SMARTER Steps to IEP Goals - Lara Wakefield, PhD, CCC-SLP and Kelly Ott, MEd, MHS, CCC-SLP

This course will focus on teaching the S.M.A.R.T.E.R. steps framework that SLPs can use to develop IEP goals that align with the 13 federal mandates. These steps contain a variety of time-saving tips to help SLPs understand the legal jargon to become empowered in their roles on IEP teams. The presentation explores the following components of an IEP goal:
1) Specific;
2) Measurable;
3) Attainable;
4) Research-based;
5) Teachable;
6) Evaluated and communicated to parents; and
7) Relevant to general education or alternative curricula.

Examples of SMARTER IEP goals will be provided to demonstrate the strategy so that participants can have a bank of goals for reference. Research on the need for compliant IEP goals will be presented related to the US Dept. of Education's most recent findings (2014) that 39 states do not meet expectations for IEP students. Implications of these findings will be discussed as it relates to federal funding being tied to progress on IEP goals. Also, recent court decisions will be reviewed related to the importance of school districts developing S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goals. S.M.A.R.T.E.R. IEP goals are imperative for future SLP services.