IEP Goals in Georgia: What Parents Need to Know
What makes an IEP goal measurable in Georgia?
Georgia requires that every IEP include measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals, designed to meet the child's needs resulting from the disability and to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum (34 CFR §300.320(a)(2)(i); Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 160-4-7-.06). Goals must be measurable, meaning they include specific criteria that allow the IEP Team to determine whether the child has achieved the goal. For students who take the Georgia Alternate Assessment 2.0 (GAA 2.0), which is the alternate assessment aligned to alternate academic achievement standards for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, the IEP must also include a description of benchmarks or short-term objectives (34 CFR §300.320(a)(2)(ii)). Georgia follows federal requirements regarding the structure and content of annual goals. Each goal should be based on the student's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance and should address the unique needs arising from the disability. Goals must align with the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) for students in standards-based programs. The IEP Team determines the number of annual goals based on the student's identified needs; there is no minimum or maximum number prescribed by Georgia rule, though at least one goal is required. For students with disabilities who are in the general education curriculum with accommodations only, goals should address the specific areas where the disability affects progress. For students receiving modified curriculum, goals must address how the content is modified. The IEP must also describe how the child's progress toward meeting the annual goals will be measured and when periodic reports on progress will be provided to the parents (34 CFR §300.320(a)(3)). Georgia's GO-IEP system tracks progress monitoring data and generates progress reports that are provided to parents at least as often as report cards are issued to nondisabled students.
What Georgia Requires
The IEP must include measurable annual goals designed to meet the child's disability-related needs and enable involvement and progress in the general education curriculum (34 CFR §300.320(a)(2)(i); Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 160-4-7-.06).
For students taking the GAA 2.0 (alternate assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities), the IEP must include benchmarks or short-term objectives (34 CFR §300.320(a)(2)(ii)).
Goals must be based on the student's present levels and should align with the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) for students in standards-based programs.
The IEP must describe how progress toward annual goals will be measured and when periodic progress reports will be provided to parents (34 CFR §300.320(a)(3)).
Progress must be reported at least as often as report cards are issued to parents of nondisabled children; Georgia districts may use 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, or 9 week reporting periods (GaDOE GO-IEP guidance).
The IEP must be revised if the child is not making expected progress toward annual goals (34 CFR §300.324(b)(1)(ii)(A)).
Related service goals (e.g., speech-language, occupational therapy) must be included when those services address academic or functional needs resulting from the disability.
Key Timelines
Annual goals are reviewed at least annually by the IEP Team (34 CFR §300.324(b)(1)(i)).
Periodic progress reports must be provided to parents at least as frequently as report cards are issued to parents of nondisabled children (34 CFR §300.320(a)(3)).
Initial annual goals must be established within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination as part of initial IEP development (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 160-4-7-.06; 34 CFR §300.323(c)).
The IEP must be revised as appropriate to address lack of expected progress toward annual goals and in the general education curriculum (34 CFR §300.324(b)(1)(ii)).