Which criterion is acceptable for a preschool student with severe disabilities who is learning the daily morning arrival routine using a fifteen-step task analysis for five days?

• A. All fifteen steps correct for all five training days
• B. All fifteen steps correct for three of the five training days
• C. Ten of fifteen steps correct for all five training days
• D. Ten of fifteen steps correct for three of the five training days

Answer: (D)

Mastery criteria for a multi-step daily task should balance achieving a substantial level of independence with recognizing day-to-day variation. For a 15-step morning routine, it’s important to show reliable performance across several days rather than expecting perfection every day. Ten of the fifteen steps correct on three of the five training days demonstrates that the child can complete the majority of steps in a consistent way across multiple days. This indicates meaningful progress toward full mastery while allowing for occasional variability and prompts as needed.

Requiring all fifteen steps correct every day sets an unrealistically high bar for a preschool learner with severe disabilities and can stall progress. Requiring all fifteen steps on three of five days is similarly strict and may not capture gradual improvement. Ten steps on all five days shows steady performance but doesn’t reflect progression across days as clearly as meeting the milestone on multiple days. The chosen criterion appropriately balances achievement with consistency over time, supporting data-based decisions about advancing the instruction.