"By 1/22/2017, when given an expression (e.g. 3(x + 1), 3(2y + 4y), 2(z – 3) + z), Greg will use the properties of operations (e.g. associative: a + (b + c) = (a + b) + c, commutative: a + b + c = c + a + b = b + c + a, and distributive: a(b + c) = ab + ac) to create equivalent expressions for 4 out of 5 problems."
This sounds amazingly detailed, and may be specific to what you kid needs to learn right now. BUT, what about 3 months from now? Or 12 months from now; the only time this goal will be re-evaluated by the IEP team? Are you really supposed to come together on 1/22/2017, a whole year from now to see whether your Greg has met this goal that may take him only half a year to meet?
My Answer: NO!
Truth: Goals are hard to measure over a whole year. Most goals are too specific to what a student is currently struggling with in that particular area. The timing of your IEP influences the purposefulness of your goal. If your student is a mid year IEP date, like in Greg's case, yet your student has moved up to the next math class, where does that leave this goal? The reality is: this goal has probably not been relevant this whole semester (over 4 months!). 
What I Suggest: First, when you are at the IEP meeting, don't accept a goal because it sounds appropriate right now. Question the team as to this goals relevance in a year from your child's IEP date. Once you accept a goal, make sure you are getting progress on that goal from the support staff at your child's school. You should at least be getting semester progress on all IEP goals.
Reply to this post with an IEP goal for your student and I'll help make it right! Make sure to tell me the grade level, and rationale the team gave for the goal.
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