"I've sat at over 500 IEP tables."
I'm Mary, a Special Education Advocate and the founder of The Advocate Ally. I created this special education resource because too many parents feel pressured to accept generic, "cookie-cutter" IEPs.
The guidance below is grounded in the same practical, document-based questions I raise in IEP meetings every day. Use it to ask for clearer, more individualized support for your child.
Mary
Founder, The Advocate Ally
What's Happening
Your child's IEP goals are generic, vague, or don't contain specific measurable criteria. You can't track progress because the goal itself is unmeasurable.
Your Legal Rights
Under IDEA, annual IEP goals must be measurable. If a goal does not make the progress measure clear, it may need revision.
- IDEA requires all goals to be measurable and tied to present level data.
- You can request that vague goals be rewritten as SMART goals.
- Progress must be reported using objective data tied specifically to each goal.
- You can request an IEP meeting at any time to address deficient goals.
What To Do Right Now
Review each goal using the SMART criteria: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound.
Highlight goals that lack a specific baseline, condition, criteria, or timeline.
Send a written request for an IEP meeting to revise the goals.
Bring specific examples of measurable goals to the meeting as alternatives (use our Goal Banks for templates).
Don't Go Into This Blind
Before you send a letter or file a complaint, start with the written IEP. The audit can flag documented gaps, weak language, and sections that may deserve a written question or closer professional review.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes an IEP goal 'measurable'?
Can the school refuse to rewrite goals?
What if the school says 'we've always done it this way'?
Review the document before you escalate
Upload your IEP to identify written sections that may need clarification, correction, or professional review.
Start Free Audit