Measurable Annual Goals And Short Term Objectives

Measurable Annual Goalsand Short Term ObjectivesAlison Gauld, Behavior and Low Incidence Disabilities Coordinator

OverviewToday we are focusing on one piece of the individualizededucation program (IEP) process: the development ofmeasurable annual goals (MAGs) and short-term objectives(STOs).2

Measurable Annual Goals3

Measurable Annual Goals Direct relationship to skills identified as exceptional in thePLEP Skill deficit-specific Individualized Measurable (i.e., numbers/targets clearly identified withinthe goal statement) Focus is on accessing and participating within curriculumat increasingly higher levels of independenceA well written MAG addresses an identified deficit, which afterintervention, will assist the student in reducing the adverse impact ofthe disability on their mastery of standards.4

Measurable Annual rableAnnual Goal

Measurable Annual Goals At least one MAG must be developed for each identifiedarea of deficit, academic or non-academic. The MAG should be derived form the data andinformation provided within the PLEP.6

Measurable Annual Goals Examples7

Measurable Annual Goals at a Glance8

Measurable Annual Goal TemplateGiven nt name) will (do what measurable/observable skill/behavior in functional terms), (to whatextent/how well to determine mastery), (# oftimes/frequency/how consistently), by (how often)evaluated/determined by (measure).9

Examples Given environmental or functional words, Alison will read40 words with 80 percent accuracy on five consecutiveweekly probes. Given a daily visual schedule, Alison will transition to thenext activity with no more than two verbal prompts withinfive minutes on 8 of 10 consecutive school days.10

Let’s Practice Let’s practice writing a MAG for a few deficit areas:––––Reading skillsCommunication or languageSelf-help or independenceBehavior

Self-Assessment of MAG(s)High-Quality IAIEP Development ContinuedMeasurableAnnual Goals(MAG) Observable, measurable andspecific Skill deficit(s) identified isdirectly linked to an area ofexceptionality in the PLEPs Short-term objectivesrequired forstudents takingthe AlternateAssessmentScore Includes the following:condition, clearly defined behavior, performance criteria(how well, how consistently,how often, how measured)The “given” (condition)provides specific, cleardirection for goal monitoringMay not meet complianceindicators and lacks quality toimprove student outcomes(1)May meet compliance indicators butlacks quality to improve studentoutcomes(3)Written to improve studentoutcomes(5) One or more goals are written for each exceptional PLEP areaNot clearly observable and/or specificSpecific skill deficit(s) identified isnot clearly linked to an area ofexceptionality in PLEPOne or more of the following areweak or incomplete: condition,clearly defined behavior,performance criteria (how well,how consistently, how often, howmeasured)Lacking goals for exceptionalareas, or goals written for areasthat were determined to be “NotExceptional” Goals are standards-based, notdeficit-based Goal measurement is coursespecificGoals are not measurable The “given” (condition) lacks aspecific, clear direction formonitoring12

Short-termObjectives (STOs)13

MAGs and STOs Relationship A MAG defines a skill that is needed for the student toimprove in the targeted deficit area.– i.e., independence, motor skills, language skills, academicknowledge, etc. Short-term objectives are the skills needed to master thegoal, not the small steps, but the prerequisite skills.14

Measurable Annual Goal vs. Shortterm ObjectivesMeasurable Annual Goal Very specific, no longerbroad Includes criteria for masterywithin the goal May have more measurableannual goals if distinctlydifferent skillsShort-term objectives Instead, progress monitor toshow progress toward theMAG If you need short-termobjectives, you can still usethem Required for students onalternate assessment

Short Term Objective RequirementsRequired for students with significant cognitive disabilitiesassessed on an alternate assessment for accountability.Short-term Objectives Are:Short-term Objectives Are Not:Skills that need to be directly taughtAccommodationsStudent behaviors that demonstrateunderstanding and application of skillsInterventions or programs of curriculumSeparate skills required to meet the goalProjected timelines of mastery aligned toprogress reportingSkills and behaviors that a student mustmaster to achieve independence that aregeneralizable beyond school settingSkills specific to the classroom or schoolsetting only16

Writing Short-term Objectives STOs follow the same format and guidelines as MAGs.17

ExamplesMAG:Given environmental or functional words, Alison will read 40words with 80 percent accuracy on five consecutive weeklyprobes.STOs:Given environmental or functional pictures, photos, or symbols,Alison will match a given word to the picture representation with90 percent accuracy on four consecutive weekly probes.Given pairs of environmental or functional words that begin and/orend with the same letters, Alison will match the pairs with 95percent accuracy on four consecutive weekly probes.18

ExamplesMAG:Given a daily visual schedule, Alison will transition to the nextactivity with no more than two verbal prompts within five minuteson 8 of 10 consecutive school days.STOs:Given visual symbols of daily activities, Alison will match thesymbol to the activity with 90 percent accuracy on fourconsecutive weekly probes.Given at least five different 2-step visual directions, Alison willfollow the directions in order with no more than one verbal prompton five consecutive school days.19

Let’s Practice Write two short-term objectives for the measurable annualgoal(s) you wrote earlier.20

Check for Clarity21

Practice Activity Write a goal and two short-term objectives as a smallgroup or a chart paper We will then rotate the papers and the new team willassess if the goal and objectives pass the stranger test.

Checks for Clarity Do the MAGs and STOs pass the stranger test? Can the question of mastery be answered with a “yes” or“no”? Is there at least one MAG for every identified area ofdeficit?23

Debrief What were the things you learned should be clarifiedfurther in your goals and objectives? Are there still skills/areas for which further practice orclarification is needed? What is the one thing you realized in this activity that willguide your future IEP development?24

IEP Process revisited Data should be collected ona regular basis for all MAGsand STOs to ensure that thestudent is making progressat least sufficient to meet thegoal. The data collected can thenbe used to inform anddevelop the PLEPs for thenext IEP.25

Questions & CommentsAlison GauldAlison.Gauld@tn.gov26

annual goals if distinctly different skills Measurable Annual Goal vs. Short-term Objectives Instead, progress monitor to show progress toward the MAG If you need short-term objectives, you can still use them Required for students on alternate assessment Meas