Hey friends! Ms. Warren here from Ms. Warren’s Class, where we teach easier. Today I’m diving into one of the most critical parts of special education teaching: progress monitoring. It’s essential to track student growth, adjust instruction, and communicate clearly with families and teams. But I get it — progress monitoring can feel overwhelming and time-consuming, especially when juggling a full caseload.

Over the years, I’ve found some strategies and tools that help me streamline the process, save time, and keep it manageable — even enjoyable! If you’re looking for ways to make progress monitoring less of a chore, read on.

Why Progress Monitoring Feels Like a Beast (But Doesn’t Have to Be)

We know why we do it. It’s not just for compliance. It’s how we track what’s working, where students are growing, and what needs adjusting. It’s how we write strong IEP updates and make real, meaningful decisions for our kids.

But when you’ve got 20+ students, each with their own goals, accommodations, and quirks, the data pile-up can feel endless. Add in meetings, paperwork, behavior tracking, and teaching, and it’s easy to fall behind.

I used to try and do it all manually — paper checklists, sticky notes, mental reminders. Let’s just say that system failed… frequently. So I found tech tools that did the organizing for me and made it actually doable during the school day.

My Secret Weapons: Google Forms + QR Codes

My favorite low-tech/high-impact hack is using Google Forms to collect data quickly and efficiently. I build a form for each student (or group) with exactly what I need to track — goal behaviors, academic responses, or quick rating scales. Then, I attach QR codes to each form.

Here’s why it works:

• Staff can scan a QR code with their phone or iPad and immediately access the form. No more lost links or emails.

• Responses go straight into a Google Sheet, which updates in real time.

• You can sort by date, student, or goal area. No binder flipping.

• It’s perfect for classroom staff too — paras, therapists, or anyone else supporting your students.

I post QR codes around the classroom, on clipboards, or inside data binders. I even include them on my lesson plans sometimes, so everything is at my fingertips. And the best part? It’s totally free.

When the Internet Works Smarter Than I Do: Digital Platforms I Rely On

I love tech that tracks progress for me while the kids are learning. Here are my go-to programs that collect data behind the scenes and hand me beautiful reports I can use at IEP time (or whenever admin pops in with questions).

🔹 Dreamscape (Reading)

A game-based literacy platform designed for K–5. It automatically tracks reading comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency. My students love the fantasy-world feel, and I love that I don’t have to manually grade every reading check-in.

• Cost: Free basic version; premium plans start at around $15–$25 per student/year.

🔹 Happy Numbers (Math)

Happy Numbers breaks math down into small, adaptive steps. It’s great for building foundational skills and allows students to work independently while you get real-time progress data.

• Cost: Limited free version; premium starts at $9–$15 per student/year.

🔹 Prodigy (Math)

Kids feel like they’re playing a video game, but they’re doing standards-aligned math practice. Prodigy tracks progress by skill and provides printable reports. It’s a win-win.

• Cost: Free for teachers and students. Paid options for parents/families.

🔹 Boom Cards

Digital, self-checking task cards. You assign decks by skill, and students complete them at their own pace. You get automatic scoring and detailed usage reports.

• Cost: Free to assign limited decks; teacher membership starts at $15/year.

🔹 Get Epic! (Books + Comprehension)

If you’re looking for leveled readers with built-in comprehension tools, Epic! is your best friend. Students can listen, read independently, and answer questions afterward. Plus, you can track time spent reading and quiz performance — no more guessing who actually read the book.

• Cost: Free for educators during school hours. Families can subscribe for home access (about $6.99/month).

Each of these tools lets me track progress without stopping instruction or sitting down with a clipboard every 10 minutes. They do the work for me — and my students feel successful using them too.

Keeping It All Organized (Without Losing Your Mind)

To stay organized, I keep a master spreadsheet that links to:

• My Google Forms/Sheets

• Student login info for each digital platform

• IEP goal areas and what tool tracks what

• QR code printables for quick access

At the beginning of the year, I set this up during my planning week. Then, it’s just a matter of checking in weekly or biweekly depending on the goal. I even color-code progress so I can glance and see who needs extra support.

Spoiler alert: this takes way less time than flipping through 20 student binders.

Final Thoughts

Progress monitoring is one of those things that feels huge until you build a system that actually works. For me, combining Google Forms with QR codes and letting digital platforms do some of the heavy lifting has made a world of difference. I’m more consistent, less stressed, and ready when it’s time to report on student growth.

If you’re still carrying around clipboards, digging through folders, or writing notes on napkins (no judgment I’ve been there), maybe it’s time to try something easier. Because at the end of the day, the more efficient our systems are, the more time and energy we have to support our students.

And remember — Here, we teach easier.