For a child with autism, a behavior can be the only request being made, and taking it away teaches no replacement. The goal should say what the behavior communicates, the replacement skill being taught, and how consistently adults respond to 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 reduce disruptive outbursts and follow classroom expectations with staff redirection.”
The line skips what the outburst is asking for and what replaces 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“When hallway noise builds during transition, Amir will hand his break card to the aide, tallied daily and mailed monthly.”
Strong“When hallway noise builds during transition, Amir will hand his break card to the aide within ten seconds on 4 of 5 transitions, tallied daily and mailed monthly.”
Baseline
Card handed inside ten seconds once in five.
Countable
One handoff, a card: easy to see.
Reported
Twenty tallied transitions, mailed as one figure.
With no seconds or day-count named, one handoff a week scores the same as five, and the hallway meltdowns continue unnoticed.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“Can we name the seconds and the day count for this card?”
Check the meeting notes for how many seconds this card allows.
3rd through 5th grade
Weak“When handwriting practice starts, Amir will press his ‘break’ button before pushing his materials off the desk, on 4 of 5 writing blocks.”
Strong“When handwriting practice starts, Amir will press his ‘break’ button before pushing his materials off the desk, on 4 of 5 writing blocks, logged weekly and shared each month.”
Baseline
Amir pushes materials before pressing anything now.
Countable
Button pressed before the push: one clean mark.
Reported
Logged weekly, these totals reach home monthly.
With no logging day and no sharing date, a month can pass before anyone sees the button get pressed.
IDEA requires the IEP to say how progress is measured and reported: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3).
“Which day gets logged, and which month brings the update home?”
Flip to the goal page and check for a stated month.
6th through 8th grade
Weak“In the cafeteria line, Amir will use appropriate calming strategies, on 3 of 4 lunches, counted every two weeks.”
Strong“In the cafeteria line, Amir will show his headphone card to the monitor instead of yelling, on 3 of 4 lunches, counted every two weeks.”
Baseline
Amir shows the card once in four lunches.
Countable
No card request or yell is named here.
Reported
Every two weeks, six lunches get one score.
A phrase like “use appropriate calming strategies” can be met by silence alone, while nobody teaches Amir to ask for headphones instead.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“What one action counts here: showing the card, or staying quiet?”
See whether present levels already mention the headphone card at all.
9th through 12th grade
Weak“Amir will hand his exit slip to the teacher before stepping into the hall, on 4 of 5 periods, reported each semester.”
Strong“With a vibrating wrist timer cueing him first, Amir will hand his exit slip to the teacher before stepping into the hall, on 4 of 5 periods, reported each semester.”
Baseline
Without the wrist timer, Amir bolts unannounced.
Countable
The exit slip, handed over: a plain yes.
Reported
Five recorded periods become a semester line.
With the wrist timer unwritten, any hallway sighting can count as met, while Amir still leaves without any warning to staff.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“What cues him before the slip, and who checks that daily?”
Check the progress-reporting box for how the timer cue gets recorded.
What to ask the team
What is this behavior actually communicating: escape, attention, or a sensory need?
Which specific replacement request is being taught in its place?
Do all adults respond to that replacement 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.
