Behavior IEP goals

Replacement behaviours, not just less of the old one: what the student will do instead, how often, and how anyone would know.

A behaviour goal is only as good as the data behind it. Where behaviour impedes learning, the IEP team must consider positive behavioral interventions and supports — the goal is one part of that, not a substitute for it.

Write a behavior goal

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Annual goal

By the annual review date, when given a one-step direction, [Student] will begin the task within one minute and without argument in 8 of 10 opportunities, as measured by a frequency count kept during instructional periods.

Benchmarks

  1. 1

    By the annual review date, when given a one-step direction, [Student] will begin the task within one minute and without argument in 4 of 10 opportunities, as measured by a frequency count kept during instructional periods.

  2. 2

    By the annual review date, when given a one-step direction, [Student] will begin the task within one minute and without argument in 5 of 10 opportunities, as measured by a frequency count kept during instructional periods.

  3. 3

    By the annual review date, when given a one-step direction, [Student] will begin the task within one minute and without argument in 7 of 10 opportunities, as measured by a frequency count kept during instructional periods.

Replace [Student] and any remaining bracket in your own document. The IEP team writes the goal from this student's present levels; this is a starting draft, not an IEP.

23 behavior goals

Each shown at an example present level and target.

Following directions

· opportunities met

By the annual review date, when given a one-step direction, [Student] will begin the task within one minute and without argument in 8 of 10 opportunities, as measured by a frequency count kept during instructional periods.

Grades PreK, K–2, 3-5
Other ways to measure this
  • a frequency count kept during instructional periods
  • daily behaviour data sheets scored by staff
  • weekly observation records

Raising a hand

· opportunities met

By the annual review date, during whole-class instruction, [Student] will raise a hand and wait to be called on before speaking in 8 of 10 opportunities, as measured by a tally kept during whole-class instruction.

Grades K–2, 3-5
Other ways to measure this
  • a tally kept during whole-class instruction
  • daily behaviour data sheets

Calling out

· a running total

By the annual review date, during instruction, [Student] will call out without permission no more than 2 call-outs per class period, as measured by a frequency count kept each class period.

Grades K–2, 3-5, 6-8
Other ways to measure this
  • a frequency count kept each class period
  • daily behaviour data sheets scored by staff

Staying in the assigned area

· time on task

By the annual review date, during a structured activity, [Student] will remain in the assigned area for 20 minutes without leaving without permission, as measured by a timer and duration record kept during activities.

Grades PreK, K–2, 3-5
Other ways to measure this
  • a timer and duration record kept during activities
  • daily behaviour data sheets

On-task behaviour

· percent accuracy

By the annual review date, during independent work, [Student] will be observably on task at 85% of momentary time-sampling intervals, as measured by momentary time sampling at fixed intervals.

Grades K–2, 3-5, 6-8
Other ways to measure this
  • momentary time sampling at fixed intervals
  • weekly interval recording sheets kept by staff

Transitions between activities

· time on task

By the annual review date, when a transition is announced, [Student] will stop the current activity, move to the next location and begin within 2 minutes, as measured by a transition latency record kept by staff.

Grades PreK, K–2, 3-5
Other ways to measure this
  • a transition latency record kept by staff
  • daily behaviour data sheets with a timer

Accepting no or a change of plan

· opportunities met

By the annual review date, when told no or told a planned activity has changed, [Student] will acknowledge it and continue with the alternative without escalation in 8 of 10 opportunities, as measured by an incident and opportunity log kept by staff.

Grades K–2, 3-5, 6-8
Other ways to measure this
  • an incident and opportunity log kept by staff
  • daily behaviour data sheets

Using a break appropriately

· opportunities met

By the annual review date, when [Student] notices rising frustration, they will request a break using the agreed signal and return within the agreed time in 4 of 5 opportunities, as measured by a break request log kept by staff.

Grades K–2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Other ways to measure this
  • a break request log kept by staff
  • daily behaviour data sheets recording requests and returns

Work refusal

· opportunities met

By the annual review date, when given an assignment they find difficult, [Student] will start it or ask for a specific support rather than refusing, in 4 of 5 opportunities, as measured by a work-initiation log kept during class.

Grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Other ways to measure this
  • a work-initiation log kept during class
  • weekly observation records

Safe hands and body

· a running total

By the annual review date, [Student] will keep hands and body to themselves, with no more than 1 incidents per week of physical contact toward others, as measured by incident reports and staff data sheets.

Grades PreK, K–2, 3-5
Other ways to measure this
  • incident reports and staff data sheets
  • weekly frequency counts kept by classroom staff

Materials and property

· opportunities met

By the annual review date, during class activities, [Student] will use classroom materials for their purpose and return them intact in 9 of 10 periods, as measured by a daily checklist kept by classroom staff.

Grades K–2, 3-5, 6-8
Other ways to measure this
  • a daily checklist kept by classroom staff
  • weekly observation records

Self-monitoring behaviour

· percent accuracy

By the annual review date, using a self-monitoring form at set intervals, [Student] will rate their own behaviour and match the adult’s rating with 85% agreement, as measured by paired student and staff rating forms compared daily.

Grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Other ways to measure this
  • paired student and staff rating forms compared daily
  • weekly self-monitoring records

Responding to correction

· opportunities met

By the annual review date, when given a correction by an adult, [Student] will accept it without arguing and adjust what they are doing in 8 of 10 opportunities, as measured by a staff log of corrections and responses.

Grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Other ways to measure this
  • a staff log of corrections and responses
  • daily behaviour data sheets

Arriving ready

· opportunities met

By the annual review date, [Student] will arrive at class on time with required materials and begin the opening task in 8 of 10 class periods, as measured by a daily arrival checklist kept by the teacher.

Grades 6-8, 9-12
Other ways to measure this
  • a daily arrival checklist kept by the teacher
  • weekly period-by-period records

Unstructured time

· opportunities met

By the annual review date, during recess, lunch or other unstructured time, [Student] will follow school expectations without adult redirection in 8 of 10 observed periods, as measured by supervision staff observation records.

Grades K–2, 3-5, 6-8
Other ways to measure this
  • supervision staff observation records
  • weekly behaviour data sheets for unstructured periods

Following a schedule

· fading prompts

By the annual review date, [Student] will check their visual schedule and move to the next activity with no adult prompting, as measured by a prompting-level data sheet kept across the day.

Grades PreK, K–2, 3-5
Other ways to measure this
  • a prompting-level data sheet kept across the day
  • daily schedule-following records

Recovering after an incident

· time on task

By the annual review date, after an escalation, [Student] will return to the activity and resume work within 8 minutes, as measured by incident records with return-to-task times.

Grades K–2, 3-5, 6-8
Other ways to measure this
  • incident records with return-to-task times
  • staff data sheets with a timer

Waiting

· time on task

By the annual review date, when required to wait for a turn or for adult attention, [Student] will wait quietly for 6 minutes using a taught waiting strategy, as measured by a timer and duration record kept by staff.

Grades PreK, K–2, 3-5
Other ways to measure this
  • a timer and duration record kept by staff
  • daily behaviour data sheets

Working with a partner

· opportunities met

By the annual review date, during partner work, [Student] will stay with the assigned partner and contribute to the task in 4 of 5 activities, as measured by observation records kept during partner work.

Grades 3-5, 6-8
Other ways to measure this
  • observation records kept during partner work
  • weekly cooperative task checklists

Homework and assignment completion

· percent accuracy

By the annual review date, [Student] will turn in assigned work on the day it is due, completing 90% of assignments across all classes, as measured by the gradebook completion record reviewed weekly.

Grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Other ways to measure this
  • the gradebook completion record reviewed weekly
  • a case manager assignment log

Responding to a redirection signal

· opportunities met

By the annual review date, when given the agreed non-verbal signal, [Student] will stop the off-task behaviour and return to work in 8 of 10 opportunities, as measured by a signal-and-response tally kept by staff.

Grades PreK, K–2, 3-5
Other ways to measure this
  • a signal-and-response tally kept by staff
  • daily behaviour data sheets

Attendance in class

· percent accuracy

By the annual review date, [Student] will attend scheduled classes, present for 92% of periods across a grading term, as measured by the school attendance record reviewed each grading period.

Grades 6-8, 9-12
Other ways to measure this
  • the school attendance record reviewed each grading period
  • a period-by-period attendance log kept by the case manager

Independent work period

· time on task

By the annual review date, during independent work, [Student] will work without adult prompting for 15 minutes, as measured by a timer and duration record kept during independent work.

Grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Other ways to measure this
  • a timer and duration record kept during independent work
  • weekly observation records

Other skill areas

The five parts of a measurable goal

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from one of the documents below, with the date it was read. Requirements change; if a source has moved on since that date, the source is right and this page is out of date.