If you're trying to write IEP speech goals, here's the parent-level version: what these goals actually need to say, why so many of them fall short, and how to push for something more useful without turning the whole thing into a fight with the school team. Most parents aren't looking for a lecture on IEPs. They want to know if the goals in front of them are actually good enough, and what to do if they're not. That's the practical question worth answering: how to read a goal, spot a weak one, and know when to loop in an SLP, pediatrician, or early intervention team for backup. The most useful question isn't "how do I get my child talking right now?" It's "what is my child already communicating, and what goal would actually move that forward?" That framing keeps you focused on real progress instead of vague benchmarks, and it gives you better footing when you're sitting across the table from a school team. Good IEP speech goals follow a SMART structure: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. In practice, that means a goal should say exactly what skill is being targeted, how it will be measured (in how many opportunities, over what stretch of time), and what "met" actually looks like. A lot of school-written goals fail this test quietly. They're written low, sometimes because a team is being cautious, sometimes because low goals are easier to hit on paper. A goal like "will use 2-word phrases in 4 out of 5 opportunities" sounds fine until you realize your child already does that at home most days. That's the moment to push for a stretch goal, one that reflects what your child is capable of with support, not just what they've already mastered. Bring specific examples from home: the words, phrases, or AAC use you're already seeing in daily routines. If your child understands more than they can say, or uses gestures and approximations that never make it into the paperwork, say so. Teams write better goals when they have better data, and you're often the one holding it. Watch for patterns across routines, not just a single bad session or one form filled out at school. Notice what's already there: pointing, imitation, response to name, scripts, sound attempts, AAC use. All of it counts as communication, and all of it is fair game to bring up when goals feel too thin. If IEP goals feel like part of a bigger pattern of concern, don't wait to ask for more. A hearing check, an early intervention evaluation, a private SLP evaluation, or a developmental assessment can all run alongside the school process. Asking early isn't overreacting. It just means your child gets access to the right support sooner rather than later. For more on this, the IEP Support hub covers the broader process, and the parent guides section has more on related topics. Little Words is built for home practice and educational support. It doesn't replace an AAC device, a licensed speech-language pathologist, a pediatrician, an early intervention program, a school team, or a full developmental evaluation.