Elementary School Addition and Subtraction Goals

Search our free, CCS-aligned IEP goal bank for addition and subtraction goals from facts and single digit to multi-digit problems. Find modification ideas, sample baselines, & assessment resources.

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IEP Goals for Addition & Subtraction to 5 and 20

These mathematics goals for students in Kinder and 1st grades focus on the basic on addition and subtraction, building students’ concepts and understanding of the procedures.

Fluently add and subtract within 5 CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.5

  • With blocks: Give the student blocks. Ask them about one more, one less, adding one, and taking one away. If they are successful, ask them to solve an addition or subtraction problem with the blocks.
  • With pictures: Provide the student with already drawn pictures of an addition or subtraction problem. Read them the problem and see how much support they need to solve it.
  • With numbers: Before doing any assessment with numbers, check first which numbers the student can write and read– there is no point in assessing this if 1) the student has not mastered reading and writing numbers to 20; and 2) the student is still working on solving problems with blocks.

Need more ideas? Check out the PreK-2 Mathematics Present Levels and Assessments Resource page.

Looking for easy-to-use assessment resources or support with turning assessments into goals and present levels? Check out the IEP Success Kit in the store!

LeighAnn can count blocks to ten and tell which of two groups of blocks has more or less. With teacher prompting, she can take away a block from a group or add to the group but is not independently solving addition or subtraction problems.

For more baseline ideas, check out the IEP Success Kit!

  • Given 5 problems and manipulatives, ___________ will fluently add and subtract within 5 as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.5

As the special education teacher, you have the option to add modifiers to the goal to make it more achievable or more meaningful for the student. There are multiple ways to modify an IEP goal:

  • Add supports for the student
    • Given 5 problems and manipulatives, ___________ will fluently add and subtract within 5 as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.5
    • Given 5 teacher-read problems and manipulatives, ___________ will fluently add and subtract within 5 as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.5
    • Note: You can write the goal to just use numbers or to have the student read the problem on their own– each would make the goal harder.
  • Adjust the accuracy or number of trials
    • If you assess with five problems, can miss none: Given 5 problems and manipulatives, ___________ will fluently add and subtract within 5 as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.5
    • If you assess with five problems, can miss one: Given 5 problems and manipulatives, ___________ will add and subtract to five with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.5
    • Needs to do it four times, but only get it right three: Given 5 problems and manipulatives, ___________ will add and subtract to five on three of four trials as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.5
  • Difficulty
    • Harder: Given 5 problems  ___________ will add and subtract to five with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.5
    • Easier: Given 5 teacher-read problems and manipulatives, ___________ will add and subtract within 5 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.5

Add and subtract within 20, demonstrating fluency for addition and subtraction within 10 CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.C.6

  • With blocks: Give the student blocks. Ask them about one more, one less, adding one, and taking one away. If they are successful, ask them to solve an addition or subtraction problem with the blocks.
  • With pictures: Provide the student with already drawn pictures of an addition or subtraction problem. Read them the problem and see how much support they need to solve it.
  • With numbers: Before doing any assessment with numbers, check first which numbers the student can write and read– there is no point in assessing this if 1) the student has not mastered reading and writing numbers to 20; and 2) the student is still working on solving problems with blocks.

Need more ideas? Check out the PreK-2 Mathematics Present Levels and Assessments Resource page.

Looking for easy-to-use assessment resources or support with turning assessments into goals and present levels? Check out the IEP Success Kit in the store!

Mitch can use blocks to solve addition and subtraction problems involving adding or taking one away. He can read and write numbers to 20 with 80% accuracy, but is not yet solving addition and problems with numbers.  

For more baseline ideas, check out the IEP Success Kit!

  • Given five problems, _______ will add and subtract within 20 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.C.6

As the special education teacher, you have the option to add modifiers to the goal to make it more achievable or more meaningful for the student. There are multiple ways to modify an IEP goal:

  • Add supports for the student
    • Given five problems and manipulatives, _______ will add and subtract within 20 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.C.6
    • Given five teacher-read problems and manipulatives,  _______ will add and subtract within 20 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.C.6
    • Note: You can write the goal to just use numbers or to have the student read the problem on their own– each would make the goal harder.
  • Adjust the accuracy or number of trials
    • If you assess with five problems, can miss one:
    • Given five problems and manipulatives, _______ will add and subtract within 20 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.C.6
    • Needs to do it four times, but only get it right three:
    • Given five problems and manipulatives, _______ will add and subtract within 20 on three of four trials as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.C.6
  • Difficulty
    • Harder: Given five problems, _______ will add and subtract within 20 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.C.6
    • Easier: Given five teacher-read problems and manipulatives, _______ will add and subtract within 20 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.C.6

IEP Goals for Addition & Subtraction to 100

These mathematics goals for students in 1st and 2nd grade focus on building students’ fluency and building their ability to add and subtract with regrouping. Not seeing the grade level or skill you need? Check out our elementary school, middle school, and high school addition and subtraction goals.

Add within 100 CCSS.Math.Content.1.NBT.C.4

  • Note that because there is a first grade standard for adding within 20, this standard is best for students who have mastered addition with blocks and can solve addition fact problems with paper and pencil as well as with blocks.
  • Give the student 10 addition fact problems. Note any strategies they use to solve them (do they get blocks? count on their fingers? draw pictures? do tallies?). If they are successful, give them ten more advanced addition problems. If they are unsuccessful, make a decision on whether this standard or addition and subtraction to 20 is a better standard.

Need more ideas? Check out the PreK-2 Mathematics Present Levels and Assessments Resource page.

Looking for easy-to-use assessment resources or support with turning assessments into goals and present levels? Check out the IEP Success Kit in the store!

Millie can solve addition fact problems with 90% accuracy using blocks and drawings. She can solve two digit addition problems with 50% accuracy.

For more baseline ideas, check out the IEP Success Kit!

  • Given ten problems, ______ will add within 100 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.1.NBT.C.4

As the special education teacher, you have the option to add modifiers to the goal to make it more achievable or more meaningful for the student. There are multiple ways to modify an IEP goal:

  • Add supports for the student
    • Given ten problems and place value blocks, ______ will add within 100 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.1.NBT.C.4
    • Given ten problems and a hundreds chart, ______ will add within 100 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.1.NBT.C.4
  • Adjust the accuracy or number of trials
    • If you assess with five problems, can miss one:  Given ten problems, ______ will add within 100 with 90% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.1.NBT.C.4
    • Needs to do it four times, but only get it right three: Given ten problems, ______ will add within 100 on three of four trials as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.1.NBT.C.4

Fluently add and subtract within 100 using strategies based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.5

  • Give the student 10 addition fact problems. Note any strategies they use to solve them (do they get blocks? count on their fingers? draw pictures? do tallies?). If they are successful, give them ten more advanced addition problems. Repeat this for subtraction.
  • If the student is struggling, try providing them with manipulatives and hundreds charts– or prompting them on other strategies. If a support helps them, you might want to add it to the goal.

Need more ideas? Check out the PreK-2 Mathematics Present Levels and Assessments Resource page or the 2nd-5th Grade Mathematics Present Levels and Assessments Resource page.

Looking for easy-to-use assessment resources or support with turning assessments into goals and present levels? Check out the IEP Success Kit in the store!

Jolene can solve addition and subtraction fact problems with 90% accuracy using blocks and drawings. She can solve two digit addition and subtraction problems without regrouping with 80% accuracy and ones with regrouping with 40% accuracy.

For more baseline ideas, check out the IEP Success Kit!

  • Given ten two-digit addition and subtraction problems, ___________will add and subtract within 100 with 80% accuracy using strategies based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction as measured by teacher records and observations. CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.5

As the special education teacher, you have the option to add modifiers to the goal to make it more achievable or more meaningful for the student. There are multiple ways to modify an IEP goal:

  • Add supports for the student
    • Given place value blocks and ten two-digit addition and subtraction problems, ___________will add and subtract within 100 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations. CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.5
    • Given a hundreds chart and ten two-digit addition and subtraction problems, ___________will add and subtract within 100 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations. CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.5
  • Adjust the accuracy or number of trials
    • Can miss two of ten problems: Given ten two-digit addition and subtraction problems, ___________will add and subtract within 100 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations. CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.5
    • Can miss one of ten problems: Given ten two-digit addition and subtraction problems, ___________will add and subtract within 100 with 90% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations. CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.5
  • Change the difficulty
    • Harder: Given ten two-digit addition and subtraction problems with regrouping, ___________will add and subtract within 100 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations. CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.5
    • Earlier: Given a hundreds  chart and ten two-digit addition and subtraction problems without regrouping, ___________will add and subtract within 100 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations. CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.5

IEP Goals for Addition & Subtraction to 1,000

These mathematics goals for students in 2nd to 5th grades focus on regrouping, subtracting across zeros, and working with decimals.

 Add and subtract within 1000 CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.7

  • Give the student 10 addition fact problems. Note any strategies they use to solve them (do they get blocks? count on their fingers? draw pictures? do tallies?). If they are successful, give them ten more advanced addition problems. Repeat this for subtraction.
  • If the student is struggling, try providing them with manipulatives and hundreds charts– or prompting them on other strategies. If a support helps them, you might want to add it to the goal.

Need more ideas? Check out the PreK-2 Mathematics Present Levels and Assessments Resource page or the 2nd-5th Grade Mathematics Present Levels and Assessments Resource page.

Looking for easy-to-use assessment resources or support with turning assessments into goals and present levels? Check out the IEP Success Kit in the store!

Janelle can solve can solve two digit addition and subtraction problems without regrouping with 80% accuracy and ones with regrouping with 40% accuracy. 

For more baseline ideas, check out the IEP Success Kit!

  •  Given ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems, ___________ will add and subtract within 1,000 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.7

As the special education teacher, you have the option to add modifiers to the goal to make it more achievable or more meaningful for the student. There are multiple ways to modify an IEP goal:

  • Note: There is a standard for addition and subtraction to 100 for second grade, so if the student is just moving past addition and subtraction facts, build the IEP goal off that standard and use this for more advanced students.
  • Add supports for the student
    •  Given place value blocks and ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems, ___________ will add and subtract within 1,000 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.7
  • Adjust the accuracy or number of trials
    • Can miss two of ten problems: Given ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems, ___________ will add and subtract within 1,000 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.7
    • Can miss one of ten problems: Given ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems, ___________ will add and subtract within 1,000 with 90% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.7
  • Change the difficulty
    • Harder: Given ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems involving subtracting across zeros and regrouping, ___________ will add and subtract within 1,000 with 90% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.7
    • Easier: Given place value blocks and ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems, ___________ will add and subtract with and without regrouping within 1,000 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.7

 Fluently add and subtract within 1000 using strategies and algorithms based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction CCSS.Math.Content.3.NBT.A.2

  • Give the student 10 addition fact problems. Note any strategies they use to solve them (do they get blocks? count on their fingers? draw pictures? do tallies?). If they are successful, give them ten more advanced addition problems. Repeat this for subtraction.
  • If the student is struggling, try providing them with manipulatives and hundreds charts– or prompting them on other strategies. If a support helps them, you might want to add it to the goal.

Need more ideas? Check out the 2nd-5th Grade Mathematics Present Levels and Assessments Resource page.

Looking for easy-to-use assessment resources or support with turning assessments into goals and present levels? Check out the IEP Success Kit in the store!

Janelle can solve can solve two digit addition and subtraction problems without regrouping with 80% accuracy and ones with regrouping with 40% accuracy. 

For more baseline ideas, check out the IEP Success Kit!

  •  Given ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems, __________ will  add and subtract within 1,000 with 80% accuracy using strategies and algorithms based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.3.NBT.A.2

As the special education teacher, you have the option to add modifiers to the goal to make it more achievable or more meaningful for the student. There are multiple ways to modify an IEP goal:

  • Add supports for the student
    •  Given place value blocks and ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems, __________ will  add and subtract within 1,000 with 80% accuracy using strategies and algorithms based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.3.NBT.A.2
  • Adjust the accuracy or number of trials
    • Can miss two of ten problems: Given ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems, __________ will  add and subtract within 1,000 with 80% accuracy using strategies and algorithms based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.3.NBT.A.2
    • Can miss one of ten problems: Given ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems, __________ will  add and subtract within 1,000 with 90% accuracy using strategies and algorithms based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.3.NBT.A.2
  • Change the difficulty
    • Harder: Given ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems, __________ will add and subtract within 1,000 with 90% accuracy and explain their strategy using strategies and algorithms based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction  CCSS.Math.Content.3.NBT.A.2
    • Easier: Given place value blocks and ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems with and without regrouping, __________ will add and subtract within 1,000 with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher observations and records CCSS.Math.Content.3.NBT.A.2

Fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm CCSS.Math.Content.4.NBT.B.4

  • Give the student 10 addition problems with numbers smaller than 100 with and without regrouping.  Note any strategies they use to solve them (do they get blocks? count up? draw pictures? do tallies?). If they are successful, give them ten more advanced addition problems. Repeat this for subtraction.
  • If the student is struggling, try providing them with manipulatives and hundreds charts– or prompting them on other strategies. If a support helps them, you might want to add it to the goal.

Need more ideas? Check out the 2nd-5th Grade Mathematics Present Levels and Assessments Resource page.

Looking for easy-to-use assessment resources or support with turning assessments into goals and present levels? Check out the IEP Success Kit in the store!

Janelle can solve can solve two digit addition and subtraction problems without regrouping with 80% accuracy and ones with regrouping with 40% accuracy. 

For more baseline ideas, check out the IEP Success Kit!

  • Given ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems,  __________ will  add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.4.NBT.B.4

As the special education teacher, you have the option to add modifiers to the goal to make it more achievable or more meaningful for the student. There are multiple ways to modify an IEP goal:

  • Add supports for the student
    • Given place value blocks and ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems,  __________ will  add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.4.NBT.B.4
    • Given a number line and ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems,  __________ will  add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.4.NBT.B.4
  • Adjust the accuracy or number of trials
    • Can miss two of ten problems: Given ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems,  __________ will  add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.4.NBT.B.4
    • Can miss one of ten problems: Given ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems,  __________ will  add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm with 90% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.4.NBT.B.4
  • Change the difficulty
    • Harder: Given ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems involving subtracting across zeros and regrouping,  __________ will  add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers  with 90% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.4.NBT.B.4
    • Easier: Given place value blocks and ten three-digit addition and subtraction problems with and without regrouping,  __________ will  add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers  with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.4.NBT.B.4

Add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals to hundredths CCSS.Math.Content.5.NBT.B.7.

  • Give the student 10 addition problems with numbers smaller than 100 with and without regrouping.  Note any strategies they use to solve them (do they get blocks? count up? draw pictures? do tallies?). If they are successful, give them ten more advanced addition problems. Repeat this for subtraction. Then add in decimals and see what they do.
  • If the student is struggling, try providing them with manipulatives and hundreds charts– or prompting them on other strategies. If a support helps them, you might want to add it to the goal.

Need more ideas? Check out the 2nd-5th Grade Mathematics Present Levels and Assessments Resource page.

Looking for easy-to-use assessment resources or support with turning assessments into goals and present levels? Check out the IEP Success Kit in the store!

Li can solve can solve two-digit addition and subtraction problems of whole numbers without regrouping with 80% accuracy and ones with regrouping with 40% accuracy. If problems with decimals are already lined up for her, she can solve decimal problems with the same accuracy, but she is not yet lining up the problems on her own.

For more baseline ideas, check out the IEP Success Kit!

  • Given ten addition and subtraction problems with decimals to hundredths and multi-digit whole numbers,  __________ will  add and subtract with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.5.NBT.B.7.

As the special education teacher, you have the option to add modifiers to the goal to make it more achievable or more meaningful for the student. There are multiple ways to modify an IEP goal:

  • Add supports for the student
    • Given ten, already lined up, addition and subtraction problems with decimals to hundredths and multi-digit whole numbers,  __________ will add and subtract with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.5.NBT.B.7.
    • Given place value blocks and ten addition and subtraction problems with decimals to hundredths and multi-digit whole numbers,  __________ will  add and subtract with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.5.NBT.B.7.
  • Adjust the accuracy or number of trials
    • Given eight addition and subtraction problems with decimals to hundredths and multi-digit whole numbers,  __________ will  add and subtract with75% accuracy as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.Math.Content.5.NBT.B.7.

Need teaching resources or downloadable Present Levels templates and assessments? Check out the store!