Reading is a fundamental skill, but many students with special needs face significant challenges in mastering it.

These difficulties often stem from conditions like dyslexia or specific areas such as phonemic awareness, word decoding, or reading comprehension.

Early identification and intervention are key to promoting progress. By setting clear, actionable IEP reading goals, educators can create targeted interventions that address individual needs, track student progress, and ensure measurable improvements.

These well-defined goals provide structured support and help students build essential reading skills and boost their confidence.

Writing Effective IEP Goals for Reading

1. Is the IEP Goal ‘Specific’?

Goals should clearly define the reading skill to be improved, such as phonics, fluency, or comprehension.

Unspecific goals like "The student will improve reading" should be avoided in favor of precise objectives like "The student will increase reading comprehension by identifying the main idea in grade-level passages."

2. Can you ‘Measure’ the IEP goal for reading?

Include quantifiable measures of success. For example, “The student will read 80 words per minute with 95% accuracy” provides a clear target and method for tracking progress.

3. Can the student really achieve the goal?

IEP goals you write should be realistic and attainable based on the student’s current reading abilities. While challenging goals are important, setting unattainable ones can lead to frustration.

For example, if a student currently reads 40 words per minute, a realistic goal might be to increase their reading speed to 60 words per minute over a semester.

However, setting a goal of 100 words per minute in the same timeframe may be overly ambitious and could discourage the student if they struggle to meet it.

4. Is it relevant?

Each goal should address the specific reading challenges the student faces.

For example, if a student struggles with phonics, the goal should focus on improving decoding skills rather than reading comprehension.

5. Time-Bound

Set a clear timeframe for achieving the goal, such as “By the end of the semester…” This helps create a sense of urgency and ensures consistent progress monitoring.

Before You Write Reading Goals for IEPs

1. Assess Current Reading Levels

Before setting goals, be sure to assess the student's reading abilities using running records, diagnostic assessments, and teacher observations. This data will form the baseline for creating appropriate goals.

2. Identify Key Areas of Need

Identify the areas where the student struggles the most, such as phonemic awareness, vocabulary development, or comprehension.

3. Establish Gradual Milestones for Consistent Growth

Break long-term reading goals into smaller, more manageable benchmarks. This allows for continuous IEP goal tracking and ongoing adjustments, if necessary. track progress and make adjustments as needed.

For instance, if the goal is to improve reading fluency, set short-term objectives such as increasing words read per minute by 10 each month.

4. Collaborate with the IEP Team

Involve parents, SpEd teachers, and reading specialists to set  realistic and achievable IEP goals, aligned with the student’s needs.

Examples of IEP Goals for Reading Skill Improvement

1. Examples of IEP Goals focused on Phonics

• For a 6- to 7-year-old student with dyslexia:

Goal: "Within 12 weeks, the student will decode 20 new consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words with 90% accuracy, as measured by weekly phonics assessments."

• For an 8- to 9-year-old student with a learning disability:

Goal: "In 10 weeks, the student will decode multisyllabic words with consonant blends and digraphs with 85% accuracy during bi-weekly assessments."

• For a 7- to 8-year-old student with a phonological disorder:

Goal: "By the end of the semester, the student will recognize and blend sounds in 25 new CVC words with 90% accuracy in 4 out of 5 attempts."

• For a 6- to 7-year-old student with a speech delay:

Goal: "Within 8 weeks, the student will correctly identify and pronounce initial and final consonant sounds in single-syllable words with 85% accuracy during daily phonics lessons."

2. Sample IEP Goals for improving Fluency

• For an 8- to 10-year-old student with a reading delay:

Goal: "By the end of the semester, the student will read 90 words per minute with 95% accuracy during oral reading assessments, as measured by bi-weekly fluency checks."

• For a 10- to 12-year-old student with ADHD:

Goal: "In 16 weeks, the student will read a passage of 100 words per minute with 90% accuracy, as measured by timed reading exercises twice per week."

• For a 7- to 9-year-old student with a reading disability:

Goal: "Within 12 weeks, the student will increase reading fluency to 80 words per minute with 90% accuracy, as measured by weekly fluency assessments."

• For a 9- to 11-year-old student with dyslexia:

Goal: "By the end of the school year, the student will improve reading fluency to 70 words per minute with 85% accuracy on grade-level texts, measured bi-weekly."

3. Example IEP goals for Reading Comprehension

• For a 9- to 11-year-old student on the autism spectrum:

Goal: "By the end of the school year, the student will answer comprehension questions about grade-level texts with 85% accuracy, as measured by teacher observation and quarterly comprehension assessments."

• For a 12- to 14-year-old student with a mild intellectual disability:

Goal: "In 20 weeks, the student will summarize key details from grade-appropriate texts with 80% accuracy, as measured by bi-weekly comprehension activities."

• For a 10- to 12-year-old student with ADHD:

Goal: "Within 16 weeks, the student will identify the main idea and supporting details in grade-level texts with 85% accuracy during comprehension checks."

• For a 7- to 9-year-old student with a reading disability:

Goal: "By the end of the semester, the student will correctly answer 'who, what, where, and why' questions about a story with 90% accuracy in 3 out of 4 reading activities."

4. IEP Goals for Vocabulary Development in Special Needs Children

• For a 7- to 9-year-old student with a speech-language impairment:

Goal: "Within 8 weeks, the student will use 10 new vocabulary words in sentences with 80% accuracy, as measured by weekly vocabulary quizzes."

• For a 10- to 12-year-old student with dyslexia:

Goal: "In 12 weeks, the student will correctly define and use 15 new vocabulary words in written sentences with 85% accuracy, as measured by monthly vocabulary assessments."

• For a 6- to 8-year-old student with a learning disability:

Goal: "By the end of 10 weeks, the student will learn and use 20 new sight words in reading and writing activities with 85% accuracy during weekly assessments."

• For an 8- to 10-year-old English language learner:

Goal: "Within 12 weeks, the student will correctly use 12 new vocabulary words in context, both orally and in writing, with 90% accuracy on weekly assessments."