Measurable Goals and Objectives: School's inability to even come close! Examples of Sorry State of Special Education

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

I am doing what I very rarely do, a mass posting to all the lists concerned

with Applied Behavior Analysis, special education, autism concerns, and the

importance of measurability of goals and objectives on a student's IEP.

Sometimes I think people might sit back and wonder if parents are

exaggerating the hardships they face when encountering the schools.

Sometimes well meaning professionals and parents remind us that the law is

there for us, and that IDEA assures every child of a FREE and APPROPRIATE

EDUCATION. Naturally, there lies some ambiguity. What is appropriate?

Some will tell you to learn advocacy skills, to ask for mediation, to file

a complaint, to file for due process, and they don't quite get that some

districts, some systems are so in bed with one another, so constipated, you

are continuously given the run around. I believe that the school districts

would be good training ground for future crooked politicians. It certainty

is ripe to the point of rotten with lack of compliance, violations and a

distressing lack of accountability.

I know what I can do when I get examples of a draft IEP from a district and

I am doing my part, refusing any longer to meet with the people who are

ruthless in their disregard for the law, and for measurable goals and

objectives. Who disregard the process that is laid down for them on a state

level and a federal level.

The reason I included the above listed groups is because this is why

parents in particular are so insane with frustration, grief, considered

over involved and often bitter.

Let me share an example of a goal submitted to me yesterday, that I took

from my son's back pack.

The specific goal focus is: Social Emotional Skills. The current

performance level reads: Student does comply with rules within a highly

structured school/classroom setting 25 percent of the time.

Student does attend class 95% of the time.

Under measurable annual goal, what challenging, yet attainable goal, ---

blah, blah, blah, you know the forms, and then how will we know that the

student has reached this goal?

Here is their suggestion for a goal and objectives under it.

" Student will improve social emotional skills, in the area (s) of: -

Emotionality, interpersonal relations "

Here is an example of a benchmark or an objective:

" Given a model, when asked, shown and helped, and with positive

reinforcement student will perform new activities, cooperatively as

demonstrated by participation in daily activity (ies) 1 times daily.

" Given class transition time, with 1-1 instruction and with positive

reinforcement student will comply with rules within a highly structured

school/classroom setting as demonstrated by positive facial or body

response 50% of the time to satisfaction of the observer. "

" Given diminished adult intervention, and with edibles and social approval

student will develop appropriate social and physical interactions with

peers as demonstrated by a decrease in targeted behavior (s) 50 % of the time. "

" Given total communication instruction (s), when asked, shown and helped,

student will work in a small group to complete a task as demonstrated by

imitations and copying a model appropriately for 30 minutes. "

Another one similarly worded about responsibilities and the last one under

this category is:

" Given diminished adult intervention, when the instructor is present, and

with correction, student will participate in tasks or activities without

self stimulatory behavior as demonstrated by a decrease in targeted

behavior (s) 60% of the time. "

OK, that's just under that. This was the second re-write on their behalf. I

tried sending in some samples.

I tried explaining that the first draft which I would not bore you with,

was as inappropriately worded as could be, because it was not measurable

nor individualized. This is a bit better, but honestly, please give me

feedback. Am I unreasonable? Is this what the ABA people would consider

measurable?

Never mind that supposedly Isaac's having precision teaching and is doing

Big Six, even though nobody has done coaching, nobody has timed durations,

nobody has written up a program of what he's doing under the Big Six

programs, nobody has done a celeration chart, etc. I would go on and on,

but I've gone on and on.

I feel myself slipping into a total depression.

Tell me how do you measure 'Emotionality and Interpersonal Relations?'

How is that a goal in of itself. That's bogus.

Then tell me how Isaac doing new activities has anything to do in a

concrete way with the above?

Sure, I am sure that people will appreciate his compliance and cooperation

if he's doing what they tell him to, but how does this get measured? How

can I tell he's doing anything over the course of a year?

If he plays Bingo, for an example, is that proof he's improving his

emotionality? I refuse to accept a goal that is absolutely open ended.

Then I guess we get to the face and body responses in the second

objective. They come right out and say it's up to the observer's

judgement. OK, this is beyond belief. First of all, I have to say they told

me some of the ABA staff helped them right these goals. I absolutely refuse

to have Isaac's progress measured by varied subjective opinion,

particularly about his expressions!

OK, now you know why I often sound sarcastic and intolerant of educators.

This is only the tip of the ice burg, Folks. The current IEP is not being

followed appropriately. All my emphasis on data, both percentage,

frequency, duration, etc., video taping, audio sampling, ignored 99% of the

time and not done. This is the kind of IEP they want to replace it with.

For me it is not only frustrating, it truly agonizing. It hurts. Where does

it end?

The language ones, except the PECS which I was explicit about are better,

but probably because they copied it pretty much from what was on the old

IEP. Note, that they aren't documenting it properly and in many cases at

all. The PECS one kills me.

" Given adapted materials, student will independently initiate requests

using a sentence strip and giving the strip to a person communicating with

as demonstrated by doing specified task 3 out of 5 tries correct. "

Why they can't refer to the manual, God only knows. What are adapted

materials? When will Isaac do this? With what support?

I HATE SPECIAL ED.

Jennie

Jennie

[Guest guest]

Jennie, I feel your pain. NO way are the public schools going to willingly

put in something that is actually measurable on an IEP. That might mean

that they would be accountable for a student's progress. And even if they

did and the student did not make progress on the goals, they would not be

held accountable anyway. So what is the point? The IDEA is a farce as far

as I can tell.

Rose

At 10:19 AM 1/23/2002 -0500, you wrote:

>Dear Friends,

>I am doing what I very rarely do, a mass posting to all the lists concerned

>with Applied Behavior Analysis, special education, autism concerns, and the

>importance of measurability of goals and objectives on a student's IEP.

>

>Sometimes I think people might sit back and wonder if parents are

>exaggerating the hardships they face when encountering the schools.

>Sometimes well meaning professionals and parents remind us that the law is

>there for us, and that IDEA assures every child of a FREE and APPROPRIATE

>EDUCATION. Naturally, there lies some ambiguity. What is appropriate?

>

>Some will tell you to learn advocacy skills, to ask for mediation, to file

>a complaint, to file for due process, and they don't quite get that some

>districts, some systems are so in bed with one another, so constipated, you

>are continuously given the run around. I believe that the school districts

>would be good training ground for future crooked politicians. It certainty

>is ripe to the point of rotten with lack of compliance, violations and a

>distressing lack of accountability.

>

>I know what I can do when I get examples of a draft IEP from a district and

>I am doing my part, refusing any longer to meet with the people who are

>ruthless in their disregard for the law, and for measurable goals and

>objectives. Who disregard the process that is laid down for them on a state

>level and a federal level.

>

>The reason I included the above listed groups is because this is why

>parents in particular are so insane with frustration, grief, considered

>over involved and often bitter.

>

>Let me share an example of a goal submitted to me yesterday, that I took

>from my son's back pack.

>

>The specific goal focus is: Social Emotional Skills. The current

>performance level reads: Student does comply with rules within a highly

>structured school/classroom setting 25 percent of the time.

>Student does attend class 95% of the time.

>

>Under measurable annual goal, what challenging, yet attainable goal, ---

>blah, blah, blah, you know the forms, and then how will we know that the

>student has reached this goal?

>

>Here is their suggestion for a goal and objectives under it.

>

> " Student will improve social emotional skills, in the area (s) of: -

>Emotionality, interpersonal relations "

>

>Here is an example of a benchmark or an objective:

>

> " Given a model, when asked, shown and helped, and with positive

>reinforcement student will perform new activities, cooperatively as

>demonstrated by participation in daily activity (ies) 1 times daily.

>

> " Given class transition time, with 1-1 instruction and with positive

>reinforcement student will comply with rules within a highly structured

>school/classroom setting as demonstrated by positive facial or body

>response 50% of the time to satisfaction of the observer. "

>

> " Given diminished adult intervention, and with edibles and social approval

>student will develop appropriate social and physical interactions with

>peers as demonstrated by a decrease in targeted behavior (s) 50 % of the

>time. "

>

> " Given total communication instruction (s), when asked, shown and helped,

>student will work in a small group to complete a task as demonstrated by

>imitations and copying a model appropriately for 30 minutes. "

>

>Another one similarly worded about responsibilities and the last one under

>this category is:

>

> " Given diminished adult intervention, when the instructor is present, and

>with correction, student will participate in tasks or activities without

>self stimulatory behavior as demonstrated by a decrease in targeted

>behavior (s) 60% of the time. "

>

>OK, that's just under that. This was the second re-write on their behalf. I

>tried sending in some samples.

>I tried explaining that the first draft which I would not bore you with,

>was as inappropriately worded as could be, because it was not measurable

>nor individualized. This is a bit better, but honestly, please give me

>feedback. Am I unreasonable? Is this what the ABA people would consider

>measurable?

>

>Never mind that supposedly Isaac's having precision teaching and is doing

>Big Six, even though nobody has done coaching, nobody has timed durations,

>nobody has written up a program of what he's doing under the Big Six

>programs, nobody has done a celeration chart, etc. I would go on and on,

>but I've gone on and on.

>

>I feel myself slipping into a total depression.

>Tell me how do you measure 'Emotionality and Interpersonal Relations?'

>How is that a goal in of itself. That's bogus.

>Then tell me how Isaac doing new activities has anything to do in a

>concrete way with the above?

>Sure, I am sure that people will appreciate his compliance and cooperation

>if he's doing what they tell him to, but how does this get measured? How

>can I tell he's doing anything over the course of a year?

>If he plays Bingo, for an example, is that proof he's improving his

>emotionality? I refuse to accept a goal that is absolutely open ended.

>

>Then I guess we get to the face and body responses in the second

>objective. They come right out and say it's up to the observer's

>judgement. OK, this is beyond belief. First of all, I have to say they told

>me some of the ABA staff helped them right these goals. I absolutely refuse

>to have Isaac's progress measured by varied subjective opinion,

>particularly about his expressions!

>

>OK, now you know why I often sound sarcastic and intolerant of educators.

>This is only the tip of the ice burg, Folks. The current IEP is not being

>followed appropriately. All my emphasis on data, both percentage,

>frequency, duration, etc., video taping, audio sampling, ignored 99% of the

>time and not done. This is the kind of IEP they want to replace it with.

>For me it is not only frustrating, it truly agonizing. It hurts. Where does

>it end?

>

>The language ones, except the PECS which I was explicit about are better,

>but probably because they copied it pretty much from what was on the old

>IEP. Note, that they aren't documenting it properly and in many cases at

>all. The PECS one kills me.

>

> " Given adapted materials, student will independently initiate requests

>using a sentence strip and giving the strip to a person communicating with

>as demonstrated by doing specified task 3 out of 5 tries correct. "

>

>Why they can't refer to the manual, God only knows. What are adapted

>materials? When will Isaac do this? With what support?

>I HATE SPECIAL ED.

>

>Jennie

>

>Jennie