When delivering instruction for students with disabilities, teachers should consider a three-phase cycle of plan, deliver, review and intensify individual, small-group, and whole-group instruction. This brief focuses on delivering instruction using a model of explicit instruction. Explicit instruction is a combination of modeling and practice that research has shown to benefit the teaching of reading, writing, and mathematics and has been found to be especially beneficial when teaching students with disabilities.

This course is intended to explain the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements for measurable annual goals and the critical role of measurable annual goals in the development of a high-quality individualized education program (IEP). The course describes the three essential elements of a measurable annual goal, identifies tips for developing measurable annual goals that promote progress, and shares resources for learning more. This course is part of a larger series on IEPs. Additional modules will be added over time.

Andrea Boykin, PhD, a manager of assistive technology (AT) for the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), explains the process for identifying the proper assistive technology for students. She sees progress in finding just the right AT needed for a student’s successful access to curriculum and communication. As a former special education teacher and researcher in the field of AT, she uses her experience to develop policies and procedures for AT. She also supports the decision-making process and implementation of AT tools across the district.

Sometimes PROGRESS requires doing whatever is necessary. This video highlights Gladys Short, a veteran special educator, and Jonathan, one of her students, from a tribal charter school in North Carolina. This story explains how they helped each other to see progress during the uncertainty of COVID-19.

In collaboration with the National Center on Intensive Intervention, the PROGRESS Center has launched a new learning module library that includes a collection of self-paced learning modules designed to support professional learning of pre-service and in-service educators and administrators through just in time, self-directed, self-paced learning.

Once an IEP team has outlined the measurable annual goals for a child’s IEP, members must describe how the child’s progress toward meeting those goals will be measured and shared with parents.

This tip sheet introduces the explanation of educational setting. It includes a brief summary of federal regulations, tips for implementation, and additional resources. Check with your state for additional requirements.

A Spanish version of this tip sheet is available.

The May 2021 PROGRESS Newsletter was recently released. This newsletter includes information on upcoming and recent PROGRESS Center webinars, new IEP Tip Sheets focused on the Statement of Services and Aids, A report reviewing national trends in State Education Agency guidance on special education, and a Stories from the Classroom video focused on taking a risk to ask for help.