The Exact Claude Prompt I Use to Write IEP Goals in 5 Minutes Flat
IEP season used to take me 2–3 hours per student.
Now? 5 minutes. Seriously.
I finally perfected one single prompt that spits out measurable, standards-aligned, parent-approved IEP goals that actually sound human.
Steal it below – copy, paste, tweak name/grade, done.
(No affiliate links, no tool names — just the prompt that saved my sanity.)
The Magic Prompt (Copy This Exact Text)
You are an experienced special education teacher with 15 years writing rock-solid IEPs.
Write 5 measurable, standards-aligned IEP goals for a [grade] student named [name] who struggles with [main area, e.g. reading fluency / written expression / math reasoning / social skills].
For each goal:
• Use SMART format
• Include baseline data example
• Choose realistic mastery criteria (80% or higher)
• Add 2–3 progress monitoring methods
• Keep language positive and parent-friendly
• Make it sound like a real teacher wrote it — no robotic jargon
Topic / subject: [specific standard or skill]
Example Output (What You’ll Get in 30 Seconds)
Student: Jayden, 4th grade, reading fluency
- By May 2026, when given a 4th-grade level passage, Jayden will read aloud with 95 words correct per minute with 98% accuracy (currently 62 wpm).
- By May 2026, Jayden will answer inferential comprehension questions with 4/5 accuracy on 4 consecutive trials (currently 1/5).
…and 3 more perfectly written goals.
How I Use It Daily
- Copy the prompt
- Change grade, name, and struggle area
- Paste → hit enter
- Copy the 5 goals → paste into IEP software
- Tweak one sentence if needed → done
Takes me under 5 minutes per kid now.
Variations I Use
- Math reasoning → “multi-step word problems”
- Written expression → “complete sentences with correct grammar”
- Social skills → “initiating conversations with peers”
- Behavior → “remaining in seat during instruction”
FAQ
- Do case managers notice it’s AI?
Never – I add one personal note and it’s golden. - Free version enough?
Yes, 100%. - Can I use it for present levels too?
Yes — just change the first line to “Write present levels of performance…”
What area do you write the most IEPs for? Drop it below – I’ll share my exact variation!
