Measurable Goals

1. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 1
Measurable Goals:
The Road to Determining
Effective Progress
Milton SEPAC
December 2, 2014
Jennie DunKley

2. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals
Effective Progress on IEP Goals
1. Need to define what “Appropriate” and “Effective”
mean for the individual student
2. Progress, or lack thereof, must be documented
though the unique needs lens of the individual
student (that pesky “I” in IEP)
3. We can only document what we can measure
4. “A goal that is not measurable is just a slogan”
- Alan Coulter
Good Process Can Prevent Due Process

3. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 3
Turn Evaluations into Skill Building and
Accommodation Action Plan
1. The “I” in IEP begins with Evaluations
2. 45-School-Day time line starts with District’s
receipt of signed Consent to Evaluate Form
3. IF you request (send request in writing or by
email), Districts must provide copy of report(s) at
least 2 full days before the meeting

4. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 4
Massachusetts Written Assessments Must:
Define Specific Needs, and
Provide Explicit Recommendations
603 CMR 28.04(2)(c):
“Each person conducting an assessment shall summarize in
writing the procedures employed, the results, and the
diagnostic impression, and shall define in detail and in
educationally relevant and common terms, the student's
needs, offering explicit means of meeting them. The assessor
may recommend appropriate types of placements, but shall
not recommend specific classrooms or schools. Summaries of
assessments shall be completed prior to discussion by the
Team and, upon request, shall be made available to the
parents at least two days in advance of the Team discussion at
the meeting…”

5. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 5
How to Read an Evaluation
Read THREE times:
1. Kleenex
2. Highlighters
Findings, match with
Recommendations
3. Pen: Questions and Requested Actions, Filter for
Transition Student
Academic Skill
Independent Living Skills
Vocational Skill
Student with Dyslexia
All Academics (even math)
Student with ASD
Chapter 57 Skills

6. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 6
Chapter 57 Skills Check List
1. Verbal and nonverbal communication needs of the student
a. Receptive and Expressive
2. Social interaction skills and proficiencies
3. Unusual responses to sensory experiences
4. Resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines
5. Engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements
6. Behavioral difficulties
7. Other needs resulting from the student's disability that impact
progress in the general curriculum, including social and emotional
development

7. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 7
Drill Down on the Skill Deficit
1. Specific unique skills deficits must be determined through
evaluations
2. Is the deficit with mastery and application of Math Concepts or
Executive Functioning?
3. Is it Reading Fluency or Sensory Integration Processing?
4. Attention or Auditory Processing?

8. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 8
Drill Down on the Skill Deficit:
Reading Attention
1. Hearing
2. Auditory Processing
3. Phonics
4. Eyesight/Vision
5. Tracking
6. Decoding/Accuracy
7. Rate
8. Fluency
9. Comprehension
10. Vocabulary
11. Inferential Language
12. Weak working memory
13. Slow processing speed
14. Low cognitive profile
15. Language processing
16. Sensory Integration
17. Attention (see list on right)
1. Neurological dysfunction (frontal lobes);
ADHD
2. Weak working memory
3. Slow processing speed
4. Low cognitive profile
5. Language processing
6. Sensory Integration
7. Health, Nutrition, Sleep, Pain
8. Emotional: trauma, depression, ANXIETY
9. Learning Disability → Learned
Helplessness
10. Tourette’s disorder
11. Psychosocial stress (divorce, girl friend)
12. Intellectual Giftedness (boredom)
13. Postural instability

9. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals
Type Frequency Intensity Duration
Provide specific TFID information on
1. Skill
2. Support
3. Conditions: i.e., How often and where does it happen?
for each current performance level and
for each benchmark

10. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals
Skill Development vs. Support
Support:
Until John develops independent skill level or
masters a strategy to accommodate skill deficit, it is
good that he is getting support for independent use
of sensory diet strategies
Skill:
We need to work on his needing less breaks by
shifting to independent use of sensory
tool/strategy that keeps him participating –
something he can use to sustain engagement in a 1
½ hour long college class.

11. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 11
Measurement Mantra
For every benchmark,
a comparable
current performance level

12. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 12
“How will we know…”
Measurement Process for Each Goal
1. What tool will be used
a. Tool capable of translating status to data
I.Assessment of type, frequency, duration and intensity of skills and
support levels
II.Standardized, observation DATA, individual rubric
2. Who will administer the tool
a. OT, Teacher, BCBA (role or title, not individual person)
1. When will we measure (frequency)
a. Monthly, Quarterly, Annually (on IEP year, please)
capture data we can chart

13. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 13
Track Progress: Reading Fluency
Chartable Data from Progress Reports
CPL/Baseline: Sept 10:
1.1 Independ. DRA 18
Early 2nd
Grade Level
Equivalency (GLE),
Rate of 38 wpm,
85% decode accuracy
1.2 Single word verbal
prompts every 3
minutes
1.3 Sustained reading
for 9 minutes
Progress: Dec 10:
1.1 Independent DRA 20
Early 2nd
GLE
Rate of 46 wpm 95%
Decode accuracy
1.2 Single word verbal
prompts
every 5 minutes
1.3 Sustained reading for
12 minutes
Progress: March 10:
1.1 Independent DRA 25
Late 2nd
GLE
Rate of 52 wpm 95%
Decode accuracy
1.2 Single word verbal
prompts
every 8 minutes
1.3 Sustained reading for
12 minutes
Goal/Benchmarks:
1.1 Independent DRA
28, Early 3rd
GLE
Rate of 65 wpm 95%
Decode accuracy
1.2 Zero prompts
every 5 minutes
1.3 Sustained reading
for 15 minutes

14. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 14
Goal #1: Social Communication
Current Performance Level (CPL):
John actively participates in a weekly Social Thinking class. He engages in
stilted but appropriate conversation with an array of familiar peers and adults
across settings. John reports that while “talking with people in general is
better; I still have a hard time sometimes with new people.” John has
challenged himself by taking on a leadership role in an after-school club and
participating in community-based public speaking situations. John continues to
make gains in his ability to convey partnership and reciprocity in a
conversation, rather than a directive or authoritative stance. He is modulating
his rate, intonation and volume 85% of the time in familiar situations, when
provided with a nonverbal prompt (ex. soft raised hand combined with chin
down and eyebrow raise for “slower, please” or “wait your turn”).

15. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals
Annual Goal & Measurement Process
Annual Goal:
With decreased prompts (from 2 to None), John will increase
independent social awareness, engagement and in-the-moment
critical and flexible thinking across settings and tasks.
How we will know [measure]…:
Weekly monitoring and data collection on customized Excel form
by counselor and John; monthly consults with teachers and job
coach/work supervisor.
15

16. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals
Social Communication Benchmarks:
1.When engaged in a face-to-face or telephone-based interaction (ex.
interview, meeting with supervisor), with 0-1 nonverbal prompts John
will ask questions, respond to questions and receive constructive
feedback in an expected manner in 80% of measured opportunities
over a two-week period, in academic, self-structured social and work
environments. [11/2014 CPL: 60% with 2-3 nonverbal prompts]
2.In the context of unannounced informal observations, John will be
utilizing expected tone of voice, volume, rate of speech and non-verbal
signals in 70% of measured opportunities over a two-week period, in
academic, self-structured social and work environments. [11/2014 CPL:
40% with 1 nonverbal prompt]
16

17. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals
Social Benchmarks (continued):
3. When faced with an actual or hypothetical social problem (ex.
teacher he is scheduled to meet with doesn’t arrive), John will
independently identify and act upon a solution in 80% of
measured opportunities over a two-week period, in academic,
self-structured social and work environments. [11/2014 CPL:
60% with counselor previewing and/or debrief]
4. John will report on his progress with the above benchmarks to
his counselor weekly and, together, they will chart his success,
preview upcoming challenges and adjust strategies. [11/2014
CPL: not started]
17

18. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 18
Measure/Monitoring: Social Skills
Chartable Data from Progress Reports
Goal/Benchmarks:
All Settings
1.1 80% with 0-1 nonverbal
prompts
1.2 70%, independent
1.3 80%, independent
1.4 90% with weekly
coaching
Progress Feb:
School, Community, Work
1.1 80% with 2-3
nonverbal prompts
1.2 40%, independent
1.3 70% w/ previewing
1.4 50% with maximum
coaching
Progress June:
School, Community, Work
1.1 80% with 1
nonverbal prompt
1.2 60%, independent
1.3 70% w/ previewing
1.4 70% with moderate
coaching
CPL/Baseline Nov:
School, Community, Work
1.1 60% with 2-3
nonverbal prompts
1.2 40% with 1 non-
verbal prompt
1.3 60% w/ previewing
and/or debrief
1.4 0% with maximum
coaching

19. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 19
Post-Meeting Work
1) Review proposed IEP, compare to the action agenda and
your meeting notes
2) Respond to district with requested tweaks, edits and/or
rejected issues
3) Be a friendly mosquito. There is a difference between
a) developing an appropriate IEP
b) monitoring implementation, and
c) measuring progress

20. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 20
Review Proposed IEP
Does the Proposed IEP…
1. Describe the unique needs of the student
2. Identify and target precise skills development needs
3. Provide a level of support that matches the level of
identified needs
4. Propose a placement that can implement the Team’s
plan

21. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 21
Adjust as Needed
The IEP process should:
• Provide documented, data-supported “effective”
progress toward student’s vision
• Provide progress path for all needed skills
development in all transition arenas/domains
• Be dynamic and responsive to the student’s progress

22. December 2, 2014 Milton SEPAC: Measurable Goals 22
Questions?