IEP Goals in Nebraska: What Parents Need to Know
What makes an IEP goal measurable in Nebraska?
Nebraska IEP goals must be measurable annual goals designed to meet the child's needs resulting from the disability to enable involvement and progress in the general education curriculum, and to meet each of the child's other educational needs resulting from the disability (92 NAC 51-007.06B; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)). Nebraska follows the federal baseline: benchmarks or short-term objectives are required only for students with disabilities who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards (92 NAC 51-007.06B). Goals must be written in objective, measurable terms and flow logically from the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance. The IEP must describe how progress toward each goal will be measured and when periodic reports will be provided to parents (92 NAC 51-007.06C; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)). Nebraska requires that progress reports on goals be provided to parents at least as frequently as report cards are issued to nondisabled peers. The IEP team must consider the child's strengths, parent concerns, recent evaluation results, and academic, developmental, and functional needs when developing goals.
What Nebraska Requires
All IEP goals must be measurable annual goals that address the child's needs resulting from the disability and enable progress in the general education curriculum (92 NAC 51-007.06B; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)).
Benchmarks or short-term objectives are required for students taking alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards; they are not universally required in Nebraska for all students (92 NAC 51-007.06B; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)(ii)).
The IEP must describe how each goal will be measured and when periodic progress reports will be provided to parents (92 NAC 51-007.06C; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
Progress reports on IEP goals must be provided at least as frequently as report cards are issued to nondisabled students (92 NAC 51-007.06C; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)(ii)).
Goals must be based on present levels of academic achievement and functional performance and address all areas of identified need (92 NAC 51-007.06A, 51-007.06B).
Key Timelines
Annual goals are set for a one-year period and reviewed at least annually at the IEP meeting (92 NAC 51-007.09; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-1129).
Progress reports on goals must be issued at least as frequently as report cards for nondisabled students (92 NAC 51-007.06C).
Goals must be revised when a student is not making expected progress toward annual goals (92 NAC 51-007.09; 34 CFR 300.324(b)(1)).