15 IEP Goals for Students with Dyslexia (With Examples)

Quick Answer

Strong IEP goals for dyslexia focus on the specific reading sub-skill the student's evaluation identified as weak: phonemic awareness, decoding of multi-syllabic words, or oral reading fluency. A good example: decoding grade-level multi-syllabic words using syllable division rules with 80% accuracy across 4 of 5 word lists.

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability rooted in phonological processing, not a general reading struggle. Goals should target the exact deficit shown in evaluation data — phonemic awareness, decoding, or fluency — using a structured literacy approach (like Orton-Gillingham) as the instructional method noted in the IEP.

Phonemic Awareness

1.By [date], [student] will segment 3-4 phoneme words into individual sounds with 80% accuracy across 4 of 5 trials, as measured by teacher-administered probes.
2.By [date], [student] will blend 3-4 phonemes into a whole word with 85% accuracy across 4 of 5 trials.
3.By [date], [student] will manipulate phonemes (delete, substitute) in single-syllable words with 80% accuracy across 4 of 5 trials.

Decoding

1.By [date], [student] will decode multi-syllabic words using syllable division rules with 80% accuracy across 4 of 5 word-list probes.
2.By [date], [student] will apply 6 syllable types (closed, open, silent-e, vowel team, r-controlled, consonant-le) to decode unfamiliar words with 80% accuracy in 4 of 5 trials.
3.By [date], [student] will decode words with common prefixes and suffixes with 80% accuracy across 4 of 5 trials, as measured by CBM word-reading probes.

Reading Fluency

1.By [date], [student] will apply decoding skills to increase oral reading rate on a grade-level passage to [X] correct words per minute with 95% accuracy across 3 consecutive CBM probes.
2.By [date], [student] will self-correct oral reading errors at a ratio of 1:4 or better across 3 consecutive reading probes, as measured by running record data.
3.By [date], [student] will read connected text with appropriate phrasing and expression, scoring 3 or higher on a 4-point fluency rubric in 4 of 5 probes.

Spelling & Written Encoding

1.By [date], [student] will spell phonetically regular grade-level words with 80% accuracy across 4 of 5 dictated word lists, as measured by teacher-scored spelling probes.
2.By [date], [student] will apply taught spelling patterns (e.g., silent-e, vowel teams) in independent writing with 75% accuracy across 4 of 5 writing samples.

Why Structured Literacy Matters for These Goals

Goals for dyslexia only move the needle when they are paired with the right instructional approach — a structured, sequential, multisensory literacy program (such as Orton-Gillingham or a similar Structured Literacy method), not general reading practice. The IEP should name the intervention approach alongside the goal, since the goal describes what to measure, not how to teach it.

Need goals customized to your student?

Paste your assessment data and generate an IDEA-compliant, individualized goal in seconds.

Try it free →