Dyslexia can slow the search for a spoken word, so a child who knows the answer stalls or swaps in an easier one. The goal should list the words practiced, define what counts as a slip, and note who receives that tally. 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 17, 2026.
Is this your goal?
“Student will express thoughts clearly during class discussions as observed by staff.”
It never says which words are tested, what counts as a swap, or when the count is due.
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“Shown ten picture cards, Dario will name each within five seconds without a sound swap, on 8 of 10 cards.”
Strong“Shown ten picture cards, Dario will name each within five seconds without a sound swap, on 8 of 10 cards, tallied weekly and reported each quarter.”
Baseline
Today Dario names five of ten cards.
Countable
A clean five-second name without swapping counts.
Reported
No quarter is named for this tally.
With no date attached, a strong week can vanish before anyone reads it, and swapped sounds continue unnoticed.
IDEA requires the IEP to say how progress is measured and reported: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3).
“How often will this weekly tally be sent home, and on what day?”
Somewhere in the progress-reporting box a quarter should be circled for this card tally.
3rd through 5th grade
Weak“Given a science word list read aloud once, Dario will retrieve and say each word correctly within four seconds, tallied monthly.”
Strong“Given a science word list read aloud once, Dario will retrieve and say each word correctly within four seconds, on 4 of 5 lists, tallied monthly.”
Baseline
Dario retrieves 2 of 5 lists correctly.
Countable
Correct word said within four seconds counts.
Reported
Monthly tally sheets cover all five lists.
With no list count set, one strong list can be called progress while most science words still stall him.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“Does he have to pass all five lists, or just some?”
Present levels should record lists passed out of five, dated.
6th through 8th grade
Weak“Dario will say the whole word in the right sound order, on 3 of 4 sets, reported each semester.”
Strong“Given a vocabulary card with the word broken into syllables, Dario will say the whole word in the right sound order, on 3 of 4 sets, reported each semester.”
Baseline
Without syllables split, Dario reorders half his sounds.
Countable
Whole word said in right order: one pass.
Reported
Progress arrives on report cards twice yearly.
Drop the syllable break and the card quietly disappears, so Dario gets scored on a support he never received.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“Does this goal spell out the syllable break, or take it for granted?”
Find the syllable-split card on the accommodations page, named as a support.
9th through 12th grade
Weak“In a small-group discussion given the terms in advance, Dario will communicate effectively, on 4 of 5 discussions, logged each quarter.”
Strong“In a small-group discussion given the terms in advance, Dario will use each assigned term correctly in speech, on 4 of 5 discussions, logged each quarter.”
Baseline
Dario avoids assigned terms in most talks.
Countable
Each assigned term said correctly counts once.
Reported
Quarterly totals land in his transition file.
Nobody fails at communicating effectively, so a semester of checkmarks can pass while Dario still avoids every hard word.
IDEA requires goals to be measurable: 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2).
“What exactly gets marked when he skips or mangles a term?”
Look at the services page and see if it funds spoken vocabulary minutes.
What to ask the team
Was this baseline taken from speech, or borrowed from his reading scores?
Does a swapped sound count against him more than once?
Will this be scored in content classes, or only during speech pull-out?
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.
