IEP Planning Guide
Selective Mutism IEP Goals: Examples That Actually Get Approved
If you have ever looked at a draft IEP and thought, “These goals are too vague to mean anything,” you are not imagining it. This page gives you selective mutism IEP goals that are specific, measurable, and realistic enough to survive an actual review meeting.
If you are still sorting out whether a child needs an IEP or a 504, start with our 504 plan guide. For the home side of progress, keep the complete home practice guide open too.
When SM Warrants an IEP Instead of Only a 504
An IEP is appropriate when selective mutism significantly impacts academic performance and the child qualifies for a related service such as speech-language therapy, counseling, or both. A 504 is sufficient when accommodations alone can address the access barrier without specialized instruction. Many children with SM start with a 504; an IEP becomes appropriate when the school is providing active speech-language services.
- The child needs speech-language or counseling services, not only accommodations.
- The child cannot demonstrate knowledge on assessments or core classroom tasks in any workable format.
- There are co-occurring conditions that require specialized instruction or coordinated service delivery.
The SMART Framework for SM Goals
Specific: name the exact behavior, setting, and communication partner.
Measurable: include a frequency, percentage, or count such as “4 out of 5 opportunities.”
Achievable: write from the child’s baseline, not your ideal endpoint.
Relevant: tie the goal to real educational participation, not abstract communication wording.
Time-bound: anchor it to the annual review date or a benchmark window.
Most goals that “do not get approved” fail because they are vague. The team may agree with the intent, but not the measurement. The sample goals below are written in the format schools can actually use.
10 Sample IEP Goals by Age and Skill Area
1. Non-verbal communication initiation (ages 4–6)
“Within the school setting, [student] will initiate non-verbal communication (eye contact, pointing, gesturing) with a familiar adult in 4 out of 5 opportunities across 3 consecutive data collection periods by [date].”
Baseline: Currently avoids eye contact and physical gestures with all school adults.
Data collection method: Teacher/SLP observation log, frequency count.
2. Whispered verbal response with familiar adult (ages 5–7)
“In a 1-on-1 setting with a familiar adult (teacher or SLP), [student] will produce a whispered verbal response (1+ word) to a direct question in 3 out of 5 opportunities by [date].”
Baseline: Currently produces no verbal output in any school setting.
Data collection method: SLP session data log.
3. Audible verbal response in small group (ages 6–8)
“In a small group setting of 2–4 familiar peers, [student] will produce an audible verbal response to a structured question in 3 out of 5 opportunities across 2 consecutive weeks by [date].”
Baseline: Currently whispers to one adult but produces no verbal output in peer settings.
Data collection method: Teacher observation tally.
4. Initiating verbal communication with a peer (ages 7–9)
“[Student] will independently initiate a verbal comment or question to a familiar peer in an unstructured activity 2 times per week across 4 consecutive weeks by [date].”
Baseline: Currently responds non-verbally to peer initiations but does not initiate.
Data collection method: SLP/teacher observation log.
5. Verbal participation in small-group academic activity (ages 6–9)
“During small-group academic activities (3–5 students), [student] will contribute a verbal response related to the task in 2 out of 5 group sessions per week across 3 weeks by [date].”
Baseline: Currently participates non-verbally but does not speak in groups.
Data collection method: Teacher session log.
6. Greeting a familiar adult verbally at school entry (ages 5–8)
“[Student] will produce a verbal greeting ('hi,' 'good morning,' or the teacher's name) to the classroom teacher at the classroom door in 4 out of 5 school day arrivals across 3 consecutive weeks by [date].”
Baseline: Currently enters classroom silently.
Data collection method: Teacher daily tally.
7. Requesting assistance verbally (ages 7–10)
“[Student] will verbally request assistance or ask a question of the classroom teacher in a 1-on-1 or small group setting 1 time per school day across 4 consecutive weeks by [date].”
Baseline: Currently uses written notes or non-verbal signals exclusively.
Data collection method: Teacher frequency count.
8. Verbal participation in whole-class setting (ages 9–12)
“[Student] will raise their hand and produce an audible verbal response in a whole-class academic discussion 1 time per week across 6 consecutive weeks by [date].”
Baseline: Currently participates verbally only in small groups of 4 or fewer.
Data collection method: Teacher observation log.
9. Verbal interaction with an unfamiliar adult (ages 8–12)
“In a structured school setting, [student] will produce a verbal response to an unfamiliar adult in 3 out of 5 structured opportunities per month by [date].”
Baseline: Currently speaks only to a handful of familiar school adults.
Data collection method: SLP/school counselor log.
10. Reading aloud in small group (ages 8–12)
“In a small literacy group of 2–3 familiar peers, [student] will read aloud from a prepared text for 1+ sentence in 3 out of 5 group sessions per week across 4 weeks by [date].”
Baseline: Currently does not read aloud in any school setting.
Data collection method: Reading teacher/SLP observation log.
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Related Service Goals: Speech, Counseling, OT
Speech-language therapy is the most common related service because selective mutism directly affects functional communication in school settings. Counseling goals may address anxiety management and coping strategies, while OT is usually only relevant when sensory regulation is clearly contributing to the child’s anxiety load.
How to Present Goal Requests to the Team
Bring written language. Treat it as a starting point, not a confrontation: “I drafted some sample goal wording and I’d love the team’s input on baseline data.” If the school writes its own goals, ask one clarifying question every time: how will we measure progress on this exact behavior?
Sample Data Collection Sheet
The most useful data sheet includes the student name, goal number, setting, communication partner, opportunity count, response type, and weekly summary. Consistent tracking makes annual review meetings easier and protects the family if services ever need to be escalated.
Download the IEP goal bank PDF and data collection sheet before your next meeting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the school writes vague goals like “will improve communication”?
Push for revision before signing. A compliant goal needs a defined behavior, setting, measurement method, and review timeline. If the team cannot explain how progress will be counted, the goal is not ready.
How long does it take to see progress on IEP goals?
Most children show measurable movement within one IEP cycle when services, accommodations, and home practice are aligned. Progress is usually non-linear, so six- to eight-week check-ins are more useful than waiting until the annual review.
The IEP is the school roadmap. Daily practice still matters.
Pair school goals with the complete home practice guide and Brave Voice Journey so the child gets repeated low-pressure reps between sessions and meetings.