IEP Goals in Alaska: What Parents Need to Know
What makes an IEP goal measurable in Alaska?
Alaska IEP goals must be measurable annual goals designed to meet the student's needs resulting from the disability and enable involvement and progress in the general curriculum (4 AAC 52.540(b)(2)). In alignment with federal law, benchmarks or short-term objectives are required for students taking alternate assessments, and are recommended best practice for all students. Goals must flow directly from the present levels of performance and address all identified disability-related needs. The IEP must describe how progress toward annual goals will be measured and how parents will be regularly informed of that progress — at least as often as parents of nondisabled students receive report cards (4 AAC 52.540(b)(3); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)). The IEP team reviews goals at least annually and must revise them when the student is not making expected progress, when reevaluation results indicate new needs, or when the parent or teacher requests a revision (4 AAC 52.540(d)).
What Alaska Requires
Annual goals must be measurable and address disability-related needs to enable progress in the general curriculum (4 AAC 52.540(b)(2)).
Benchmarks or short-term objectives are required for students taking alternate assessments and constitute best practice for all students (4 AAC 52.540(b)(2); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)(ii)).
The IEP must describe how progress toward each annual goal will be measured (4 AAC 52.540(b)(3)).
Parents must be informed of progress toward annual goals at least as frequently as report cards are issued to nondisabled students (4 AAC 52.540(b)(3); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
Goals must be revised when the student is not making expected progress or when changed circumstances warrant revision (4 AAC 52.540(d)).
Key Timelines
Annual goals cover a one-year period and are reviewed at least annually at the IEP meeting (4 AAC 52.540(d)).
Progress reports must be provided at least as frequently as report cards for nondisabled students, typically quarterly (4 AAC 52.540(b)(3)).
Goals must be revised when a student is not making expected progress, which may require convening the IEP team before the annual review (4 AAC 52.540(d)).