ISSP Goal Bank for Newfoundland Parents: Writing Measurable Goals

One of the most common failures in NL ISSPs is goals that sound reasonable but can never be evaluated. "Will improve his reading" is not a goal — it's a hope. An ISSP goal is a legal commitment by the school to deliver something measurable. Here is how to write ISSP goals that work, along with sample goals across the key areas NL students commonly need.

The Structure of a Good ISSP Goal

Every measurable ISSP goal contains four elements:

1. Who: The student
2. Will do what: The specific, observable behavior or skill
3. Under what conditions: The context, setting, or materials
4. To what degree: The measurable criterion for success (percentage accuracy, rate, frequency, or level of independence)

A fifth element — by when — should be added to track within the annual cycle.

Example of a weak goal: "Will improve reading fluency."
Example of a strong goal: "By June, [Student] will read grade 3 leveled text aloud at a rate of 80 words per minute with 95% accuracy, as measured by bi-weekly ORF probes administered by the IRT."

The difference matters: the first cannot be evaluated, the second tells you exactly what success is and who is responsible for measuring it.

Sample Reading Goals

For a student with a specific learning disorder in reading (dyslexia):

• "By [date], [Student] will correctly decode 80% of words containing the targeted phoneme patterns (vowel teams, r-controlled vowels) in isolation on weekly word sort probes, as measured by the IRT."
• "By [date], [Student] will read 90 words per minute in a grade 3 leveled text with 96% accuracy, as measured bi-weekly using oral reading fluency probes."
• "By [date], [Student] will demonstrate comprehension of an independently read grade 2 text by correctly answering 4 out of 5 literal and inferential questions, as measured monthly."

For a student using assistive technology to access text:

• "By [date], [Student] will independently activate text-to-speech software and navigate a digital reading activity for 20 minutes without adult prompting, in 4 out of 5 observed sessions."

Sample Writing and Language Goals

• "By [date], [Student] will produce a 3-sentence paragraph with a topic sentence, two supporting details, and a closing sentence with 80% accuracy on weekly writing probes, using a graphic organizer as a scaffold."
• "By [date], [Student] will independently use speech-to-text software to produce a minimum 100-word written response to a reading passage, with content meeting the assigned rubric criteria at the 2/4 level, in 4 out of 5 tasks."
• "By [date], [Student] will correctly use targeted vocabulary words (10-word list, rotated monthly) in oral sentences with 80% accuracy during structured IRT sessions."

Sample Math Goals

• "By [date], [Student] will accurately complete single-digit multiplication facts (0-9) at a rate of 40 correct digits per minute on 1-minute probes, as measured weekly."
• "By [date], [Student] will solve 2-digit by 2-digit multiplication problems with regrouping with 85% accuracy on classroom assessments, using a provided algorithm reference card."
• "By [date], [Student] will independently count and identify Canadian coins and bills to a total of $20.00 with 90% accuracy in 4 out of 5 trials, as measured by the IRT using manipulatives."

Sample Communication and Speech Goals

For students with ISSP goals managed jointly with NLHS speech-language services:

• "By [date], [Student] will correctly produce the /r/ sound in word-initial position in spontaneous speech with 80% accuracy during structured conversation tasks, as measured weekly by the SLP or IRT."
• "By [date], [Student] will use a 4-symbol AAC grid to request preferred items or activities in 4 out of 5 opportunities during structured sessions, decreasing from current 2 out of 5 baseline."
• "By [date], [Student] will demonstrate turn-taking in a structured 5-minute conversation with a peer by waiting for the speaker to finish before responding, in 4 out of 5 observed opportunities."

Sample Social and Self-Regulation Goals

• "By [date], [Student] will identify and verbally label their emotional state using the 5-point scale in 80% of observed escalation incidents before reaching a level 4, as measured by classroom teacher incident logs."
• "By [date], [Student] will independently use a self-selected calming strategy (deep breathing, fidget tool, or scheduled movement break) to return to a regulated state within 5 minutes of an escalation, in 4 out of 5 documented incidents."
• "By [date], [Student] will initiate a socially appropriate greeting with a familiar adult or peer in 4 out of 5 observed opportunities during school arrival and transitions."

Sample Independence and Transition Goals

For students approaching the intermediate-to-senior-high transition:

• "By [date], [Student] will independently locate their class schedule, collect required materials, and arrive at each class within 2 minutes of the bell in 4 out of 5 school days, as measured by teacher sign-off sheets."
• "By [date], [Student] will complete a job-skills task (filing, sorting, data entry) with 90% accuracy using a visual task analysis checklist, in 4 out of 5 work experience sessions."

How to Use This in Your PPT Meeting

When the PPT presents draft ISSP goals, use these samples as a reference point. You do not need to rewrite the goals — but you do need to push for specificity on every item that currently lacks measurable criteria. Ask:

• "What is the target percentage or rate for this goal?"
• "Who will collect the data, and how often?"
• "By what date will we review progress?"

Goals that cannot answer these questions are placeholders, not commitments.

NL parents also have the right to propose specific goals for inclusion in the ISSP. If you believe your child needs a goal in a particular area that the school hasn't addressed, write your proposed goal using the structure above and submit it in writing to the Contact Teacher before the PPT meeting.

The Newfoundland & Labrador IEP & Support Plan Blueprint includes an expanded ISSP goal-writing guide specific to the NL exceptionality framework, with domain-by-domain examples aligned to the RTL policy and the provincial Schools Act, along with the accountability tools to ensure the goals the school agrees to are actually delivered.

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