With autism, a word problem can go unsolved because its wording strayed from a practiced pattern, with the arithmetic already mastered. The goal should separate the story from the arithmetic, and name the response mode Miles uses to show his reasoning. 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 14, 2026.
Is this your goal?
“Student will demonstrate math reasoning skills with 80% accuracy as measured by classroom assessments.”
Nothing here separates a story he misread from arithmetic he got wrong, or says how Miles answered.
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“Given a two-step picture story, Miles will act it out with counters and tell how many are left, tallied weekly and shared each quarter.”
Strong“Given a two-step picture story, Miles will act it out with counters and tell how many are left, on 3 of 4 stories, tallied weekly and shared each quarter.”
Baseline
Miles tells the total on 1 of 4.
Countable
Acting out and counting leftovers: two marks.
Reported
Twelve weekly tallies feed each quarter.
Skip the target count and a good story can pass as reasoning while the pattern beneath it goes untaught for a year.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“Can we write how many stories out of four this covers?”
Check the goal page to see if these picture stories are named there.
3rd through 5th grade
Weak“Miles will circle the question and pick the operation, on 4 of 5 problems, scored weekly, sent home quarterly.”
Strong“Given a word problem retold in new wording, Miles will circle the question and pick the operation, on 4 of 5 problems, scored weekly, sent home quarterly.”
Baseline
New wording drops Miles to 1 of 5.
Countable
Circling the question, picking operation: two marks.
Reported
Weekly scores, one quarterly send-home total.
With the new wording unwritten, the goal gets scored on practiced problems, and the phrasing that stops Miles goes untaught.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“Will he be scored on problems worded in a new way, or familiar ones?”
Find present levels and look for a score on problems worded a new way.
6th through 8th grade
Weak“Using a labeled diagram instead of speaking his steps, Miles will demonstrate math reasoning skills, on 3 of 4 problems, counted each semester.”
Strong“Using a labeled diagram instead of speaking his steps, Miles will mark the two numbers he combines, on 3 of 4 problems, counted each semester.”
Baseline
Speaking his steps, Miles solves one of four.
Countable
“Demonstrate math reasoning skills” names no numbers combined.
Reported
Twice yearly, a dated count arrives.
Nobody can score “demonstrate math reasoning skills,” so Miles collects a semester of checkmarks while the numbers he combines stay unmarked.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“What exact mark on the diagram would count as reasoning here?”
See if speaking aloud is required anywhere on the accommodations page.
9th through 12th grade
Weak“Given a multi-step diagram problem, Miles will show each written step and state the final answer, on 3 of 5 problems.”
Strong“Given a multi-step diagram problem, Miles will show each written step and state the final answer, on 3 of 5 problems, reported each semester.”
Baseline
Every step shown: 1 problem in 5 today.
Countable
Each written step, present or missing: one mark.
Reported
Nothing here names the reporting semester.
Skip naming when this gets reported, and a solid September folder can still be the newest proof at the spring review.
IDEA requires the IEP to say how progress is measured and reported: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3).
“Which semester does this get reported, and how will I know?”
Open the services page for who works these diagrams with him.
What to ask the team
Was the miss the story problem, the arithmetic, or the mode of answering?
Does the baseline separate wording Miles knows from wording that is new?
Can he show his reasoning without speaking it aloud in the moment?
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.
