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Field Notes
Real-world and honest perspectives on parenting, K-12 education, access, and advocacy.
Blending personal insight, professional experience, and curated information from across the education world, Field Notes explores everything from policy shifts and evaluation practices to the realities of raising and educating children with disabilities. This space exists to inform, support, and spark meaningful conversation, without the noise.
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Does the Goal Actually Form a Complete Plan? Bringing the IEP Goal Series Together
Is this goal measurable is the wrong question to end on. The real question is whether this goal, together with everything else in the IEP, adds up to a plan that will actually move your child forward this year. Here's the framework.
Aug 174 min read
When a Goal Isn't Met, Is Met Early, or Never Seems to Change
A goal that isn't met, a goal that's mastered almost instantly, and a goal that looks identical year after year are three different situations, but they all point to the same underlying question: is this goal, and the plan behind it, still doing its job?
Aug 174 min read
Behavior, Conditions, and Measuring the Right Thing in an IEP Goal
A goal can be technically measurable and still miss the point. Here's how to evaluate whether a goal describes a real, observable behavior, whether its conditions make sense, and whether success on the goal will actually mean something.
Aug 174 min read
Is the Goal Actually Connected to the General Education Curriculum?
IEP goals aren't standalone documents. Here's what "access to the general curriculum" actually requires, and what it means when a student is significantly below grade level.
Aug 173 min read
Academic Goals vs. Functional Goals: Why "Functional" Doesn't Mean Less Important
Every IEP goal falls into one of two categories: academic or functional. Understanding the difference, and why functional goals matter just as much as academic ones, helps you evaluate whether an IEP is addressing everything your child actually needs.
Aug 175 min read
How Do We Know an IEP Goal Is Actually Working? Understanding Progress Monitoring
Quarterly progress reports aren't enough on their own. Here's what real progress monitoring looks like, how often data should be collected, and what it should show.
Aug 175 min read
What Does "Measurable" Actually Mean in an IEP Goal?
"Will improve" and "will demonstrate understanding" show up constantly in IEP goals, and neither one is actually measurable. Here's how to tell whether a goal meets the legal definition, and what to look for instead.
Aug 174 min read
The Data You Need Before You Can Write an IEP Goal
You can't write a good goal without knowing exactly where a student is starting from. This post breaks down what baseline data actually needs to look like, how current it needs to be, and which data sources are useful for what.
Aug 176 min read
What Is an IEP Goal Actually For? Understanding Needs, Goals, and the PLAAFP Connection
An IEP goal should never appear out of nowhere. It should trace directly back to a need identified in the PLAAFP. This post covers what a goal is actually meant to accomplish, and how to tell whether a goal is doing its job.
Aug 174 min read
Texas Rules for Writing Measurable IEP Goals: The Four Required Components
Federal law says goals must be measurable. Texas law spells out exactly what that means: four required components that have to appear in every goal. Here's what each one does and why missing even one of them matters.
Aug 174 min read
The Federal Legal Basis for IEP Goals: What Does the Law Actually Require?
Before you can evaluate whether your child's IEP goals are any good, it helps to know what the law actually requires. This post covers the federal foundation: IDEA's requirement for measurable annual goals, the Endrew F. standard, and why "trivial" progress isn't enough.
Aug 175 min read
Why Isn't 100% Always the Goal? Understanding "Appropriately Ambitious" IEP Goals
A goal set too low denies a student meaningful progress. A goal set too high can undermine instruction entirely. Here's how IEP teams are supposed to land on a target that's genuinely ambitious rather than merely comfortable.
Aug 175 min read
If Your Child's PLAAFP Isn't Cutting It: What You Can Do
Think your child's PLAAFP is inaccurate, vague, or incomplete? Before you jump straight to a dispute, there are steps you can take to review the information, raise concerns, request changes, and work through disagreement.
Aug 123 min read
What Does a High-Quality PLAAFP Look Like?
A PLAAFP should tell the story of where your child is right now, including strengths, needs, baseline data, progress, and the impact of disability. Here's what parents should actually look for when reviewing one.
Aug 123 min read
How the PLAAFP Shapes Your Child's IEP Goals
Your child's annual goals shouldn't appear out of nowhere. They should grow directly from the needs, baseline data, and current performance documented in the PLAAFP. Here's how to check whether the connection actually exists.
Aug 123 min read
If You're Unhappy With Your Child's IEP, Start Here
If you're unhappy with your child's IEP, don't start by arguing about the goal, service, or accommodation that bothers you most. Start with the PLAAFP. Here's why the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance are the foundation of the entire IEP.
Aug 123 min read
How Is an IEP Implemented? A Texas Parent's Guide to IEP Decision-Making and Follow-Through
An IEP doesn't end when the document is signed. In Part 3 of this Texas parent's guide, we look at how ARD committees make decisions, what happens when parents and schools disagree, how IEPs must be implemented, and what happens when a student transfers.
Aug 124 min read
What Goes Into an IEP? A Texas Parent's Guide to IEP Components
An IEP contains much more than goals and services. In Part 2 of this Texas parent's guide, we walk through the required components of an IEP, including PLAAFPs, measurable goals, services, accommodations, LRE, transition planning, special factors, and ARD committee membership.
Aug 124 min read
What Is an IEP? A Texas Parent's Guide to Individualized Education Programs
What exactly is an IEP, and where do the rules governing it come from? In Part 1 of this Texas parent's guide, we break down the federal and Texas laws behind the Individualized Education Program and explain how the ARD committee fits into the process.
Aug 125 min read
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