Nebraska District Approves $22,759 Goalbook Extension to Speed Up IEP Writing
The Scottsbluff School Board approved a two-year contract extension for Goalbook, an AI platform that helps special education teachers write individualized education plans faster. The district will spend $22,759 on the renewal.
Scottsbluff has used Goalbook since the start of 2026. The platform generates suggested goals and instructional strategies based on student data teachers input, then aligns recommendations to grade-level standards.
How Teachers Are Using It
Wendy Kemling-Horner, the district's student services director, said teachers feed existing student data into the system, which then produces draft language and goal suggestions for IEPs. The platform handles the four core components of an IEP: present levels of performance, measurable goals, progress monitoring, and instructional strategies.
Whitney Bennett, a resource teacher with 17 years in special education, said she was skeptical at first. "Change is challenging, especially when it impacts something as important in detail as the IEP process," she said. Her view shifted once she started using it.
Bennett noted that IEPs are time-consuming and stressful work that carries real compliance stakes. "The tools have made this aspect of my job easier," she said.
Cierra McDonald, who teaches kindergarten and first-grade special education, said the platform takes data she's already collecting and suggests goals she might otherwise miss. "Having that built in for us gives us more time to work with the students," she said.
Elizabeth Pierce, in her first year of special education, said Goalbook helped her build confidence writing IEP goals. She estimates it cut her time on paperwork by 25 to 50 percent.
The Numbers
Forty-five staff members at Scottsbluff use Goalbook. Board member Rob Polk noted the contract costs roughly half a teacher's annual salary while freeing up time for classroom work.
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