Section 4: Goal Details Providers have the option to use goals and/or benchmarks. Many in the state of Michigan are moving towards benchmarking. An IEP can have a variety of any of the following options: all goals, all benchmarks, or a combination of goals and benchmarks. Developing a Goal in Illuminate As in the figure above, the two options to address the Demonstrated Need are: 1) Add Goal; or 2) Add Benchmark. Clicking on the Add Goal link, will prompt the next screen. Steps to adding a goal: 1. Sort order is not required. This allows the Case Manager to determine how the goals are organized on the hard-copy IEP (i.e., all fine motor-related goals clustered together) 2. Select the "Role(s) Responsible." See NOTE & TIP below 3. This option will soon be eliminated. It doesn't matter what you select. Section 4: Goal Details - 1
4. Before modifying the goal, select a standard. NOTE: All goals/benchmarks belong to the student. They are not to be referred to as "PT Goals, OT Goals, Speech Goals," etc. "Role(s) Responislbe refers to the following: --The person responsible for monitoring progress --The person(s) whom will be implementing this goal (this can be multiple people) TIP: To select multiple staff responsible for implementation, hold down the "Ctrl" (control) key on your keyboard and click on the names to highlight. If a name is clicked by accident, while holding down the Ctrl key, click on it again. 1) Steps to selecting a standard: 5. Type in a keyword (This operates similar to a Google keyword search) 6. Select a standard from this drop down. Most goals can be linked to the Common Core Standards. 7. Select the subject area from the drop down 8. Select the grade level that matches the student's current grade level. Exception: those students whom are below or above the standard grade levels (i.e., ECSE, Transition programs, etc.) 9. Click on the SEARCH button. NOTE: MIchigan is moving towards aligning goals to the Common Core Standards. The majority of students with IEPs should have at least 1-2 goals aligned with the Common Core. Exception: Those students whom are below or above the standard grade levels (i.e., ECSE, Transition programs, etc.). Don't try to force every goal to align with the Common Core. Section 4: Goal Details - 2
2) Steps to selecting a standard: 10. To see all of the standards, click on the EXPAND ALL button--or-- 11. To expand individual sections, click on the PLUS sign and this will expand the individual sections. 12. Click on the radio button next to the standard code/number 13. Highlight the standard language and copy it 14. Paste the copied standard into the "Modified Goal Description" text box Section 4: Goal Details - 3
3) Steps to selecting a standard: 15. Be sure to modify and personalize the standard to align with the area of need as described in the "Demonstrated Need" (see blue circled area) 16. Complete the Performance Criteria with enough information to measure progress 17. For Length of Time, start the sentence with the word "by..." This can be "by the end of semester, trimester, school year, or end of IEP." 18. Click on the SAVE STANDARD or SAVE GOAL button NOTE: These three sections are linked together into one complete sentence and appear on the hard-copy IEP. Be sure to provide enough information as to how this goal will be measured for progress. Poor example: Student will print first and last name 8 of 10 opportunities by end of IEP. Eight out of 10 opportunities provides the evaluator with the level of mastery (80%), however, not "what" is being measured for mastery; any student may be able to print their first/last name, but is it legible? Regulations: The IDEA and its implementing regulations require that the annual goals relate to: Meeting the student s needs that result from the student s disability to enable the student to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum; and Meeting each of the student s other educational needs that result from the student s disability; and Section 4: Goal Details - 4
Must be measurable. There is a strong emphasis in the IDEA on linking the educational program of students with disabilities to the general education curriculum. It is not required to include annual goals in an IEP for areas in which the student s disability does not affect their ability to be involved in and progress in the general education curriculum. If a student with a disability needs only modifications or accommodations in order to progress in an area of the general education curriculum, the IEP does not need to include a goal for that area. However, the IEP would need to specify those modifications or accommodations in the appropriate places on the IEP form. Each annual goal shall have two or more short-term objectives. Each short-term objective should be measurable and an intermediate step between the present levels of educational performance and the annual goal. Short-term objectives should be achievable within a shorter period of time (month, marking period, or semester) than the annual goal. Each short-term objective must contain three components: evaluation procedures, performance criteria, and schedules for evaluation. Given the increased emphasis on student progress in the general education curriculum, you are required to align the goal(s) to the Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs), High School Content Expectations (HSCEs), Extended GLCEs, and/or the Common Core Standards. These must be within the student's current grade level (i.e., For a student whom is in 9th grade reading at the 4th grade level, the standard must match his/her current grade level; in this case it would be 9th grade). To Add a Short-Term Objective to a Goal: 1. Click on the Add Short-Term Objective link 2. Any goal can be changed prior to publishing the IEP by clicking on the Edit Goal link. 3. Any goal can be deleted prior to publishing the IEP by clicking on the Delete Goal link. NOTE: Be careful NOT to click on either of these links: Add Goal or Add Benchmark Section 4: Goal Details - 5
Developing the Short-Term Objective for an Annual Goal: 4. Sort Order can be ignored; not a required option. 5. Be sure to describe the short-term objective with enough information to evaluate progress (see NOTE under "3) Steps to selecting a standard:" section of this document. 6. Clicking on the text box will open up a drop down menu in which you can select multiple evaluation procedures 7. Criteria must be measurable 8. Assessment of Progress is NOT how often this is reported (i.e., on report cards). It is how often this objective will be assessed for progress. If "marking period" is selected, that means this objective would only be assessed for progress at the marking period. With four marking periods, this objective would only be assessed four times in one IEP year. That is definitely NOT enough for our younger students. 9. Target Value does not show up on the hard-copy IEP. It is the percent (can be a whole or decimal number) in which the IEP team wants this student to achieve by the end of the IEP, marking period, etc. 10. Click on the SAVE button NOTE: Repeat this process for each short-term objective as described in both the Adding and Developing Short-Term Objective sections (Steps 1-10). Section 4: Goal Details - 6
Regulation: Evaluation Procedures: The evaluation procedure describes by what method(s) achievement is measured and the frequency of the evaluation. Indicate the evaluation procedure(s) to be used (such as documented teacher observation, standardized tests, or informal tests). Performance Criterion: Performance criterion determine at what level the skill is to be achieved, how it is to be measured, and over what period of time. Performance criterion could be written in terms of accuracy, rate, or achievement level, or other. Indicate the specific criteria used (such as 90 percent accuracy on the short-term objective, four out of five times, or three times a day). Schedules of Evaluation: Indicate the frequency or schedule of the evaluation procedure for each objective, such as daily, every two weeks, monthly, quarterly, weekly, monthly, or marking period. Developing a Benchmark in Illuminate As in the figure above, the two options to address the Demonstrated Need are: 1) Add Goal; or 2) Add Benchmark. Clicking on the Add Benchmark link, will prompt the next screen. Section 4: Goal Details - 7
Steps to adding a benchmark: 1. Sort order is not required. This allows the Case Manager to determine how the goals are organized on the hard-copy IEP (i.e., all fine motor-related goals clustered together) 2. Select the "Role(s) Responsible." See NOTE & TIP below 3. Before modifying the goal description, select a standard. NOTE: All goals/benchmarks belong to the student. They are not to be referred to as "PT Goals, OT Goals, Speech Goals," etc. "Role(s) Responislbe refers to the following: --The person responsible for monitoring progress --The person(s) whom will be implementing this goal (this can be multiple people) TIP: To select multiple staff responsible for implementation, hold down the "Ctrl" (control) key on your keyboard and click on the names to highlight. If a name is clicked by accident, while holding down the Ctrl key, click on it again. Section 4: Goal Details - 8
1) Steps to selecting a standard: 4. Type in a keyword (This operates similar to a Google keyword search) 5. Select a standard from this drop down. Most goals can be linked to the Common Core Standards. 6. Select the subject area from the drop down 7. Select the grade level that matches the student's current grade level. Exception: those students whom are below or above the standard grade levels (i.e., ECSE, Transition programs, etc.) 8. Click on the SEARCH button. NOTE: MIchigan is moving towards aligning goals to the Common Core Standards. The majority of students with IEPs should have at least 1-2 goals aligned with the Common Core. Exception: Those students whom are below or above the standard grade levels (i.e., ECSE, Transition programs, etc.). Don't try to force every goal to align with the Common Core. Section 4: Goal Details - 9
2) Steps to selecting a standard: 9. To see all of the standards, click on the EXPAND ALL button 10. Click on the radio button next to the standard code/number 11. Highlight the standard language and copy it 12. Paste the copied standard into the "Modified Goal Description" text box; be sure to modify and personalize the standard to align with the area of need as described in the "Demonstrated Need" (see blue circled area) 13. Complete the Performance Criteria with enough information to measure progress 14. For Length of Time, start the sentence with the word "by..." This can be "by the end of semester, trimester, school year, or end of IEP." 15. Click on the SAVE STANDARD button 16. Then click on the SAVE BENCHMARK button at top right of screen (not pictured) NOTE: These three sections are linked together into one complete sentence and appear on the hard-copy IEP. Be sure to provide enough information as to how this goal will be measured for progress. Poor example: Student will print first and last name 8 of 10 opportunities by end of IEP. Eight out of 10 opportunities provides the evaluator with the level of mastery (80%), however, not Section 4: Goal Details - 10
"what" is being measured for mastery; any student may be able to print their first/last name, but is it legible? Regulations: The IDEA and its implementing regulations require that the annual goals relate to: Meeting the student s needs that result from the student s disability to enable the student to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum; and Meeting each of the student s other educational needs that result from the student s disability; and Must be measurable. There is a strong emphasis in the IDEA on linking the educational program of students with disabilities to the general education curriculum. It is not required to include annual goals in an IEP for areas in which the student s disability does not affect their ability to be involved in and progress in the general education curriculum. If a student with a disability needs only modifications or accommodations in order to progress in an area of the general education curriculum, the IEP does not need to include a goal for that area. However, the IEP would need to specify those modifications or accommodations in the appropriate places on the IEP form. Each annual goal shall have two or more short-term objectives. Each short-term objective should be measurable and an intermediate step between the present levels of educational performance and the annual goal. Short-term objectives should be achievable within a shorter period of time (month, marking period, or semester) than the annual goal. Each short-term objective must contain three components: evaluation procedures, performance criteria, and schedules for evaluation. Given the increased emphasis on student progress in the general education curriculum, you are required to align the goal(s) to the Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs), High School Content Expectations (HSCEs), Extended GLCEs, and/or the Common Core Standards. These must be within the student's current grade level (i.e., For a student whom is in 9th grade reading at the 4th grade level, the standard must match his/her current grade level; in this case it would be 9th grade). Section 4: Goal Details - 11
To Add a Short-Term Objective to a Benchmark: 1. Click on the Add Short-Term Objective link 2. Any benchmark can be changed prior to publishing the IEP by clicking on the Edit Benchmark link. 3. Any benchmark can be deleted prior to publishing the IEP by clicking on the Delete Benchmark link. NOTE: Be careful NOT to click on either of these links: Add Goal or Add Benchmark Section 4: Goal Details - 12
Creating a Short-Term Objective for an Annual Benchmark: 4. Sort Order can be ignored; not a required option. 5. Clicking on the text box will open up a drop down menu in which you can select multiple evaluation procedures 6. Assessment of Progress is NOT how often this is reported (i.e., on report cards). It is how often this objective will be assessed for progress. If "marking period" is selected, that means this objective would only be assessed for progress at the marking period. With four marking periods, this objective would only be assessed four times in one IEP year. That is definitely NOT enough for our younger students. 7. Baseline Value does not show up on the hard-copy IEP. It is the percent value (can be a whole or decimal number) of the student's present level based on already collected current data. In this example, the number 50 represents the current number of feet the student can wheel his/her chair. 8. Target Value does not show up on the hard-copy IEP. It is the percent (can be a whole or decimal number) in which the IEP team wants this student to achieve by the end of the IEP, Section 4: Goal Details - 13
marking period, etc. In this example, the number 250 represents the number of feet the team wants the student to be able to wheel his/her chair by the end of the IEP. 9. Number of Reporting Periods is the number of times the district reports progress on their students via report cards. 10. Click on the SAVE button Regulation: Evaluation Procedures: The evaluation procedure describes by what method(s) achievement is measured and the frequency of the evaluation. Indicate the evaluation procedure(s) to be used (such as documented teacher observation, standardized tests, or informal tests). Performance Criterion: Performance criterion determine at what level the skill is to be achieved, how it is to be measured, and over what period of time. Performance criterion could be written in terms of accuracy, rate, or achievement level, or other. Indicate the specific criteria used (such as 90 percent accuracy on the short-term objective, four out of five times, or three times a day). Schedules of Evaluation: Indicate the frequency or schedule of the evaluation procedure for each objective, such as daily, every two weeks, monthly, quarterly, weekly, monthly, or marking period. Progress: The parents of children with disabilities must be regularly informed of their child s progress. This reporting must occur at least as often as for parents of children whom are nondisabled (e.g., through such means as periodic report cards). The report must be based upon current progress data and describe the progress toward annual goals and the extent to which the progress is sufficient to enable the child to achieve the annual goals by the end of one year. Section 4: Goal Details - 14
Final Result for Created Benchmarks: 1. Reminder: Benchmarks can be edited at any time prior to publishing the IEP. 2. Reminder: Benchmarks can be deleted at any time prior to publishing the IEP. 3. The short-term objective (STO) for a benchmark can be edited at any time prior to publishing the IEP 4. The STO for a benchmark can be deleted at any time prior to publishing the IEP NOTE: Once the Baseline, Target Value, and Reporting Periods are entered into the STO, the Illuminate system automatically calculates this information and separates the STOs into the number of reporting periods (in this case, four). Until Illuminate makes a change in the wording of the STOs in Benchmarks, staff will need to explain to parents what these percentages represent. In this example, the numbers represent the number of feet the student will be able to propel his/her wheelchair for each of the four marking periods. Section 4: Goal Details - 15
What is the difference(s) between a Goal and a Benchmark? (Example of Progress Report for a Goal) In this example for a Goal, progress is graphed with a target value of 80%. As can be seen, the gap remains wide between the baseline and target value (1 & 2) What is the difference(s) between a Goal and a Benchmark? (Example of Progress Report for a Benchmark) In this example for a Benchmark, progress is graphed with a target value of 80%, however Illuminate knows to divide the target into four marking periods. As can be seen, the gap becomes more narrow between the baseline and target value with each marking period (1 & 2). Section 4: Goal Details - 16