Reading comprehension IEP goals for a deaf or hard-of-hearing child
When a child is deaf or hard of hearing, a reading score can measure missed vocabulary and missed directions instead of the comprehension skill. The goal should name the access support in place, the vocabulary pre-taught, and whether the question itself reached her. 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 improve reading comprehension of grade-level text using appropriate accommodations, as measured by curriculum-based assessments.”
“Appropriate accommodations” could mean anything, and nothing says whether the question itself reached her.
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“Talia will point to the picture that matches the sentence read to her, on 4 of 5 books, checked weekly.”
Strong“With the FM system on and vocabulary pre-taught, Talia will point to the picture that matches the sentence read to her, on 4 of 5 books, checked weekly.”
Baseline
FM off: one matched book in five.
Countable
Picture matched to sentence: one mark.
Reported
Weekly checks make five dated marks a month.
Leave the FM system out and Talia is scored on words that never reached her, while her comprehension goes unmeasured.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“Does the goal say the FM system is on when she is scored?”
Check the accommodations page. Does it name the access support used for testing?
3rd through 5th grade
Weak“Reading the printed transcript of a captioned video, Talia will answer two literal and one inference question, reported quarterly.”
Strong“Reading the printed transcript of a captioned video, Talia will answer two literal and one inference question, on 8 of 10 transcripts, reported quarterly.”
Baseline
All three questions right: 2 transcripts in 10.
Countable
Two literal, one inference: three marks.
Reported
Ten transcripts a quarter, one dated score.
With no rate attached, one good transcript can stand for the quarter while Talia still misses most inference questions.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“How many of the ten transcripts must she answer correctly for this to count?”
Read present levels. Is her comprehension score listed with captions on, or off?
6th through 8th grade
Weak“Given a science article with new terms pre-taught in sign, Talia will summarize the main claim in two sentences, on 4 of 5 articles.”
Strong“Given a science article with new terms pre-taught in sign, Talia will summarize the main claim in two sentences, on 4 of 5 articles, scored each month.”
Baseline
Main claim summarized: 1 article in 5.
Countable
A two-sentence summary, present or missing: one mark.
Reported
No month is named for scoring these summaries.
Leave the month out and nobody owns the scoring, so Talia’s summaries pile up unscored until the annual review.
IDEA requires the IEP to say how progress is measured and reported: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3).
“Is a month named for scoring this, or is it left open?”
Find the progress-reporting box. Is a month written next to the article goal?
9th through 12th grade
Weak“Given a chapter with key terms pre-taught in ASL, Talia will demonstrate comprehension of the text, on 4 of 6 units, reported each semester.”
Strong“Given a chapter with key terms pre-taught in ASL, Talia will write the author’s point and one reason in her own words, on 4 of 6 units, reported each semester.”
Baseline
Own-words point: 1 unit in 6 today.
Countable
“Demonstrate comprehension” gives no point to mark.
Reported
Six unit scores come home each semester.
Nobody can score “demonstrate comprehension,” so a chapter Talia never got past the vocabulary of still earns a checkmark.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“What would she write that shows the chapter reached her?”
Read the meeting notes for the name of whoever pre-teaches chapter terms.
What to ask the team
Which access support was in the room when the baseline was taken?
Will a missed word in the passage count against her comprehension score?
Will new vocabulary be pre-taught before each passage or chapter is scored?
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.
