IEP Goals in Wisconsin: What Parents Need to Know
What makes an IEP goal measurable in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin IEP goals must be measurable annual goals that address academic and functional needs resulting from the disability, enabling the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum (Wis. Stat. § 115.787(2)(b)). Goals must align with state academic standards and flow directly from the present levels of performance. The IEP must include a description of how progress toward each goal will be measured and how parents will be regularly informed of that progress (Wis. Stat. § 115.787(2)(h)). Wisconsin follows the federal baseline: short-term objectives or benchmarks are required only for students who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards — not for all students (34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)(ii)). Progress reports must be issued at least as frequently as report cards are provided to parents of nondisabled students. The IEP team must review and revise goals at the annual IEP review or more frequently if the student is not making expected progress (Wis. Stat. § 115.787(4)(b)).
What Wisconsin Requires
Annual goals must be measurable, address disability-related academic and functional needs, and enable progress in the general curriculum (Wis. Stat. § 115.787(2)(b); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)).
Goals must include a description of how progress will be measured and when periodic progress reports will be provided to parents (Wis. Stat. § 115.787(2)(h)).
Benchmarks or short-term objectives are required only for students taking alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards — Wisconsin follows the federal baseline, not a more expansive requirement (34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)(ii)).
Progress reports must be issued at least as frequently as report cards for nondisabled students (34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
Goals must be reviewed at the annual IEP meeting and revised if the student is not making expected progress or if circumstances change (Wis. Stat. § 115.787(4)).
Key Timelines
Annual goals are set for a one-year period and reviewed at least annually (Wis. Stat. § 115.787(4)(a)).
Progress reports must be issued at least as frequently as report cards are provided to parents of nondisabled students (34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
Goals must be revised more frequently than annually if the student is not making expected progress (Wis. Stat. § 115.787(4)(b)).