IEP Goals in Oregon: What Parents Need to Know
What makes an IEP goal measurable in Oregon?
Oregon IEP goals must be measurable annual goals designed to meet the child's needs resulting from the disability, enabling involvement and progress in the general education curriculum and addressing all other educational needs arising from the disability (34 CFR 300.320(a)(2); ORS 343.151; OAR 581-015). Goals must be written in objective, measurable terms and flow logically from the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance established in the IEP. Oregon's Standard IEP Toolkit includes goal-writing guides to assist IEP Teams in crafting well-constructed goals that specify the condition, behavior, and criterion for mastery. For students who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards, the IEP must include benchmarks or short-term objectives in addition to annual goals (34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)(ii)). Each goal must be accompanied by a description of how progress will be measured and when periodic reports will be provided to parents (34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)). Progress reports on goals must be issued at least as frequently as report cards are issued to nondisabled students, typically quarterly. Oregon IEP Teams must consider the child's strengths, parent concerns, evaluation results, and academic and functional needs when developing goals (34 CFR 300.324(a)(1)). For students aged 16 and above, the IEP must include measurable postsecondary goals and transition services, and annual IEP goals must support progress toward those postsecondary goals (34 CFR 300.320(b)). Goals should address all areas of identified need, which may include academic, communication, social-emotional, behavioral, adaptive behavior, and independent living skills.
What Oregon Requires
All IEP goals must be measurable annual goals addressing the child's needs resulting from the disability and enabling progress in the general education curriculum (34 CFR 300.320(a)(2); ORS 343.151).
For students taking alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards, the IEP must include benchmarks or short-term objectives in addition to annual goals (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 (34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
Progress reports on IEP goals must be issued at least as frequently as report cards for nondisabled students (34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
Annual goals must be based on present levels of academic achievement and functional performance and must address all identified areas of need (34 CFR 300.324(a)(1); OAR 581-015).
Oregon's Standard IEP Toolkit provides goal-writing guides to support teams in creating objective, measurable, and conditions-based goals (OAR 581-015-2215).
For transition-age students (age 16 and above), annual IEP goals must support progress toward measurable postsecondary goals in education, employment, and independent living (34 CFR 300.320(b)).
Key Timelines
Annual goals are set for a one-year period and must be reviewed at least annually at the IEP meeting (34 CFR 300.324(b)(1)).
Progress reports on goals must be issued at least as frequently as report cards for nondisabled students, typically quarterly (34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
Goals must be revised at the annual review or more frequently if the student is not making expected progress toward measurable annual goals (34 CFR 300.324(b)(1)).