IEP Goals in Utah: What Parents Need to Know
What makes an IEP goal measurable in Utah?
Utah IEP goals must be measurable annual goals designed to meet the child's needs resulting from the disability and enable involvement and progress in the general education curriculum, consistent with Utah Admin. Code R277-750-201 and federal law (34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)). The IEP team must consider the child's strengths, parent concerns, recent evaluation results, and academic, developmental, and functional needs when writing goals. Under federal requirements incorporated by Utah, for students who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards, the IEP must also include benchmarks or short-term objectives (34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)(ii)). The IEP must describe how progress toward each goal will be measured and when periodic reports will be provided to parents. Utah requires that progress reports be provided at least as frequently as report cards are issued to nondisabled students. Annual goals are reviewed at least annually and revised if the student is not making expected progress, if reevaluation indicates changed needs, or when parents or teachers request changes.
What Utah 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 (Utah Admin. Code R277-750-201; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)).
For students taking the DLM alternate assessment 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 progress toward each goal will be measured and when periodic progress reports will be provided to parents (Utah Admin. Code R277-750-201; 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 (Utah Admin. Code R277-750-201; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
Goals must be revised at the annual review or sooner if the student is not making expected progress (Utah Admin. Code R277-750-201; 34 CFR 300.324(b)(1)).
Key Timelines
Annual goals cover a one-year period and are reviewed at least annually at the IEP meeting (Utah Admin. Code R277-750-201; 34 CFR 300.324(b)).
Progress reports must be issued at least as frequently as report cards for nondisabled students (Utah Admin. Code R277-750-201; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
Goals must be revised when a student is not making expected progress, which may require convening the IEP team before the annual review (34 CFR 300.324(b)(1)).