In November 1981 George T. Doran published a short article in Management Review. Its title was “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives.” His five criteria were Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-related. The letters have changed over time. A common version today reads Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.
A federal regulation sets the rules for a child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) in special education. The IEP must contain “a statement of measurable annual goals.” It must also say how “the child’s progress toward meeting the annual goals” will be measured. A guide for parents explains why: “The IEP team must be able to tell if the goal has been reached.”