A measurable speech or language IEP goal says what the child will do that you can see or hear. It says where and when they will do it, how much support they will have, how well they need to do it, and by when. Start from real assessment data and from what matters in the child's day. Then pick a way to measure that fits the skill.
Federal law asks for this. Under IDEA, every IEP must include "a statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals" (34 CFR 300.320). Here is how to get there, with examples you can adapt.
What makes an IEP goal measurable?
A goal is measurable when anyone could watch the child and count the behavior. Guidance from Minneapolis Public Schools, shared by ASHA, puts it plainly: a goal must be a behavior that you, or even a stranger, can observe and count. If you cannot count it, it should not be a goal (Consensus Points on Language Goals).
That same guidance asks for goals that match the rest of the IEP. The skills named as needs in the evaluation should be the same skills in the present levels, the goals and the progress reports.
The goal also needs to aim high enough for the child. The U.S. Supreme Court said in Endrew F. that a child's educational program "must be appropriately ambitious in light of his circumstances" (Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, 2017).
What does SMART stand for?
SMART goals trace back to a 1981 management article by George Doran, and school teams have adapted the letters over time (ASHA joint statement, 2022). Most speech therapists use them this way:
- Specific: one clear skill, in plain words.
- Measurable: a number you can count, like turns, words, prompts or opportunities.
- Achievable: a stretch from the child's baseline, not a leap.
- Relevant: tied to the child's school day, classroom work and real life.
- Time bound: a date, usually the end of the IEP year.
How do I choose the right measure?
Percent accuracy is not the right measure for every goal. Emily Diehm points out that a goal asking a young child to speak in four to five word sentences with 80% accuracy does not make sense, because people often answer in short phrases that are perfectly fine. Sentence length is better tracked with mean length of utterance, or MLU, from a language sample (Diehm, 2017).
So match the measure to the skill:
- Speech sounds: correct productions out of a set number of tries.
- Sentence length and grammar: MLU or the number of target forms in a language sample. See how EASI language sample analysis calculates measures only after you review and attest the transcript.
- Social communication: how many times the child starts or keeps a conversation going in a set activity.
- AAC: how many different reasons the child communicates for, like asking, commenting and protesting.
- Following directions: directions followed with a named level of support.
SMART IEP goal examples for speech and language
Use these as starting points. Fill in the brackets with the child's real baseline and your team's dates. Every child is different, so every goal should be too.
Speech sounds Before: "Student will improve the /s/ sound." SMART: By [date], during structured classroom reading tasks, [Name] will produce /s/ correctly in the initial position of words in sentences in 8 of 10 opportunities, with no more than one visual cue, across 3 sessions, measured by clinician data.
Expressive language (sentence length) Before: "Student will use longer sentences." SMART: By [date], while retelling a familiar story with picture support, [Name] will increase mean length of utterance from [baseline] to [target], measured by a language sample of at least 50 utterances.
Receptive language (directions) Before: "Student will follow directions." SMART: By [date], during classroom routines, [Name] will follow 2 step directions that include a location word (for example "put your book in your cubby, then line up") in 4 of 5 opportunities with one repetition, across 3 data days, measured by teacher and clinician data.
Social communication Before: "Student will improve social skills." SMART: By [date], during a 10 minute shared play or game activity with a peer, [Name] will start or add to the conversation at least 3 times, using speech, AAC or gesture, in 4 of 5 sessions, measured by clinician observation.
AAC Before: "Student will use his device." SMART: By [date], across classroom and lunch routines, [Name] will use AAC to communicate for at least 3 different reasons (for example requesting, commenting and protesting) in a 20 minute observation, in 3 of 4 observations, with adult modeling and no physical prompting.
Phonological awareness and literacy Before: "Student will work on reading." SMART: By [date], given printed consonant vowel consonant words, [Name] will blend the sounds and read the word aloud for 9 of 10 words with no more than one model, across 3 sessions, measured by drill data.
Notice what these goals have in common. Each one names a skill you can see or hear, honors more than one way to communicate, and fits into the child's real day. Goals are about helping a child be understood, not about fitting a child into a form.
Where EASI fits
EASI drafts measurable SMART IEP goals from the evaluation for you to review. You edit every word, check that each goal matches the child's present levels, and decide what goes to the IEP team. MySLP, which is included with EASI, can help you plan sessions and data sheets around those goals. Learn more about MySLP.
SALT also suggests goals based on a language sample, and both tools leave the final choice with the clinician. If you are weighing the two, you can compare EASI and SALT.
EASI is available through Northern Speech Services: northernspeech.com/f7e0. Groups of 10 or more can email info@northernspeech.com.
FAQ
Can AI write IEP goals? Software can draft a goal, but the IEP team decides. EASI drafts measurable SMART IEP goals for you to review, edit and approve. It never decides eligibility or services.
Do speech goals have to say "80% accuracy over 3 trials"? No. Pick the measure that fits the skill. Counts, MLU, prompt levels and number of opportunities often describe progress better than a percentage (Diehm, 2017).
How many IEP goals should a child have? IDEA asks for measurable annual goals that meet the child's needs. It does not set a number. Your team decides based on the child's present levels.
Where should my baseline come from? From real data: your evaluation, a language sample, therapy data, classroom observation and what teachers and families tell you. The skill in the baseline should be the same skill in the goal.
Does SALT suggest goals too? Yes. SALT generates suggested goals from a language sample, and the clinician reviews and chooses (SALT 24 brochure).
References
- Diehm, E. (2017). Writing measurable and academically relevant IEP goals with 80% accuracy over three consecutive trials. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 2(16), 34 to 44. https://doi.org/10.1044/persp2.SIG16.34
- Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District RE1, 580 U.S. 386 (2017). https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/16pdf/15-827_0pm1.pdf
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act regulations, 34 CFR 300.320, Definition of individualized education program. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-300.320
- Minneapolis Public Schools. (2009). Consensus points on language goals. Hosted by ASHA. https://www.asha.org/siteassets/uploadedfiles/consensus-points-on-language-goals.pdf
- American Occupational Therapy Association, American Physical Therapy Association, and American Speech Language Hearing Association. (2022). Joint statement on interprofessional collaborative goals in school based practice. https://www.asha.org/siteassets/ipp/joint-statement-on-interprofessional-collaborative-goals-in-school-based-practice-2022.pdf
- SALT Software, LLC. SALT 24 brochure. https://www.saltsoftware.com/media/wysiwyg/ordering/SALT_24_Brochure.pdf