Goals in the New Year: IEP and Education – January 2025

Dark green background image with two white chalkboard lines horizontally centered on background. A photo of a hand is holding a small chalkboard with a wood frame and black textured center. Text on the chalkboard says "#GOALS IEP and Education by Mimi Sanders." Pathfinder's branded graphic its on the top right of the chalkboard.

As we continue to plan for a new year in 2025, goals are on our minds. Whether you created a goal to get outside more, move your body, or establish a new routine, the new year allows time for intentional reflection to consider hopes and dreams for the next year. While many of our goals might be personal, goals in the education setting establish a strong foundation for student progress. Goals help both the educator, and the student remain focused on the long-term outcomes.

Goals can be school-wide, classroom specific, or individualized depending on the outcome. Educators frequently create goals that are embedded in their lesson plans. These goals might align with district or state educational standards. Educators may use assessments at the end of the lesson to see if the goal was achieved. Goals in the classroom setting typically apply to all students and focus on the general education curriculum.

Goals also help students with disabilities obtain the adequate services that are outlined in an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Goals are specific to the student and require frequent data collection to track progress. Goals should also be measurable, attainable, and clearly defined. Progress should be defined so the entire IEP team knows when the goal has been met. Goals are the foundation of the IEP because they track the student’s progress when intervention is being provided. A good checkpoint is to have another individual read the goal and determine what is being measured and how the team will know when the student has met the goal. Goals should be so clearly written that anyone could read the goal and determine exactly what is being measured.

Whether you are an educator, caregiver, or a student, goals can help create educational focus and direction. Goals can also help make sure an individual is getting adequate support to reach more long-term goals like employment or independent living. If you are an educator, take some time at the start of a new semester and evaluate your goals. This might look like evaluating your classroom goals and reviewing IEPs to ensure those goals are being addressed appropriately. If a goal has not been met, determine why and what changes need to be made. If you are a student, think about a goal that is related to your education. This can be as small or as big as you would like. Then, share this goal with your teacher and ask how they can help support you to reach this goal. If you are a caregiver, now is a great time to review your student’s progress report, IEP, or educational plan. You can take some time to evaluate and analyze the goals. Ask yourself if the goals still are important and apply to where your student is currently right now. If you have concerns about the goals or want to develop some new goals, feel free to reach out to the teacher and IEP team.

TN Disability Pathfinder can be a great starting point in locating resources related to helping you achieve your goals. There is an educational guide that explains and gives ideas on how educators can use our website in the classroom. Likewise, students can use the website to locate supports and resources that may help them achieve their academic goals. Caregivers can also use our services to locate specific resources for their student. We are on your team and want to help you reach your goals in any way we can. Always feel free to reach out if we can help in any way!