Key takeaways
- A strong progress comment names the goal, the numbers, the time period, and what happens next.
- Pick the status from the data first, then write the comment to match it.
- Every formal comment should have a plain-language version a family can read without a glossary.
- Status labels vary by district and state form, so use your form's wording and map these examples to it.
- When there is not enough data to report, say so plainly and name the plan to fix it.
An IEP progress report comment should say, in one to four sentences, how the student is doing on a goal, backed by numbers from a named time period, and what happens next. The simplest way to write one is to decide the progress status from the data first, then fill in a comment built for that status. This page gives example comments for five common statuses: goal met, making sufficient progress, making some progress, insufficient progress, and not yet introduced. Each one has a formal version for the report and a plain-language version families can read. Status labels differ by district and state form, so match these to the wording your form uses.
What every comment needs
A comment that holds up at the meeting has five parts. Brackets mark the slots to fill.
- The skill in plain words: "reading CVC words," not "Goal 2."
- Current performance with a number and a time frame: "82% accuracy across 4 probes in November."
- A comparison point: the baseline or the last reporting period.
- Standing against the goal: "the annual target is 90%."
- What happens next: continue, adjust, or add support.
A comment missing the numbers ("Jaylen is working hard and improving") reads warmly but tells a family nothing they can act on. A comment missing the next step leaves the family wondering what changes.
Choose the status from the data
Before you write, read the graph. If you do not have one, graphing IEP progress data walks through baseline, aim line, and trend.
| Status | What the data commonly shows |
|---|---|
| Goal met | The mastery criterion in the goal has been reached as written, for example 80% or higher in 3 consecutive sessions. |
| Making sufficient progress | Data is at or above the aim line; the student is on pace to meet the goal by the end date. |
| Making some progress | Data is moving toward the goal but below the aim line; the student may not reach the goal on time without a change. |
| Insufficient progress | Data is flat or moving away from the goal across the period. |
| Not yet introduced | Instruction on the goal has not started yet, often because the goal is sequenced for later in the year. |
There is a sixth situation that is not a status: not enough data to tell. It is covered at the end of this page.
Goal met
Formal
- "[Student] met the goal of [skill] with [criterion]. In [month or period], [Student] scored [x]%, [y]%, and [z]% on three consecutive probes, compared with a baseline of [b]% in [month]. The team will [maintain the skill with weekly checks / propose a new goal at the next meeting]."
- "[Student] has met this goal. Across [n] opportunities from [date] to [date], [Student] [did the skill] independently in [x] of [n], or [x]%, above the target of [t]%. Maintenance checks will continue monthly."
Family version
- "[Student] reached this goal! [He/She/They] [did the skill] correctly [x] out of [n] times, and the goal was [t] out of [n]. We will keep checking that the skill sticks, and we may suggest a new goal to work on next."
Making sufficient progress
Formal
- "[Student] is making sufficient progress toward the goal of [skill]. Accuracy rose from a baseline of [b]% to [x]% in [month], across [n] trials. Current performance is on pace to meet the annual target of [t]% by [date]."
- "[Student] is on track to meet this goal. [He/She/They] averaged [x] [unit] per [period] in [month], down from [b] at baseline, with a target of [t]. Recorded support has shifted from [prompt level] to [prompt level]."
Family version
- "[Student] is on track with this goal. At the start of the year [he/she/they] [did the skill] [b]% of the time. Now it is [x]%. The goal for the year is [t]%, and [he/she/they] is moving at a good pace to get there."
Making some progress
Formal
- "[Student] is making progress toward the goal of [skill], but at a rate that may not meet the annual target of [t]% by [date]. Performance moved from [b]% at baseline to [x]% in [month]. Beginning [date], the team [added / changed] [support], and will review the data again in [number] weeks."
- "[Student] has shown growth in [skill], from [b] to [x] across [n] sessions this period. Progress is slower than needed to reach the target of [t]. [Instructional change] began on [date]."
Family version
- "[Student] is getting better at [skill]. [He/She/They] went from [b]% to [x]%. The goal is [t]%, and at this speed it may take longer than one year, so starting [date] we are adding [support] to help. We will let you know how it goes."
Insufficient progress
These are the hardest comments to write and the most important to get right. Describe the data honestly, keep the focus on what the school will change, and avoid language that places the problem in the student.
Formal
- "[Student] has not yet made measurable progress toward the goal of [skill]. Across [n] data points from [date] to [date], performance ranged from [low]% to [high]%, compared with a baseline of [b]%. The team will [change the instructional approach / review the goal] and requests a meeting to discuss [options]."
- "Data for this period does not show progress toward the target of [t]. [Student] averaged [x] [unit] in [month], similar to the baseline of [b]. [Adjustment] will begin on [date], and data will be reviewed every [period]."
Family version
- "[Skill] is still hard for [Student] right now. [His/Her/Their] results this period were about the same as at the start of the year, around [x]%. We are changing how we teach it, starting [date], and we would like to talk with you about what we are trying."
Not yet introduced
Formal
- "Instruction on this goal has not yet begun. It is sequenced to start in [month], after [prerequisite skill or goal]. Baseline data will be collected at that time."
- "This goal was not addressed during the current reporting period, as planned in the IEP. Progress will be reported beginning [period]."
Family version
- "We have not started working on this goal yet. It is planned for [month], after [Student] builds [earlier skill]. You will see progress on it in a later report."
A worked example, from data to comment
A composite second grader we will call Jordan. Goal: "Jordan will solve two-digit addition problems with regrouping with 80% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions." Baseline: 50% in September. Annual target date: June.
Data for the October to December period, pooled by month:
| Month | Correct | Total | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | 21 | 40 | 53% |
| November | 26 | 40 | 65% |
| December | 22 | 30 | 73% |
Reading the data: accuracy rose each month. Using the progress percent (current minus baseline, divided by target minus baseline), December's 73% is (73 minus 50) ÷ (80 minus 50) = 77% of the way to the goal, with half the year left. That is at or ahead of pace, so the status is making sufficient progress. The goal is not met, because the criterion requires three consecutive sessions at 80%.
Formal comment: "Jordan is making sufficient progress toward solving two-digit addition problems with regrouping. Monthly accuracy rose from 53% across 40 problems in October to 65% in November and 73% across 30 problems in December, compared with a baseline of 50% in September. Current performance is on pace to meet the target of 80% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions by June."
Family version: "Jordan is doing well with adding two-digit numbers where you carry a ten. In September Jordan got about half of these problems right. In December it was 73%. The goal for the year is 80%, and Jordan is on track to get there."
When there is not enough data
If you collected two data points in nine weeks, no status is honest. Say what you have:
- Formal: "Progress on this goal cannot be reported for this period. [n] data points were collected between [date] and [date], which is not enough to describe performance or a trend. Data will be collected [weekly] beginning [date], and progress will be reported next period."
- Family version: "We do not have enough information yet to tell you how [Student] is doing on this goal. We are checking it every week starting [date], and the next report will have results."
If you are in that situation now, the triage plan in behind on IEP data with progress reports due covers what you can honestly reconstruct.
Writing tips that hold up
- Numbers first, adjectives second. "Improved from 40% to 65%" beats "improved significantly."
- Same numbers in both versions. The family version can round and simplify, but it must never say something different from the formal one.
- Skip the jargon in the family version. Say "with a spoken reminder" instead of "verbal prompt," and "goal for the year" instead of "annual target."
- Describe the teaching, not the child's character. "The current approach has not produced growth" is accurate and keeps the focus on what adults can change.
- Translate, do not just shorten. For families who read another language, the family version is the one to translate.
Drafting comments from recorded data in Evident
If goal data is already in Evident, it can draft a formal progress narrative and a plain-language family summary for each goal. The drafts use only recorded data points, trial accuracy, prompt levels, trend, and progress toward the annual target. A goal with fewer than four data points is flagged as insufficient data instead of being narrated. Student names are replaced with placeholders before the request, a Spanish family summary is optional, and every draft is reviewed and edited by the teacher before export. The sample evidence packet shows the finished report. To get the numbers right in the first place, see trial-by-trial data collection and from daily notes to progress report.
Common questions
What should an IEP progress report comment include?
A clear comment names the skill, the current performance with numbers and dates, the baseline or previous period for comparison, how that compares with the annual goal, and what the team will do next. One to four sentences is usually enough.
How do I decide between some progress and insufficient progress?
Compare the data with the aim line from baseline to the annual target. If the student is moving toward the goal but not fast enough to reach it on time, many teams call that some progress. If the data is flat or moving away from the goal, that is commonly reported as insufficient progress. Your district's form may define these terms, so check it first.
How do I write a progress comment when I do not have enough data?
State the number of data points collected and the dates, say that it is not enough to describe progress, and name the plan for the next period. Do not estimate progress you did not measure.
Can Evident write IEP progress report comments?
Evident can draft a progress narrative and a plain-language family summary from the goal data you recorded. It only uses recorded numbers, flags goals with too few data points as insufficient data, and every draft is reviewed and edited by the teacher before it is exported.