SMART IEP Goals Template (Free PDF)

Goals are part of everyday life. Most of us set them without even thinking about it. You might say, “I want to get the laundry done today,” or “I’m going to walk the dog tonight.” Those are goals. But they are not necessarily SMART goals.

When it comes to IEPs, the expectations are higher. IEP goals need to be written clearly enough that the entire team understands what skill is being taught, how progress will be measured, and what success looks like. That’s where the SMART framework comes in.

To make this easier for parents and teachers, I created a SMART IEP Goals printable worksheet that walks you through each part of the process. You can preview it below and download the PDF to use during IEP meetings or when drafting new goals.

Need examples of finished IEP goals? If you’re looking for examples by skill area (reading, behavior, executive functioning, and more), visit the IEP Goal Bank. Or, you may need: How to Write Measurable IEP Goals.

What Are SMART IEP Goals?

If you’re here, chances are you’re a teacher or a parent trying to understand how IEP goals are written. After attending hundreds of IEP meetings, I can tell you this: there is a huge range in the quality of IEP goals. Some are excellent, but many are vague, difficult to measure, or disconnected from the student’s actual needs.

After attending hundreds of IEP meetings as a special education advocate, I’ve seen how much easier goal writing becomes when teams use a simple formula like this.

A good place to start improving IEP goals is the SMART framework. SMART is simply an acronym used to guide goal writing. It helps make sure the goal is clear, measurable, and tied to meaningful progress for the student.

SMART Goals Acronym

SMART goals are:

S — Specific
M — Measurable
A — Attainable
R — Relevant
T — Time-bound

Each part of the acronym helps ensure that the goal is written clearly enough that everyone on the IEP team understands what success looks like.

If the team cannot clearly explain how the goal will be measured, the goal probably isn’t written well enough yet.

Download the SMART IEP Goals Printable

You can download the SMART IEP Goals worksheet below and use it when preparing for an IEP meeting or drafting goals for a student. Many teachers print this worksheet and bring it to IEP meetings to draft goals collaboratively with the team.

How to Use the SMART IEP Goals Worksheet

The worksheet helps you organize the information needed to write a clear, measurable IEP goal.

It guides you through identifying:

• the student’s baseline skill
• the specific skill the student will learn
• how success will be measured
• how progress will be monitored
• the timeline for the goal

You can use it while preparing for an IEP meeting, or as a guide when drafting goals as part of the IEP team.

What SMART Means in IEP Goals

SMART is simply an acronym used to guide goal writing.

• S — Specific: The goal clearly describes the skill the student will learn.
• M — Measurable: The goal includes a way to measure progress.
• A — Attainable: The goal is realistic based on the student’s present levels.
• R — Relevant: The skill is important for the student’s educational progress.
• T — Time-bound: The goal includes a time frame for measuring progress.

SMART Goals Are Only the Beginning

Writing a SMART IEP goal is an important first step, but it’s only part of the process. A well-written goal should clearly describe the skill being taught and how progress will be measured.

Once the goal is written, the next step is tracking progress over time. Progress monitoring is what tells the IEP team whether the instruction and supports are actually helping the student move toward the goal.

If you’re not sure how progress monitoring works—or what good data should look like—read this next: IEP Progress Monitoring: How Schools Track Progress on Goals

Understanding both how goals are written and how they are measured will help you better understand whether an IEP is truly working for a student.