There is a lot of terminology that Special Ed teachers must become accustomed to in order to effectively write an IEP. Understanding the difference between terms can be confusing for even the most experienced educators.
Knowing the difference between IEP goals and IEP objectives is one area that commonly trips teachers up as they sit down to write IEPs.
If you are struggling with remembering the difference, or need to explain the difference to parents, check out the advice below.
Here are some ways to remember the difference between IEP goals and IEP objectives.
IEP goals are the overall target by a set time. It is where the student should be or aim to be, by the next IEP meeting. They are the backbone of the IEP and provide educators and students with an end outcome in mind.
Goals are driven by what the student needs and are SMART in nature. SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. They explain exactly what the outcome should be based on the student’s needs, how it will be measured and achieved, and when it will be accomplished.
An example of an IEP goal from The Vault is:
With minimal physical prompting, student will trace and then print 26 lowercase letters of the alphabet with 75% accuracy in 3 of 4 trials.
The goal is specific (trace and print 26 lowercase letters), measurable (75% accuracy), attainable (3 of 4 trials), relevant to the student’s needs, and can be bound by the term of the IEP.
If IEP goals are the overarching framework, IEP objectives are the baby steps to get there. They support the goals by providing clear parts or steps to reach that end result.
While objectives are not always required, they can vary state by state, they are especially useful for complex goals. Objectives break down the steps of those complex or large goals so that students can make clear progress in an organized and appropriate fashion.
Objectives should not match your main goal, as they are not the same. Instead, they should provide students with the supports they need in order to reach mastery. The main goal of the IEP is usually written to include little or no supports so that the student demonstrates the skill independently.
When writing IEP objectives, keep in mind that they usually build upon each other. For instance, the first objective will not be the student writing the first three letters of the alphabet if he or she cannot currently hold a pencil. Instead, an objective related to pencil grip would be a more appropriate place to start.
Remember: IEP objectives and IEP benchmarks are not the same thing, although we often hear the terminology used interchangeably. Here’s more on how and why they’re different.
If you need help with IEP goal writing, here’s a great training and free resource to get you started. Then, here’s a secondary blog post all about writing IEP goals and objectives.
Writing IEP goals and objectives can be confusing and time-consuming. It is common for teachers to second-guess themselves while writing IEPs which, in turn, takes even more time.
IEP writing shouldn’t feel like guesswork! Inside The Intentional IEP, you’ll get access to the expert-led trainings you should have learned in college—covering everything from data collection to goal writing and implementation. Pair that with 10,000+ pre-written, standards-aligned goals and time-saving resources, and you’ll finally have the clarity and confidence you need to write strong, effective IEPs. Join today and start learning what they didn’t teach you in school!
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