ADHD shortens the gap between an urge and the act, so a behavior goal is teaching that pause one moment at a time. The goal should say what she is learning to do instead, the moment it applies, and who tracks it. Open your child’s IEP to the goal page and read one goal for three things: the baseline it starts from, the behavior someone could count, and the date it gets reported.
By The Advocate Ally, checked against the rules it cites. Sources checked September 15, 2026.
Is this your goal?
“Student will self-regulate during transitions and follow classroom procedures independently.”
It never says what procedure this covers, or how staff would score it.
What the rule says
“A statement of measurable annual goals … [and] [a] description of … [h]ow the child’s progress toward meeting the annual goals will be measured, and when periodic reports … will be provided.”
34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)(i) and (a)(3)
The rule’s own example of a periodic report is quarterly, issued with report cards: four updates a year.
The three tests
Every strong goal below passes all three.
BaselineWhere your child is today, as a number with its date, in present levels.
CountableA behavior two adults would tally the same way. Read the goal: what would you count?
ReportedHow often the number comes home. Check the progress-reporting box, then the last report sent.
Weak“Wanting a turn at circle time, Maren will raise her hand and wait to be called on, on 4 of 5 circles.”
Strong“Wanting a turn at circle time, Maren will raise her hand and wait to be called on, on 4 of 5 circles, tallied daily and sent home quarterly.”
Baseline
Waits for her turn once in five circles.
Countable
Hand up, mouth closed until her name.
Reported
Daily tally, sent home quarterly with grades.
With no day set for the count to reach home, weeks of blurting can pass unnoticed by anyone outside the room.
IDEA requires the IEP to say how progress is measured and reported: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3).
“Which day does this count reach me, and how often?”
Ask whether the services page states how often this tally gets shared.
3rd through 5th grade
Weak“Given a stop-and-think card at her desk, Maren will raise the card before leaving her seat, tallied daily and reviewed monthly.”
Strong“Given a stop-and-think card at her desk, Maren will raise the card before leaving her seat, on 4 of 5 work blocks, tallied daily and reviewed monthly.”
Baseline
Maren manages one of five work blocks today.
Countable
Card raised before standing: one visible action.
Reported
Monthly review turns tallies into a trend.
With no target set, one raised card can pass the same as five, so nobody sees whether the strategy is working.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“How many raised cards each day would count as real progress?”
Check present levels for how many blocks Maren manages without the card today.
6th through 8th grade
Weak“During a disagreement at recess, Maren will use calm-down strategies, on 3 of 4 tracked incidents weekly.”
Strong“During a disagreement at recess, Maren will hand her cool-down card to the yard supervisor instead of yelling, on 3 of 4 tracked incidents weekly.”
Baseline
Card handed over on 1 of 4 incidents.
Countable
Nothing says whether the card gets used.
Reported
Weekly counts reach the log each Friday.
“Use calm-down strategies” lets two adults score the same outburst differently, so Maren can pass without changing anything.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“What one specific action would count as meeting this goal?”
Flip back through the meeting notes and look for a cool-down card.
9th through 12th grade
Weak“Maren will hand the pass to the nearest adult and step out, on 4 of 5 flagged periods, logged each term.”
Strong“Given a signed pass from her case manager, Maren will hand the pass to the nearest adult and step out, on 4 of 5 flagged periods, logged each term.”
Baseline
Leaves with a signed pass once in five.
Countable
Pass handed over, then out: one check.
Reported
One logged number at each term’s end.
Without the pass named, walking out unasked scores the same as leaving with it, so the goal reads met while she leaves.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“Is the pass written into her plan, or something staff hand out at will?”
Look for a note in the accommodations page about this signed pass.
What to ask the team
What is the moment this goal is asking her to get through?
What replaces the old response while the new one is still shaky?
Will every classroom adult use this cue the same way?
An example is not your child’s goal: it does not replace the data the team starts from, or advice from someone qualified in your state.
Have every goal in your IEP checked against these three tests, free.
The review reads every page you upload, flags each goal missing a baseline, measurable criteria, a target or a timeline, and quotes the wording with its page.
