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name: iep-goal-writer description: "Write measurable IEP goals and matching accommodations for a K-12 student with an IEP or 504 plan. Use when asked to write an IEP goal, draft annual goals, make a goal measurable, or list accommodations. Produces SMART annual goals (baseline, condition, behavior, criterion, measurement) with short-term objectives and a set of accommodations tied to the student's needs — written to be legally defensible and progress-monitorable."

IEP Goal Writer Skill

An IEP goal that can't be measured can't be defended or monitored — and vague goals fail the student and the district at the annual review. This skill writes goals that are legally sound and trackable: a baseline you're growing from, the condition and criterion that make progress objective, and accommodations matched to the actual barrier.

Working from a brief

Given the student's need area and present level, write complete goals — infer a reasonable baseline and criterion if not given, and label them as placeholders for the team to confirm. Never invent a diagnosis or evaluation data.

Required Inputs

Ask for (if not provided, else infer and label as a placeholder):

• Grade and the need area (reading fluency, written expression, self-regulation, math, social/communication…)
• Present level / baseline — what the student can do now
• The barrier — what's getting in the way (decoding, attention, processing, mobility…)

Output Format

Annual goal(s)

Each in the SMART/legal frame:

By [date], given [condition], [student] will [observable behavior] to [criterion], as measured by [method] across [number] of [trials/samples].

Baseline stated separately so growth is visible.

Short-term objectives

2–3 stepping-stone benchmarks that build toward the annual goal (the checkpoints for progress reports).

Accommodations

Matched to the barrier, sorted by setting (instruction, assignments, testing, environment). Each says what and when — not a generic menu.

Progress monitoring

How and how often the goal is measured, so a progress report can be written from data.

Quality Checks

• Every goal has baseline, condition, observable behavior, criterion, and measurement method
• The criterion is a number (accuracy, frequency, trials) — not "improve" or "better"
• Accommodations map to the stated barrier, with a when/where
• Short-term objectives are true stepping stones to the annual goal
• Placeholders (baseline/criterion you inferred) are flagged for the team to confirm
• No invented diagnosis, evaluation scores, or eligibility claims

Anti-Patterns

• "Student will improve reading" — no baseline, condition, or measurable criterion
• Accommodations as a generic checklist unrelated to the barrier
• Criteria that can't be measured ("to the best of their ability")
• Fabricating test scores or a disability category
• Goals a general-ed teacher couldn't collect data on

Example Trigger Phrases

• "Write an IEP goal."
• "Draft annual goals."
• "Make a goal measurable."
• "List accommodations."