Two quarterly comments for the same goal. First: "Needs continued support with fluency." Second: "Read 71 words per minute on Oct 26 (goal 90 by May). Status: satisfactory progress. We will keep weekly probes and review the graph on Nov 30."
Both are true. Only the second tells a parent anything. This guide helps you write the second kind, quickly, for every goal.
What a comment has to do
CPIR lists three questions parents can ask: how progress will be measured, when it will be reported, and how well the child must perform to meet the goal. A good comment answers all three before they are asked. Connecticut's IEP manual adds a requirement: each status must be backed by qualitative or quantitative data. Its example for skip counting by twos gives the trials (8 of 10), the current score (65 percent), and the target (80 percent).
So a comment that says something has four parts.
- The measure. What was used.
- The latest number. With the date.
- The status. In your district's word.
- The next step. What happens now.
Rewrite the vague ones
| Vague | What to write |
|---|---|
| "Making good progress." | "Scored 71 words per minute on Oct 26, up from 52 on Sept 14. Goal is 90." |
| "Still struggling with math facts." | "Correct on 18 of 40 addition facts in two minutes. Last month: 12 of 40. Target: 30." |
| "Behavior is improving." | "Left seat without permission 2 times per 30 minute block this week, down from 6. Goal: 2 or fewer." |
| "Needs more support." | "Reaches the goal with two prompts. We are reducing prompts to one by December." |
| "Has met the goal." | "Scored 88 percent on three consecutive probes (goal: 80). We will check the skill in class, then propose a new goal." |
| "Working on it." | "Goal introduced Oct 12. First data will be collected the week of Oct 26." |
The rewrites are longer, but not by much. And each can be checked against a graph.
Frames by status
Connecticut's status list is a handy one to borrow: Not Introduced, No Progress to Date, Limited/Minimal Progress, Satisfactory Progress, Not Mastered, and Mastered. Your district may use different words. These frames work with any list.
| Status | Frame |
|---|---|
| Not yet introduced | This goal begins [date]. We will collect [measure] [how often], and report in [month]. |
| Satisfactory progress | [Score] on [date], up from [baseline]. On track for [goal] by [date]. We will continue [instruction] and review on [date]. |
| Limited progress | [Score] on [date], compared with [baseline] and a goal of [goal]. This is below the pace needed. We are [action] and will review on [date]. |
| No progress | Scores have been [range] since [date]. We have checked [fidelity, measure]. The team will meet on [date] to look at the plan. |
| Mastered | [Score] on [number] consecutive checks, meeting the criterion on [date]. We will check the skill in [setting], then propose [next step]. |
Language families can use
Utah's goals guide says anyone reading the goals should be able to identify the skill and how progress will be measured, and that goals use language understandable to all team members. The same standard fits comments.
- Spell out abbreviations once. "Words correct per minute (WCPM)."
- Say what the number means. "The grade level target for this time of year is 97."
- Prefer verbs to labels. "Reads three-syllable words with 80 percent accuracy," not "has decoding difficulties."
- Use the student's name and a skill. Not "the student" or "he."
Words that need a number beside them
Some words feel informative and are not: improving, struggling, inconsistent, difficulty, better, more often. Each of these is a claim. If you use one, add the evidence in the same sentence.
NCII's behavior guide names subjective goals such as "student will improve motivation" as a common problem. The same trap applies to comments. "Motivation" cannot be counted. "Started the task within one minute on 4 of 5 days" can.
Behavior goals read differently
For a behavior goal, the comment should name the replacement behavior the student is learning and report on it first. NCII's guide says the goal should focus on that skill, while the behavior of concern can be monitored alongside.
A comment might read: "Asked for a break using the card on 9 of 12 chances this month (goal: 10 of 12). Left the room without permission 1 time, down from 4. We are practicing the card in the hallway next." The family hears what the student is doing instead, how often, and what changed in the behavior that worried them. Both numbers are in the same sentence, with the same time frame, so nothing needs explaining.
Keep the tone steady
Report good news and bad news in the same format. If the news is hard, the structure still helps: the number, the status, the plan. It leaves less room for blame, and it gives the family something to respond to.
CPIR says that when a child is not making expected progress, the school should determine why and take corrective action. A comment that names the check you have already done is a sign you are on it.
A quick self-check
Before you send a batch, read each comment and ask five short questions. Is there a number? Is there a date beside it? Does it match the graph? Would a parent who has never heard the acronyms understand it? Is there a next step? If any answer is no, fix that sentence and move on. Five questions take less time than one parent call asking what a comment meant.
Make it fast
Writing twenty of these in a week is easier with a system.
- Keep a running score line per goal. Date, score, note. Copy the latest into the report.
- Use frames. Fill brackets instead of writing from scratch.
- Batch by status. Write all the on-track comments first.
- Read one aloud. If it sounds like you speaking to the parent, it will read well.
See a weekly data routine for a caseload for fitting this into a week.
Comment writing errors
- Copying last quarter's comment. Families notice.
- Using a different measure and not saying so. Note the change.
- Overpromising. "Will reach the goal by May" is a prediction. "On track" is a status.
- Leaving out the date. A number with no date is hard to place.
For the whole report layout, see reporting IEP progress to parents. Terms are in the glossary.
District forms come first
Your district's form, rating words, and character limits come first. The sources here give examples and do not set a required wording.