In a sixth-grade ARD committee for a student with a mathematics learning disability, which characteristic should the goals and objectives have?

• A. Are general and time-insensitive.
• B. Are specific, measurable, and relevant.
• C. Are solely focused on behavior.
• D. Are independent of curriculum standards.

Answer: (B)

Goals for an IEP in mathematics should be specific, measurable, and aligned with grade-level standards. Being specific means clearly describing the math skill or concept the student will learn or improve. Being measurable means there is a way to track progress with data, such as counts, percentages, or mastery criteria. Being relevant means the goal directly supports the math standards the student is expected to meet and is meaningful for their grade level. Together, these elements ensure progress can be observed and documented over a defined period, guiding instruction and accommodations.

For example, the student will solve fraction addition problems with unlike denominators with 85% accuracy on four consecutive weekly probes. This shows what skill, how success will be measured, and over what timeframe, and it aligns to math standards. The other options fail because they are vague (not specific or time-bound), focus only on behavior, or ignore curriculum standards.