IEP Goals in Washington D.C.: What Parents Need to Know
What makes an IEP goal measurable in Washington D.C.?
In Washington D.C., annual IEP goals must be measurable and designed to meet the child's educational needs resulting from the disability, enable involvement and progress in the general education curriculum, and meet the child's other educational needs, consistent with IDEA 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2) as implemented by DC. Goals must be written in observable and measurable terms, include benchmarks or short-term objectives for students who take alternate assessments, and address each area of identified need documented in the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP). DC requires that progress toward each annual goal be measured and reported to parents at the same frequency as report cards are issued to non-disabled peers (DC Official Code § 38-2571.03 and 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)). The IEP team—which in DC explicitly includes the parent as a required member for both DCPS and charter schools—determines goal content and appropriate benchmarks.
What Washington D.C. Requires
Annual goals must be measurable, written in observable terms, and address areas of need identified in the PLAAFP; they must enable participation and progress in the general education curriculum (34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)).
For students who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards, goals must include benchmarks or short-term objectives (34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)(ii)).
Progress toward each annual goal must be measured and reported to parents at the same frequency as progress reports are issued to nondisabled students—typically quarterly in DC (34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
Goals must be tied to evaluation data and the current PLAAFP; goals that cannot be traced to evaluation data may be challenged by parents as insufficiently individualized (34 CFR 300.320(a)(1)-(2); DC Official Code § 38-2561.02).
The IEP team—including the parent, at least one regular education teacher, at least one special education teacher, and the LEA representative—must collaboratively develop goals; no goals may be pre-written before the meeting without parent participation (34 CFR 300.321).
DC's 5-business-day rule requires that a draft IEP (including goals) be provided to parents after the meeting; parents are not required to sign at the meeting (DC Official Code § 38-2571.03).
If a parent disagrees with a proposed goal, the stay-put provision applies; the child remains in the current program until the dispute is resolved unless parents agree to the new placement (34 CFR 300.518).
Key Timelines
Progress reports on annual goals: at the same frequency as regular report cards, typically quarterly (34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
Annual review: IEP goals must be reviewed and revised at least annually (34 CFR 300.324).
Draft IEP with goals to parents: no later than 5 business days after the IEP meeting; final IEP within 15 business days if language access is needed (DC Official Code § 38-2571.03).