IEP Goals in South Dakota: What Parents Need to Know
What makes an IEP goal measurable in South Dakota?
South Dakota requires that IEPs include measurable annual goals under ARSD 24:05:27:01.03 and 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2). Annual goals must be 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. For students who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate academic achievement standards (AAAS), IEPs must also include short-term objectives or benchmarks (34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)(ii)). Goals must be written in measurable terms and directly linked to the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance. South Dakota's progress reporting system uses coded indicators including 'P' (making progress), 'I' (insufficient progress), 'X' (not addressed), and 'M' (goal met), and requires that data collection methods be specified on the IEP. Data collection procedure codes documented on South Dakota IEP forms include teacher-made tests, observations, weekly tests, work samples, portfolios, and data response methods. Goals should address all identified areas of need including academic, communication, motor, social-emotional, and behavioral domains as applicable. The IEP team, in collaboration with parents, selects goals that are ambitious yet achievable within one school year based on the child's present levels.
What South Dakota Requires
IEPs must include measurable annual goals addressing all areas of need resulting from the child's disability, enabling involvement and progress in the general curriculum (ARSD 24:05:27:01.03; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)).
Students who participate in alternate assessments aligned to AAAS must have short-term objectives or benchmarks in addition to annual goals (34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)(ii)).
The IEP must describe how progress toward each annual goal will be measured and when periodic progress reports will be provided to parents (ARSD 24:05:27:01.03; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
Goal progress must be reported to parents at least as frequently as progress is reported to parents of nondisabled children, using the coded progress indicators on South Dakota IEP forms.
Goals must be directly connected to and flow from the PLAAFP baseline data, ensuring measurability and educational relevance (ARSD 24:05:27:01.03).
Key Timelines
Annual goals must be reviewed at least once per year at the annual IEP meeting (ARSD 24:05:27:01.03; 34 CFR 300.324).
Progress toward annual goals must be reported to parents at least as frequently as report cards are issued to nondisabled peers, typically quarterly (34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
If a child is not making adequate progress toward a goal, the IEP team must convene to consider revising the goal or services (34 CFR 300.324(b)).