3-Year Data Trends Demonstrate Goalbook Toolkit Impact on Educator Practice and Student Outcomes

Highlights from the 2022 Goalbook Toolkit Annual User Survey

Impact and efficacy research isn’t a vision at Goalbook — it is embedded practice within our core work.

Goalbook is dedicated to providing a research-to-practice, proven solution that empowers educators to transform practice so that all students succeed.

With research and evaluation as top priorities, Goalbook continually seeks evidence of how and in what ways Goalbook Toolkit resources empower and support educators in weaving “the Golden Thread” — identifying present levels, developing IEP goals, and implementing IEPs with specially designed instruction — the fundamental best practices of the special education craft.

The Goalbook Toolkit Annual User Survey

The Goalbook Toolkit Annual User Survey explores how and in what ways special education teachers and service providers perceive Goalbook Toolkit usage impacts their daily practice, increasing effectiveness and efficiencies within the scope of educators’ practice, aligned to the district’s and/or school’s desired implementation outcomes.

For the past three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), Goalbook has invited Goalbook Toolkit users to participate in an annual user survey. In 2022, approximately 2,900 Toolkit users responded to the survey starting in November 2022.

The 2022 sample, as in previous years, represents a cross-section of Goalbook school and district partners of varied demographics, number of Goalbook Toolkit users, and implementation goals.

The 2022 sample, also as in previous years, includes participants across varied levels of Goalbook Toolkit usage experience from “new to Goalbook” to “5+ years” using Goalbook Toolkit. The participants represent differing roles, with the vast majority of respondents being special educators.

Measuring Goalbook Toolkit Efficacy

The 2022 data affirm that Goalbook Toolkit continues to support educator practice in writing quality present levels, developing learning goals, and designing instruction, increasing educator self-efficacy, effectiveness, and efficiencies.

Understanding how educators perceive Goalbook Toolkit supporting them across the three key areas of practice provides deeper insights into Goalbook Toolkit impact. Below is an overview of the findings from the 2022 Goalbook Toolkit Annual User Survey data:

A Promising Trend of Transforming Practice

The 2022 Goalbook Toolkit Annual User Survey data suggest Goalbook Toolkit supports educator practice in empowering educators to transform practice in weaving the Golden Thread from present levels to IEP goals through instructional planning, a continuing trend from data in 2020 and 2021. One survey respondent shared this thought:“Well-written goals help me focus on well-designed instruction.”

At Goalbook, our theory of change is rooted in the research which demonstrates student success is predicated upon effective instructional practice. For instructional practice to be effective, it must be aligned to the needs of students. The Goalbook Toolkit Annual User Survey data trends from 2020–2022 show promise for how and in what ways Goalbook Toolkit usage empowers educators to transform instruction through intentional alignment of practices to students’ needs and strengths: the precursor to learning success for ALL students!

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 meets the standards of research and evidence aligned to the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) and What Works Clearinghouse (WWC).