PLP Goal Bank for New Brunswick Parents: Examples and How to Use Them

"Goal bank" resources are everywhere online — but almost all of them are written for American IEPs, using frameworks and outcome standards that don't apply in New Brunswick. The province's Personalized Learning Plan system operates under different legal requirements, and goals need to align with the actual provincial curriculum outcomes your child is working toward.

This is a practical starting point for New Brunswick parents who want to arrive at PLP meetings with well-formed goal examples — or who want to review whether the goals the school has proposed are actually meaningful.

What Makes a Good PLP Goal in New Brunswick

Under NB's Guidelines and Standards for Educational Planning, goals in a Personalized Learning Plan must be:

• Specific — clearly describing the skill or behaviour being targeted
• Measurable — there must be a way to know when the goal is achieved
• Actionable — tied to concrete strategies and supports
• Time-bound — attached to a timeframe (typically one academic year)

Goals should also reflect the student's present level of function — the starting point documented in the assessment section of the PLP. A goal that is the same as last year's goal without justification suggests the plan isn't being updated based on real progress data.

There are two types of PLP goals in New Brunswick: curriculum goals (tied to provincial learning outcomes, modified for accommodated or adjusted students) and support goals (addressing the strategies, behaviours, or skills that allow the student to access learning).

Reading and Literacy Goals

For a student with dyslexia on an accommodated PLP:

• "[Student] will accurately decode grade-level multisyllabic words using phonemic segmentation strategies with 80% accuracy across four consecutive reading probes by June."
• "[Student] will use text-to-speech software independently to access all written assignments and assessments without prompting by February."

For a student with a reading comprehension weakness:

• "[Student] will identify the main idea and two supporting details from a grade-level non-fiction passage and explain them verbally with 75% accuracy by April."
• "[Student] will use graphic organizers to plan written responses of three or more sentences with minimal teacher prompting by March."

Math Goals

For a student with dyscalculia on an accommodated PLP:

• "[Student] will solve two-step word problems using a visual number line or manipulatives with 70% accuracy across three assessment probes by May."
• "[Student] will use an approved calculator accurately for multi-digit multiplication and division in all class and assessment contexts by December."

For a student on an adjusted math curriculum:

• "[Student] will identify and count coins and bills up to $20 and make correct change in simulated purchasing scenarios with 80% accuracy by June."

ADHD and Executive Function Goals

• "[Student] will independently record daily homework assignments in a planner or digital tool and verify completion with the resource teacher at week's end, achieving this in 4 out of 5 school days by March."
• "[Student] will begin a written task within three minutes of instruction in at least 4 out of 5 observations by April, using a start-cue strategy practiced with the resource teacher."
• "[Student] will use a self-monitoring checklist to complete all steps of an assignment before submission in 80% of observed tasks by May."
• "[Student] will remain in their seat during direct instruction for 20-minute blocks with no more than two adult redirects per session by February."

Autism and Social Communication Goals

• "[Student] will make eye contact or orient toward the speaking adult when addressed and respond verbally or with an AAC device within 10 seconds in 80% of classroom interactions by June."
• "[Student] will participate in a structured peer activity for at least 15 minutes three times per week using a visual schedule, without requiring adult prompting to transition, by April."
• "[Student] will identify and name three personal emotional states using a visual emotions tool and communicate a request (break, quiet space, help) with 80% accuracy across two weeks by March."

Anxiety and Social-Emotional Goals

• "[Student] will use a pre-identified calming strategy (deep breathing, sensory tool, quiet space) independently when feeling overwhelmed in at least 4 out of 5 observed instances by May."
• "[Student] will attend all scheduled classes on scheduled school days with fewer than 3 refusals per month (from a current baseline of approximately 8 refusals per month) by June."
• "[Student] will complete one oral presentation per term to a small group (3-5 peers) using a prepared script or notes, without requiring a written-only alternative, by April."

Transition and Independence Goals (Middle and High School)

• "[Student] will identify three post-secondary education or employment pathways of interest and describe the entry requirements for each by the end of Grade 8."
• "[Student] will independently navigate the school building between all scheduled classes without adult accompaniment in 95% of school days by January."
• "[Student] will manage personal hygiene routines (showering, oral care, appropriate clothing selection) independently on school mornings without adult prompting 4 out of 5 days by March."

What to Do If PLP Goals Are Too Vague

Schools sometimes propose goals like "[Student] will make progress in reading" or "[Student] will improve classroom participation." These are not measurable goals — they're placeholders. If your child's PLP contains language like this, you are entitled to ask the ESS team to rewrite the goals with:

• A specific baseline (where is the student starting?)
• A specific target (what does success look like, in measurable terms?)
• A timeline (by when?)
• A measurement method (how will you know?)

You can request an updated draft before you sign the PLP. Your signature is consent for implementation — not an obligation to accept the first version presented to you.

The New Brunswick IEP & Support Plan Blueprint includes goal-writing guidance alongside the full PLP process — helping you evaluate what the school has proposed and advocate for goals that actually drive your child's progress.

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