IEP Goals in Virginia: What Parents Need to Know
What makes an IEP goal measurable in Virginia?
Virginia 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 (8VAC20-81-110.G.2; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)). For students who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards (VAAP), the IEP must also include benchmarks or short-term objectives (8VAC20-81-110.G.3). 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 (8VAC20-81-110.G.8). Virginia requires that progress reports on goals be provided to parents at least as frequently as report cards are issued to nondisabled peers, which is typically quarterly. Virginia requires parental consent before revising an IEP (8VAC20-81-170.E.1.d), which means any material change to annual goals requires consent—an obligation that exceeds the federal baseline. The IEP team should consider the child's strengths, parent concerns, evaluation results, and academic and functional needs when developing goals. Each goal should specify the condition, the behavior, and the criteria for meeting the goal.
What Virginia 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 (8VAC20-81-110.G.2; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)).
For students taking the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP), the IEP must include benchmarks or short-term objectives in addition to annual goals (8VAC20-81-110.G.3).
The IEP must describe how each goal will be measured and when periodic progress reports will be provided to parents (8VAC20-81-110.G.8; 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 (8VAC20-81-110.G.8; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
Goals must be based on present levels of academic achievement and functional performance and address all areas of identified need (8VAC20-81-110.G.1-G.2).
Virginia requires parental consent before revising an IEP; material changes to goals require consent (8VAC20-81-170.E.1.d).
Key Timelines
Annual goals are set for a one-year period and reviewed at least annually at the IEP meeting (8VAC20-81-110.B.5; 34 CFR 300.324(b)).
Progress reports on goals must be issued at least as frequently as report cards for nondisabled students (8VAC20-81-110.G.8).
Goals must be revised at the annual review or more frequently if the student is not making expected progress; revisions require parental consent (8VAC20-81-170.E.1.d; 34 CFR 300.324(b)(1)).