Accessing the Common Core Standards for Students With Learning Disabilities: Strategies for Writing Standards-Based IEP Goals

Abstract

Since the reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004, standards-based individualized education plans (IEPs) have been an expectation for serving students with disabilities in the K–12 public school setting. Nearly a decade after the mandates calling for standards-based IEPs, special educators still struggle with how to develop standards-based IEPs and provide the required access to the general curriculum for their students. In 1997, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act requirement under IDEA called for the development of standards-based IEP goals. More than a decade later, only 37 states show evidence of implementing standards-based IEPs. Special educators need assistance to develop competence in the area of writing standards-based IEP goals according to the Common Core State Standards. The process outlined in this article offers educators and IEP teams strategies to build competence in this area.

Keywords:

• Common Core
• IEP goals
• learning disabilities
• standards-based
• strategies