---
title: SMART Goals Make Smarter Students!
description: Setting Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, & Time-limited goals, IEP team members have a clear sense of the target to meet before the next review.
---

[The Stepping Stones Group Blog](https://blogs.thesteppingstonesgroup.com)

# [SMART Goals Make Smarter Students!](https://blogs.thesteppingstonesgroup.com/smart-goals-make-smarter-students)

 Written by [Abby Carlson](https://blogs.thesteppingstonesgroup.com/author/abby-carlson) | Fri, Jul 16, 2021

As special education practitioners, we know that writing Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals based upon evidence-based instructional strategies are the gold standard to support student learning for college- and career readiness. By setting **S**pecific, **M**easurable, **A**ttainable, **R**elevant, and **T**ime-limited goals, all IEP team members have a clear sense of the target to meet before the next annual review.

**Definition**

SMART is a mnemonic acronym used in a variety of settings, providing benchmark goals and measurements. IEP team members may also use this tool to write better annual goals:

- ***Specific** -* The goal identifies the areas of need (e.g. academic or behavioral) and functional performance;
- ***Measurable** -* The goal is observable and must be measured and collected to determine the student’s progress; 
- ***Attainable** -* The goal indicates the student’s expected annual progress; 
- ***Relevant** -* The goal addresses the child’s specific deficits in knowledge, skills, or behaviors necessary for school success;  
- ***Time-limited** -* The goal is written for a one-year time frame to improve present levels and a child’s academic achievement or behavior;

**Examples**

**8th-grade math **

By (date), (name) will increase math skills by solving two-step equations as measured by teacher-made assignments and student work samples, with no more than 4 errors in 25 problems. 

| Specific | Measurable | Attainable | Relevant | Time-limited |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The student will solve systems of equations with two variables | Using teacher-made assignments and student work samples  | With no more than 4 errors in 25 problems | Meets 8th grade-state standards for expressions and equations | The goal will increase student’s ability to solve more complex linear equations within one year |

**5th-grade reading**

By (date), (name) will use graphic organizers to draw the main idea and 3 supporting details for one paragraph of informational text with no more than 4 errors after reading 20 passages, as measured by teacher-made assignments and student work samples.  

| Specific | Measurable | Attainable | Relevant | Time-limited |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Using graphic organizers, students will draw the main idea and 3 supporting details about informational text  | As measured by teacher-made assignments and student work samples  | With no more than 4 errors after reading 20 informational text passages | Meets state reading standards for 5th-grade comprehension of informational text | The goal will increase student’s ability to explain how the author reasons and uses evidence to support a claim within one year |

**Behavior**

By (date), (name) will initiate his/her work as evidenced by writing relevant words or numbers on his/her paper within one minute of an assignment being presented, with a minimum of 20 recorded opportunities over two months, as measured by observational assessments. 

| Specific | Measurable | Attainable | Relevant | Time-limited |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The student will initiate work within one minute of an assignment being presented | As measured by teacher observations and student performance assessments | 20 recorded opportunities over two months | Supports student’s ability to be on task  | The goal will increase student initiation of assigned classroom work within one year |

 

**Summary**

Using the SMART technique will guide IEP teams to write high-quality, legally defensible, IEP goals every time.  

 

*Author: Judith Magee, MA, Education Specialist*

[View full post](https://blogs.thesteppingstonesgroup.com/smart-goals-make-smarter-students)

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