Teachers
Save time
Write clear, measurable goals that are easy to track and implement in the classroom.
Finally, IEP Behavior Goals That Actually Work
Stop Struggling with Vague, Non-Compliant Goals
You know the pain: spending hours writing behavior goals that get rejected by administrators, questioned by parents, or simply don't lead to meaningful change. Our free tool eliminates the guesswork and creates research-backed goals that pass compliance reviews and actually help students succeed.
No Registration Required
Under 5 Minutes
IEP Compliant
Available Now: IEP Behavior Goals
Use our free IEP behavior goal writer right now! Create compliant behavior goals in minutes with no registration required.
- • Behavior-specific goal generation
- • SMART goal compliance
- • Instant copy/download
- • Privacy-first (no data stored)
Coming Soon: Full IEP Goal Writer
We're developing a comprehensive IEP goal writer with advanced features for all goal types and enhanced functionality.
- • Academic, social, communication goals
- • Advanced customization options
- • Goal bank integration
- • Team collaboration features
What You Get with the Values Wizard
Level 5 SMART Goals
Complete goals with baseline, fluency, generalization, and 4-week maintenance—all research-backed components included.
Student-Driven Goals
Values-based goals that students help create, leading to higher motivation and lasting behavior change beyond compliance.
Instant Generation
Save hours of writing time with auto-generated goals that include all ABA compliance requirements and measurement systems.
Free access • No registration required • Start immediately
Why Values Come First in Effective IEP Goals
“[Student] will reduce blurting in class.”
Compliance-based goal that fades when motivation drops
No student values
Compliance-focused
No ownership
Skills fade
No meaning
Who Should Use the Free Goal Generator?
BCBAs
Align with ABA
Ensure goals align with evidence-based ABA practices and compliance requirements.
Schools
Compliance
Improve compliance and outcomes with consistently measurable IEP goals across your district.
Trusted by Special Education Professionals
100%
Free to Use
No registration required
Research
Evidence-Based Methods
Based on special education research
BCBA
Board Certified
Professional oversight
Meet the Creator
Rob Spain, M.S.,BCBA, IBABehavior School Founder15+ Years Experience
Why I Built This Tool
Over 25 years working in schools as a special education teacher and a behavior analyst, I grew frustrated seeing IEP goals that students didn't connect with. Traditional goals often focused on compliance rather than what actually mattered to the students themselves.
I developed this values-based approach because I believe when we start with what matters to students — their own values like being brave, kind, or helpful — everything changes. The goals become meaningful, and students become invested in their own growth.
This tool represents years of research, field testing, and refinement to create IEP goals that actually work in real classrooms with real students.
Rob Spain, M.S.,BCBA, IBA • Behavior School Founder • Practicing School-Based BCBA
Free • No registration required
How the Values Wizard Works
Values Wizard
Students pick what matters most—Kind, Brave, Focused, etc.
Age-Appropriate Skills
Suggests skills linked to student's chosen values
SMART Goals
Auto-generates Specific, Measurable, Achievable goals
Generalization Plans
Different settings, people, and prompts built-in
Customizable Maintenance
Set your own benchmarks and follow-up intervals
Research-Based Goal Requirements & How Our Tool Delivers
Applied Behavior Analysis Standards1
Behavioral goal writing requirements
What Research Says:
- • Write goals that anyone can see and measure
- • Teach better behaviors instead of just stopping bad ones
- • Use clear ways to track student progress
- • Plan for skills to work in different places and last over time
How Our Tool Helps:
- • Guides you through: Setting → Behavior → Goal → How to Measure
- • Always asks "what should they do instead?" for problem behaviors
- • Built-in options: count times, track minutes, measure speed
- • Automatic planning for different settings and long-term success
Generalization Technology2
Programming for skill transfer
What Research Says:
- • Don't hope skills transfer to new places—plan for it
- • Practice the same skill in many different situations
- • Give students tools to remind themselves what to do
- • Make rewards unpredictable so skills stick better
How Our Tool Helps:
- • Built-in planner asks: where else should this work?
- • Requires at least 3 different places, people, or materials
- • Creates reminder cards students can use themselves
- • Suggests mixing up when students get praised or rewards
Behavioral Fluency Research3
Rate and accuracy for retention
What Research Says:
- • Students need to be both correct AND fast for skills to last
- • Skills should stick, work when tired, stay steady, and transfer
- • Speed goals help create stronger, lasting skills
- • Build small skills first, then combine into bigger ones
How Our Tool Helps:
- • Option to add speed goals (like "within 5 seconds")
- • Tests if skills work even when students are distracted
- • Helps break big skills into smaller, learnable steps
- • Sets high standards (90-100% correct) for better results
Mastery Criteria & Maintenance4
Optimal performance standards
What Research Says:
- • Students must show they can do it multiple times, not just once
- • Skills should work the same way every time and everywhere
- • Higher standards help skills last longer than lower ones
- • Aiming for 90-100% correct works better than 80%
How Our Tool Helps:
- • Sets goals for 90% success over 3 different days
- • Checks that skills work in multiple situations
- • Warns you if goals are set too low to be effective
- • Automatically includes 4-week follow-up checks
References
1 Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson.
2 Stokes, T. F., & Baer, D. M. (1977). An implicit technology of generalization. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 10(2), 349-367.
3 Kubina Jr, R. M., & Wolfe, P. (2005). Potential applications of behavioral fluency for students with autism. Exceptionality, 13(1), 35-44.
4 Pitts, L. (2021). The effect of mastery criteria on skill acquisition, generalization, and maintenance. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(4), 1476-1490.
The 5-Level Goal Writing Progression
Level 1: Basic Goal
Low EffectivenessIncludes: Date, context, behavior, measurement criteria
Missing: Baseline data, latency, fluency, generalization, maintenance
Level 2: + Baseline Data
ModerateAdds: Current performance levels for comparison
Missing: Latency, fluency, generalization, maintenance
Level 3: + Latency & Fluency
ImprovingAdds: Response time and accuracy for skill stability
Missing: Generalization, maintenance
Level 4: + Generalization
StrongAdds: Multiple settings for real-world application
Missing: Maintenance
Level 5: + Maintenance
Most EffectiveAdds: 4+ weeks retention for lasting change
Complete: All research-based components included
The 5-Level IEP Goal Hierarchy: From Basic to Research-Based
Level 1
Basic Goal (Low Effectiveness 🔴)
“By 03/10/26, when in a structured classroom setting and given verbal prompts, [Student] will increase on-task behavior (remaining seated and completing assignments) in 80% of opportunities for 3 consecutively measured school days as measured by teacher observation.”
Baseline:
Narrative or not connected to the goal measurement.
✅ Includes:
- • Date and context
- • Specific behavior
- • Measurement criteria
❌ Missing:
- • Baseline data
- • Latency & fluency
- • Generalization
- • Maintenance
Level 5
Research-Based Goal (Most Effective ✅)
“By 03/10/26, when in a structured classroom, small group instruction, and independent work time, and given verbal prompts, [Student] will increase on-task behavior (remaining seated and completing assignments) in 90% of opportunities for 3 consecutively measured school days, initiating the task within 10 seconds of instruction, across 3 different school settings, as measured by teacher observation. Additionally, [Student] will maintain on-task behavior for 4 weeks following mastery to ensure long-term retention.”
Baseline:
[Student] currently remains on-task in 40% of observed intervals, takes an average of 25 seconds to begin a task after instruction, and is inconsistent across different settings.
✅ Includes All Components:
- • Baseline data (current performance)
- • Latency (10 seconds)
- • Fluency (90% accuracy)
- • Generalization (3 settings)
- • Maintenance (4 weeks)
🎯 Research Benefits:
- • 90-100% accuracy for better retention
- • Fluency building for skill stability
- • Cross-setting generalization
- • Long-term maintenance
Why This Matters (Evidence)
- Values create autonomous motivation
- ACT research shows resilience
- Skills last longer with meaning