SMART Targets

An IEP is a document that parents and teachers work on together, creating up to 3 short term goals for the child to work on.

The goals are expected to be SMART, which means:

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time Related.

In other words, the goals shouldn't be vague things like:

"Jimmy must improve his letter formation"

Rather, it would be:

"Jimmy must work on writing the letters a, e i, o and u over the next 8 weeks."

It is also a good idea for the IEP to include an idea of what help can be given and how often and also how progress will be measured.

The parent, teacher and child will sign the IEP and everyone gets a copy to keep. The child may be given a "Child Friendly" version.