2020 National Toolkit User Survey: A Snapshot of Transforming Special Education Practice
Part 2: Transformation of IEP Goal Writing
This is Part Two of our three-part series highlighting findings from the 2020–21 Goalbook Toolkit User Survey. In Part One of this series, we explored how Toolkit users perceive the development of their practice in crafting high-quality present levels. In this part of the series, we explore the through-line connecting present levels to writing IEP goals. In Part Three, we dive deeper into the interconnectedness of present levels, IEP goals, and designing instruction, weaving the Golden Thread of special education best practice.
The Importance of Connecting Present Levels to Writing IEP Goals
In a standards-based IEP, present levels of performance should identify the skills and knowledge the student has already attained relative to grade-level standards. This information guides and strengthens decision-making on what academic standards to target for learning goals.
Determining the gap between a student’s present levels of academic achievement and the expectations for grade-level performance provides greater clarity of the goals that need to be achieved in the coming year. This approach seeks to raise the learning expectations for students with special needs (Advocacy Brief: Understanding the Standards-based Individualized Education Program (IEP), National Center for Learning Disabilities).
Creating multiple pathways of learning begins with selecting the grade-level standard of focus within a learning goal. This is a critical part of the goal planning process. The challenge is standards are often long, multi-faceted, and abstractly worded. At times, the complex wording makes it difficult for educators to unpack or understand the essential learning elements — or expectations — within an academic standard and how to visualize what a student would be doing to demonstrate mastery of the standard. In the absence of this clarity, the goals, objectives, and related instructional planning may be misaligned, or not aligned, to the learning expectations of the standard.
While it is challenging for general and special educators to understand grade-level standards, special educators confront an even greater challenge as they often serve students enrolled across multiple grade levels, functioning at varying grade levels.
A recent present levels study identified “comparing student performance to grade-level or industry standards” as an indicator of higher-quality present levels. The alignment of standards is woven across the Golden Thread from identifying present levels to developing goals and designing instruction, a key reason special educators need support in understanding and unpacking state academic standards across all grade levels.
Goalbook Toolkit Connects Present Levels to High-Quality IEP Goals
Previous research has shown Goalbook Toolkit supports educators in crafting standards-aligned, scaffolded, grade-level goals and objectives for students performing below grade-level. Research from San Francisco State University (SFSU) found that IEP goals written with the support of Goalbook Toolkit resources contained 2.5 times more information for planning and measuring an individual student’s success than IEP goals written without the support of Goalbook Toolkit (San Francisco State University, 2014).
The SFSU case study affirmed Goalbook Toolkit promoted educator best practice, integrating and aligning the Golden Thread of identifying student present levels of performance, creating standards-aligned IEP goals, and identifying UDL-aligned instructional strategies that support students in achieving their goals.
These findings were subsequently reaffirmed in other evaluations of Goalbook Toolkit within different education contexts (Earlywood Educational Services, 2020; Evergreen Public Schools, 2020).
Moreover, recent data from the 2020–21 Goalbook Toolkit User Survey demonstrated continued usage of Goalbook Toolkit year-over-year increased educators’ perceptions of Goalbook Toolkit as a valued resource in supporting IEP development and specially designed instruction aligned to grade-level standards.
Exploring educator perceptions provides an opportunity to understand their experience in using Goalbook Toolkit. Perceptual data sheds insight into how past experience shapes current experience. While individual educator context and experiences are unique, patterns from the survey data help support a deeper understanding of how and in what ways educators use Goalbook Toolkit to support key areas of practice. Highlighted below are key findings from the 2020–21 Goalbook Toolkit User Survey responses.
Key Findings
As evidenced by data from more than 1,700 educators participating in the 2020–21 Goalbook Toolkit User Survey, educators’ consecutive year-over-year implementation of Toolkit expands their learning and understanding of not only how to use Toolkit resources, but more importantly how to embed Toolkit resources into their practice — a key ingredient to transforming practice so that all students succeed.
Finding 1: Goalbook Toolkit Usage to Develop IEP Goals Increased Year After Year
67% of new Toolkit users reported they used Toolkit to develop IEP goals. In comparison, 86% of Toolkit users with one to two years of Toolkit implementation reported using Toolkit to develop IEP goals. Over 90% of educator respondents with three or more years of using Goalbook Toolkit reported using Toolkit to develop IEP goals in Fall 2020.
I serve as a supervisor for secondary for Exceptional Children, and we utilize Goalbook Toolkit as a training tool in writing effective and meaningful IEPs. The impact for those teachers who use it with fidelity is amazing! It minimizes time writing the IEPs which adds more instructional time for the teachers and students. It supports bringing clarity to the standards which assists the teacher in understanding what skills are to be taught as well as provides universal design strategies that make the lessons more engaging for the students. As a result, you see growth in the effective teaching, learning, and student data.
Finding 2: The Longer Educators Use Goalbook Toolkit, the More Toolkit Resources Support Them in Developing Standards-Aligned, Measurable IEP Goals.
Over time, educators more strongly agreed that Goalbook supported their practice in developing standards-aligned, measurable IEP goals. With continued use of Toolkit, the data suggest the learning curve decreases and Toolkit resources become embedded into practice.
Goalbook offers clearly defined expectations and goals that can easily be adjusted to fit my students’ independent needs.
Goalbook has allowed me to coach teachers (new and veteran teachers) on how to write effective baselines and goals for legally compliant IEPs. It has allowed me to share data collection sheets/tracking monitoring forms with teachers/staff to make instruction simple and targeted.
Being able to look at the standard and then pick a goal for that standard.
Goalbook has helped me develop a habit of writing IEP goals and objectives that are observable and measurable. I have gained more knowledge on how to set goals that are not only aligned with state standards but attainable for my students.
Finding 3: The Longer Educators Use Goalbook Toolkit, the More Toolkit Resources Support Them in Writing Scaffolded, Grade-Level IEP Goals for Students Performing Below Grade-Level
Beyond helping educators develop standards-aligned, measurable IEP goals, the data showed the longer educators used Toolkit, the more they believed Goalbook Toolkit supported them in writing scaffolded, grade-level IEP goals for students performing below grade-level.
It is an efficient, standards-aligned resource that allows me to individualize and scaffold goals and classroom interventions specific to student needs.
Goalbook has enhanced my thinking towards what each individual student really needs. I can visually see how to present various lessons and how the students can progress.
Goalbook has helped appropriately scaffold materials and objectives for my students.
I can now write scaffolded IEP goals that are more precise and individualized.
Goalbook has helped me develop IEP goals and how to implement those goals with my students. It has been an excellent resource for students below grade level in all academic areas. I have really benefited from using Goalbook to develop goals for behavior and social skills. It has been a resource I use often.
Finding 4: The Longer Educators Use Goalbook Toolkit, the More Toolkit Resources Support Them in Developing Appropriately Ambitious IEP Goals Designed to Assist the Student in Making Meaningful Progress
The Supreme Court decision in Endrew F affirmed a student with an IEP must be provided access to the enrolled grade-level curriculum in an appropriately ambitious way that allows the student to make meaningful, grade-level progress. This Supreme Court decision emphasized the requirement that “every child should have the chance to meet challenging objectives.”
Evidence from participant data from the 2020–21 Goalbook Toolkit User Survey demonstrated as educators progressed year over year in their implementation of Goalbook Toolkit, their level of agreement increased in affirming Toolkit resources support their practice in developing appropriately ambitious IEP goals designed to assist students with IEPs in making meaningful progress.
I appreciate the ease of using Goalbook to create IEP goals that are standards-based, challenging, yet within reach of my students to meet.
Goalbook is a must for Special Education Teachers who want to write clear, concise, and meaningful goals for their students. Not only does Goalbook help me save time by providing choices and options of pre-written goals that are scaffolded, based on the student’s ability in a particular area. Goalbook also provides resources to assist the teacher in implementing these goals in the classroom to help a student achieve progress.
Students are more inclined to do their work when the goals are appropriate for them. It also gives them the confidence they need to succeed.
I like having Goalbook as a resource to help me find rigorous IEP goals and teaching resources to help implement those goals.
As a supervisor, Goalbook has helped me to assist teachers in developing more rigorous goals and PLAFFs.
Ensuring goals are well-written (grade-level appropriate, ambitious, clearly scaffolded, etc.)
Finding 5: The Longer Educators Use Toolkit, the More Toolkit Resources Increase Efficiencies in Educator Practice
Data from the 2020–21 Goalbook Toolkit User Survey also suggest educators’ usage of Goalbook Toolkit not only supported practice but also increased efficiencies within practice, creating more time for educators to address student learning needs.
Less time writing IEPs and more time providing direct instruction.
I appreciate that it is “all in one place” — goals, present levels, resources to collect data, and resources for teaching. Cuts down on the amount of time I have to go “searching” for what I need.
It’s provided me with options to support our struggling learners, and helped me write IEPs in half the amount of time it’d normally take me
Goalbook has decreased the amount of time I spend writing IEPs, which has allowed more time to plan for meaningful instruction and supports.
Goalbook has given me the ability to write more individualized goals for my students in less time than it took before I began using it.
Spending less time on paperwork allows me to devote more of my time and mental energy on the students and families
The Key Takeaway = Instructional Change Occurs Over Time
Goalbook Toolkit supports educators in crafting standards-aligned, scaffolded, grade-level goals and objectives for students. The data suggest educators’ continued usage of Goalbook Toolkit increases their ability to embed Toolkit resources within the cycle of instructional design and delivery.
This mirrors what change research tells us — sustainable change efforts in education take time, typically around three to five years depending on the scale of the change effort (Fullan, 2007). Change is not an event, but rather a process. The transformation of educator practice in implementing and embedding Toolkit resources is supported with continued practice over time.
We’re excited to see educators’ continued growth in confidence across the Golden Thread of special education practice. In the final piece of this series (Part 3), we dive deeper into designing instruction and its interconnectedness to present levels and IEP goals.
Click HERE to learn more about Goalbook efficacy.
Reference: Fullan, M. (2007). The new meaning of educational change. Routledge.Chicago.
Goalbook is committed to supporting ongoing research and evaluation to deepen our collective understanding of how to improve instructional outcomes and promote continuous improvement.
Goalbook Toolkit & Pathways meet the standards of research and evidence aligned to the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (2015).
