What are annual goals?
Annual goals are statements that describe what a child with a disability can reasonably accomplish (e.g., master some skill or knowledge [not an activity]) during a twelve-month period in the child's special education program. Annual goals address how students access the secondary school coursework and other educational experiences that will enable them to successfully pursue their postsecondary goals.
What is the purpose of annual goals?
The purpose of annual goals is to provide the necessary skills, prior to school exit, that enable a student to achieve post-school goals. They are the support that builds the post-secondary goals into successful outcomes.
Who is responsible for developing annual goals?
It is the responsibility of the IEP team, which includes the student, to develop annual updated goals. The LEA is obligated to ensure annual IEP goals are related to a student’s transition services needs and sufficiently align with and support the post-secondary goals.
To consider:
The following criteria support the development of quality annual goals.
- Condition (Given Instruction and support….)
- Target Behavior (student will improve understanding of simple monthly budgeting…)
- Measurable standard (from a baseline of 40% to 75% as measured by monthly progress checks by teacher)
- Specified Time frame (by month, day, year)
- Connected and Challenging: (Connected to PSG of Independent Living; change to a simple monthly budget from something less than that; updated annually – does not stay the same)
Examples:
These are examples of measurable post-secondary goals (MPSG) and the connected annual goal.
MPSG: After graduation, Alex will enroll in a business math course at the local technical school.
- Connected Annual Goal: Given instruction in the high school Business Math course, Alex will complete 80% of class assignments by the completion of the course at the end of the semester.
- MPSG: After leaving high school, Jodi will obtain a part-time position in a community retail environment.
- Connected Annual Goal: Given a bi-weekly paycheck, Jodi will practice banking skills with 95% accuracy by August 1, 2022
- MPSG: Upon completion of HS, Lissette will utilize public transportation, including the public bus and uptown trolley
- Connected Annual Goal: Given several coins, Lissette will match the coin with its amount six out of eight times by November 3, 2022
IDEA
§ 300.320 Definition of individualized education program.
(a) General. As used in this part, the term individualized education program or IEP means a written statement for each child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in a meeting in accordance with §§ 300.320 through 300.324, and that must include -
(i) A statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals designed to -
(A) Meet the child's needs that result from the child's disability to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum; and
(B) Meet each of the child's other educational needs that result from the child's disability;
92 Nebraska Administrative Code 51 (Rule 51)
006.06A2d Whether any additions or modifications to the special education and related services are needed to enable the child to meet the measurable annual goals set out in the individualized education program of the child and to participate, as appropriate, in the general education curriculum.
007.09C The IEP team shall review the child's IEP periodically, but not less frequently than annually, to determine whether the annual goals for the child are being achieved.
Indicator 13
- Is (are) there annual IEP goal(s) related to the student’s transition service's needs?