What is the purpose of progress monitoring in IFSP/IEP?

• A. To assign final grades
• B. To determine disability status
• C. To decide placement
• D. To track and measure progress toward goals

Answer: (D)

Progress monitoring is about tracking how a child is advancing toward the goals set in the IFSP or IEP. It involves regular, systematic collection of data on specific, observable targets tied to those goals, so you can see whether the child is making adequate progress and whether the instructional approaches and supports being provided are effective. This ongoing information guides decisions about continuing, intensifying, changing, or adding services and help, and it can lead to revising goals if needed. It’s a data-driven way to ensure that the plan stays responsive to the child’s needs and to keep families informed. This process is not about assigning final grades, determining disability status, or deciding placement on its own; those elements are addressed through separate parts of the eligibility and planning process, while progress monitoring specifically focuses on progress toward the set goals.