill when setting mastery criteria.
Avoiding Arbitrary Percentages
A practice that still shows up in some IEPs is using different percentages for each objective within a goal, such as progressing from 60% to 70% to 80%. Instead of simply raising the bar for accuracy, take a step back and break down the skill itself. How can you divide it into manageable, teachable chunks?
Thoughtfully scaffolding your instruction and gradually fading supports is far more effective than repetitive practice aimed solely at hitting a percentage.
Scaffolding for Success
When writing goals, think about the following:
Chunk the Skill: If a goal feels too ambitious, break it down. Focus on smaller prerequisites that build toward the larger skill.
Add Supports: Incorporate visuals, graphic organizers, or additional prompts to help the student succeed initially.
Plan for Fading: Once a student achieves mastery with support, you can begin removing those supports while maintaining high expectations.
For example, if a student is learning to write a paragraph, the first goal might focus on generating ideas with a graphic organizer. Once that’s mastered, the next goal could involve writing sentences with fewer supports, ultimately leading to independent paragraph writing.
Keeping Goals Clear and Measurable
A well-defined mastery criterion does more than measure progress—it ensures you’re teaching the skill, not just practicing it. Consider these final tips:
Be specific about what “mastery” looks like for the skill.
Align goals with real-world applications to ensure they are meaningful.
Set a pace that’s ambitious yet attainable within the IEP year.
With thoughtful planning, your IEP goals can become powerful tools for guiding student progress. Mastery criteria, when clearly defined and individualized, ensure that each student has the opportunity to achieve their full potential. You’ve got this!
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