IIP Goal Bank for Saskatchewan: Writing Measurable Goals for PPP and eIIP
One of the most practical things a Saskatchewan parent can do before an IIP meeting is come in knowing what a good goal looks like — and recognizing a bad one. School teams often write goals that sound reasonable but are fundamentally unaccountable. A goal like "will improve reading skills" tells you nothing about what success looks like, how it will be measured, or when you should expect progress.
Saskatchewan's Ministry of Education uses SMART criteria for IIP goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. The problem is that the Ministry writes this requirement for educators, not parents. Here's a practical breakdown of what strong IIP goals look like across common areas, with Saskatchewan-specific framing.
What Makes a Saskatchewan IIP Goal Strong
Before the goal bank, understand the anatomy of a well-written goal. Every IIP goal in Saskatchewan should have:
- A baseline — The Current Level of Ability (CLA) establishes where the child is starting. The goal should grow from this baseline.
- A measurable target — Numbers, frequency counts, accuracy percentages. "Independently" is not enough; specify under what conditions.
- A timeframe — Annual outcomes plus short-term objectives broken down by 1-month, 3-month, or 6-month markers.
- Conditions — When, where, and with what supports will this skill be demonstrated?
- Criteria for mastery — How will the team know the goal is met? 4 out of 5 trials, 80% accuracy across three consecutive sessions.
A red flag: if you're at an IIP meeting and the school proposes goals you can't evaluate independently — goals you'd have no way of knowing were met or missed — those goals won't hold anyone accountable.
Reading and Literacy Goals
Weak goal: "Will improve reading comprehension."
Strong goal: "By January 2027, [student] will correctly answer 4 out of 5 literal comprehension questions about a grade-appropriate text read aloud, as measured during weekly reading assessments in the resource room."
Additional examples:
- "By March 2027, [student] will correctly decode 90% of CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words in isolation, as measured by bi-weekly word lists administered by the Learning Resource Teacher."
- "By June 2027, [student] will independently use text-to-speech software to access one assigned reading task per day, as tracked by the classroom teacher in the daily log."
Mathematics Goals
Weak goal: "Will improve math skills."
Strong goal: "By June 2027, [student] will independently complete single-step addition and subtraction problems within 20 with 80% accuracy, as measured on bi-weekly teacher-created probes."
Additional examples:
- "By December 2026, [student] will use a calculator to solve multi-step word problems with 75% accuracy across three consecutive assessment sessions."
- "By June 2027, [student] will independently identify coins and calculate totals up to $5.00, as measured through monthly practical assessments."
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Communication and Language Goals
These are particularly relevant for students with autism, language delays, or pragmatic communication challenges.
Strong goal examples:
- "By March 2027, [student] will spontaneously initiate a greeting with a peer or adult in 3 out of 5 observed opportunities during unstructured time, as tracked by EA observation log."
- "By June 2027, [student] will use a communication device or visual schedule to make 2 or more independent requests per day, as measured by daily frequency data collected by the EA."
- "By January 2027, [student] will follow a two-step verbal instruction without gestural cues in 4 out of 5 trials across two settings, as measured by the classroom teacher and EA."
Behaviour and Self-Regulation Goals
These goals should always connect to the function identified in a Functional Behaviour Assessment.
Strong goal examples:
- "By June 2027, [student] will independently use the break card to request a sensory break before escalating to physical behaviour, in at least 3 out of 5 observed opportunities, as tracked by the EA daily log."
- "By March 2027, [student] will transition between activities with verbal warning within 2 minutes in 80% of observed transitions, as tracked by teacher observation."
- "By January 2027, [student] will complete a frustration-reducing coping strategy (e.g., deep breathing, quiet corner visit) when prompted by a visual cue, in 4 out of 5 prompted opportunities."
Transition Goals (High School and Post-Secondary)
Transition planning is a mandatory component of Saskatchewan IIPs. For students in middle years and high school, transition goals must address movement toward adult life — not just academic skills.
Saskatchewan requires transition planning within the IIP. These goals should be developing by Grade 7–8 and intensifying through high school.
Vocational and independent living goals:
- "By June 2027, [student] will independently complete a two-step food preparation task (e.g., making toast, preparing a simple sandwich) on 4 out of 5 practised occasions, as measured by staff observation at the school's life skills kitchen."
- "By June 2027, [student] will complete a practicum placement checklist task list independently for 3 consecutive days at the supported worksite."
- "By January 2027, [student] will identify and articulate 3 personal career interest areas through completion of a structured career exploration tool, with support from the guidance counsellor."
Post-secondary readiness goals (for students on the regular diploma pathway):
- "By June 2027, [student] will self-advocate by independently requesting accommodations (extended time, quiet room) from two different teachers, documented in teacher logs."
- "By March 2027, [student] will independently create and maintain a weekly assignment planner with less than 2 missed entries per week, as verified by the resource teacher."
Goals for Students with Autism in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan has no separate autism-specific IIP process — autism is one of the 11 designated Categories of Intensive Needs. But the functional areas commonly targeted in IIPs for students with autism include:
Social communication:
- "By June 2027, [student] will initiate topic-relevant comments during structured group discussion on 3 out of 5 observed opportunities."
- "By March 2027, [student] will interpret and appropriately respond to two non-literal phrases (idioms or sarcasm) per session, in 4 of 5 opportunities."
Sensory and self-regulation:
- "By June 2027, [student] will independently access the sensory break space using the visual schedule when sensory overload signals are present, on 80% of observed opportunities."
Adaptive skills:
- "By January 2027, [student] will independently manage locker organization and retrieve correct materials for class on 4 out of 5 observed opportunities."
Why Parents Should Draft Goals Before the Meeting
Here's the practical point: the IIP goals are usually drafted by the school team and then presented to parents at the meeting. If you arrive without having thought about this, you're in a reactive position.
Come to the IIP meeting with draft goals written in your own language. Even if the team refines the wording, your input signals that you are paying close attention to measurability, and it anchors the conversation around accountability.
The Saskatchewan IEP & Support Plan Blueprint includes a goal-writing worksheet that mirrors the actual eIIP format — so you can draft your priority areas and proposed outcomes in the same structure the school team uses, and walk in prepared.
Note: Saskatchewan doesn't use the word "IEP" — it uses IIP (Inclusion and Intervention Plan) and PPP (Personal Program Plan). Generic "IEP goal banks" built for American parents often use outdated goal formats that don't align with Saskatchewan's SMART outcome requirements. The goals in this post are written specifically for the eIIP framework.
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