Alignment%20Check:%20How%20can%20IEP%20goals%20be%20written%20to%20celebrate%20the%20common%20core%20standards?

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Alignment Check How can IEP goals be written to
celebrate the common core standards?

• Sara Jozwik Alice Cahill
• Illinois State University

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Targets for Today

• View Needs Assessment Results
• Examine goals written to students areas of
  identified need
• Craft goals to align to the common core
• Ensure goals are sensitive to Ells' language
  acquisition needs

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IEP Goal Writing Needs Assessment
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Training Needs

• Training Topics Ranked in Order of Most
  Frequently Selected
• Aligning goal statements to the common core
  standards for students with high incidence
  disabilities.
• Writing data-driven PLAAFP statements
• Aligning goal statements to the common core
  standards for students with low incidence
  disabilities.
• Figuring out how to set up data collection tools
  to capture the kinds of data I want to collect.
• Deciding on IEP goals that align to the students
  areas of need (e.g. self management goals for
  students with ED, attention goals for students
  with OHI).

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Training Needs, Continued

• Using the SMART goal format to write goals.
• Choosing how to collect data on the students
  goals.
• Writing goals that are sensitive to ELLs
  language acquisition needs.
• Figuring out how to word the goal statement so
  anyone who reads it will be able to monitor
  progress in a way that I intended.

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Current concerns about IEP goals

• Special education team members identified the
  following concerns, in order of most frequently
  selected
• current goals are too vague, too general, and
  skills are not measurable,
• goals are not aligned to content standards and do
  not show utility for implementing meaningful
  instruction
• goals are not written to reflect a push-in model
  of support
• goals lack individualization and are all alike.

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How many students goals have we re-written this
year?
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Other concerns related to IEP goals

• The main theme identified was need for support
  with the process of aligning goals to the common
  core state standards.
• Most responses reflected anxiety with how to
  individualize goals to meet the explicit needs of
  the learner, especially when the needs are below
  grade level expectations, with specific common
  core standards.
• Many of us wonder what the implications will be
  on instruction, data collection, and co-teaching.

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PLAAFP

• Present levels of academic achievement and
  functional performance statements should
• Provide information that specifically relates to
  the goals and objects and should allow for direct
  comparison of progress through the year.
• Measurable PLAAFPs permit the IEP team to fulfill
  progress monitoring requirements and provide
  FAPE.
• Hint While crafting measurable statements, check
  the student strengths section of the IEP to be
  sure meaningful, data-driven statements appear.

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Example PLAAFP reading

• Chris has a reading comprehension deficit here
  is his PLAAFP
• Chris is a strong decoder, and can read most any
  grade level text with 97 accuracy. Chris does
  stumble over multi-syllabic words and will make
  visual substitutions (e.g., carnival for
  carnivore). In small groups. Where Chris feels
  comfortable, he will volunteer to read aloud
  often. Chris does not understand material that he
  has read or that has been read aloud to him. Text
  must be simplified, read in chunks, and visual
  mapping strategies must be used for simple
  comprehension. Chris has difficulty with
  inferential comprehension. Strategies that have
  been shown to increase his comprehension include
  making connections to his life, accessing his
  background knowledge, coding the text, and using
  graphic organizers. Chris lacks the skills to use
  these strategies independently.
• NWEA MAP Spring 196 (12th percentile), Fall 200
  (8th percentile)
• ISAT Reading Below standards
• Easy CBM passage comprehension 5th grade passage
  65 accuracy, 6th grade passage 50 (goal is 80)

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Example PLAAFP writing

• Suzy has been working on written expression here
  is her PLAAFP
• With verbal prompting at each step, and using a
  graphic organizer, Suzy can follow a writing
  process to compose a five paragraph expository,
  narrative, or persuasive essay. Each paragraph
  has a topic sentence, relates to the theme of the
  piece, and is supported by three detail
  sentences. Suzy rarely uses transition words. Her
  use of beginning capitalization and ending marks
  is consistent, but no other forms of punctuation
  are used. With prompting Suzy will vary word
  choice, but generally her vocabulary is
  consistent with a third grade level of writing.
  Sentences rarely contain more than one idea or
  detail. Spelling is mainly phonetic. Over the
  last three samples, twenty-five percent of
  non-sight words were spelled incorrectly.
• NWEA Language Spring 2012 at 16th percentile,
  Fall 2012 at 11th percentile
• Aimsweb total written words Suzy averages 29
  written words in 3 minutes (target is 43) and
  shows a steady rate of improvement.

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SMART Goals

• Specific
• Measureable
• Attainable
• Realistic
• Timely
• Example By May 2014, Jon will write a focused
  five sentence paragraph that includes a topic
  sentence, supporting details and a conclusion in
  6 of 8 opportunities.
• This sample connects to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2 Wr
  ite informative/explanatory texts to examine a
  topic and convey ideas and information clearly
• Once written, examine the goal and see whether it
  promotes principles of self-determination.

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Challenges with goal writing

• Measurability
• Individualization
• Wording
• Data collection
• Decision making
• (assessments)

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Measurability

• Problems

• Solution

• A goal is written to increase skills in a
  specific area as measured by a percentage
  accuracy, but a baseline percentage is omitted
  from the PLAAFP.
• Goals fail to provide a measureable standard.
• Terms like with minimal prompting and with
  some support are NOT measureable.

• Be sure to include a baseline percentage if you
  are using percentage accuracy.
• Are you always using 80 percent accuracy as a
  target? Is this realistic? Reasonable?
  Justifiable?
• Include criteria ensure the skill is being
  measured in a meaningful way.

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Individualization

• Problem

• Solution

• All the students on my caseload have the same
  goal.
• It is hard to write goals that are centered
  around the students needs, for example, when
  inattention is interfering with academics.

• Amend or acceptDo all the students on your
  caseload have the same needs and the same present
  levels of performance?
• Once you have pinned down the areas of need,
  remember to be clear, be specific, and be
  measurable with stating realistic expectations
  for where the student will be one year from now.

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Wording

• Problem

• Solution

• When goals are written in inexact terms, such as,
  to increase participation the team cannot make
  an objective analysis of whether the student is
  making progress toward the goal.

• To ensure that any staff member knows how to
  implement the goal from the face of it, check
  your wording. Does it pass the stranger test?
• Have you checked the format? Is it SMART?

If theres no meaning in it, that saves a world
of trouble, you know, as we neednt try to find
any King of Hearts, Lewis Carroll
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Data Collection Challenges

• Problem

• Solution

• The goal is not being addressed during my direct
  service minutes.
• The curriculum only addresses the objective for
  one week instead of all quarter.
• The goal is not measurable.
• The data I am collecting is not meaningful.

• Does the goal need to be amended to better suit
  the students needs? How can the schedule be
  adjusted to make direct service minutes count?
  Collaborate get input from other implementers.
• Is the curriculum being implemented with
  fidelity, with great enough depth? What will the
  outcome be if you spend more time with
  instruction tailored to the students need? What
  will the outcome be if you dont?

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Assessment

• Problem

• Solution

• The only information I have is the classroom
  teachers qualitative input and test scores from
  MAP .
• I am not sure what assessments we use
  diagnostically, to monitor progress, or to
  measure achievement.

• Collaborate with the social worker (who is
  skilled at doing on-task/off-task observations)
• Collaborate with the school psychologist who will
  know which measures are used (KTEA, WISC)
• Collaborate with reading specialists, math
  specialists, and the ELL/Bilingual team to gather
  information about authentic assessment
  approaches, Fountas and Pinnell, DIBELS, Aimsweb,
  early numeracy screeners.

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Alignment

• Common core key points
• Although CCS replace ILS the foundational pieces
  remain consistent students will be given
  opportunities for instruction in general
  education curriculum aligned to standards and
  students individualized needs will be considered
  when designing and implementing instructional
  activities.
• How does this happen? Prioritize skills for each
  student.

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Steps toward IEP Goal Alignment

• 1. Use the students present level statement to
  inform the process of crafting the IEP goal.
• 2. Choose the grade level standard.
• 3. Unpack the grade level standard (Or,
  reference someone elses version, e.g., the Ohio
  Extended Standards) to analyze the sub-skills of
  the strand.
• 4. Prioritize student needs to develop the Goal.
• 5.Write the goal in consideration of the
  students rate of learning.
• 6. Read and evaluate the goal to be sure all
  terms are measureable.

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Example Goal Statements

• You can take it to the bank

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Goal for student with OHI

• A students inattention is impacting academic
  achievement
• The ILS Social Emotional Standards can be still
  be referenced, or
• Consider the CCS, for example
• 1C.2b. Monitor progress on achieving a
  short-term personal goal.

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Goal for student with ED

• Self management goals can reflect the IL Social
  Emotional Standards or can incorporate some CCS
  elements.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1.4 Describe people, places,
  things, and events with relevant details,
  expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.1a Follow agreed-upon
  rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others
  and taking turns speaking about the topics and
  texts under discussion).
• 2C.2b. Analyze ways to work effectively in
  groups.
• 1A.2b. Describe and demonstrate ways to express
  emotions in a socially acceptable manner.

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Goal for student with LD

• If a 4th grade students needs have been
  prioritized and a focus on place value is
  identified, then
• Math CCS Math 4NBT5. Use place value
  understanding and properties of operations to
  perform multi-digit arithmetic. Multiply a whole
  number of up to four digits by a one-digit whole
  number, and multiply 2 two-digit numbers, using
  strategies based on place value and the
  properties of operations. Illustrate and explain
  the calculation by using equations, rectangular
  arrays, and/or area models.
• Example By December 2013, Student will make
  progress toward understanding the place value
  system by recognizing the value of a digit,
  comparing and ordering numbers, and explaining
  the patterns within a base ten number system and
  computing to solve problems using numbers (0
  through 1,000,000) in order achieve 75 accuracy
  on 6 independent practice trials (quizzes,
  curriculum based assessments) per quarter.

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SLPs.. Consider these ELA standards

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1c Ask questions to check
  understanding of information presented, stay on
  topic, and link their comments to the remarks of
  others.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1 Engage effectively in a
  range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one,
  in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners
  on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others
  ideas and expressing their own clearly.

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Stuck?

• To gain more sample ideas, visit our WIKI
• https//iepgoalbank.wikispaces.com/

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Data Tools and Techniques

• Kinds of data we usually collect for behavior
  frequency, latency, duration
• Kinds of data we usually collect for academics
  percentage accuracy, words read aloud correctly,
  correct written word sequences
• Approaches to data collection
• Task analysis
• Dichotomous rating (mark with a plus or minus
  one or zero each time the target is or is not
  observed)
• Online progress monitoring
• Aimsweb
• Easy CBM
• Rubrics and rating scales
• comprehension rubrics for each skill can measure
  comprehension performance
• Other rubrics can be created or may already exist
  to measure writing skills
• Apps
• Super duper data tracker
• Class dojo

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Crafting goals for ELLs

• Points to consider
• Legally, when writing the IEP, we are required to
  consider the language needs of the ELL. What
  does this really mean?
• IEPs should reflect language and cultural needs
  of ELLs
• Include input (collaborate) from knowledgeable
  team members
• Decide on services, instructional strategies
  based on peer-reviewed research
• Use authentic assessment approaches to ensure the
  team has sufficient information to craft a goal
  statement

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In Conclusion

• Champ out your goals by
• Collaborating and asking for
• Help to
• Align goals to standards so we can
• Measure our students
• Progress and celebrate their successes!