Criteria that may be used to assess the quality of individualized education programs (IEPs) for handicapped students are presented, along with nine examples of procedures for recording/displaying pupil performance data, and seven guidelines for modifying instructional programs. After discussing the rationale for IEPs, the following three indices for determining the quality of an IEP are discussed; (1) the assessment instruments and procedures employed to establish a student's current level of educational performance: (2) the specificity of the short term instructional objectives; and (3) the extent to which the IEP is used by the teacher in planning a student's day to day instructional program. Techniques and procedures that can facilitate the tasks of developing and implementing the instructional plan and writing the IEP are summarized as follows: using existing sequences of skills in a variety of curriculum areas, systematic collecting and recording of performance data, changing or modifying the program when the data indicate a change is necessary, and being precise in the use of systematic instructional procedures. Examples of recording/display procedures include: frequency counting, graphing ontask behavior, alternative ways of charting movements per minute by calendar weeks, monitoring skill acquisition for each student using a matrix, an objective sequence worksheet, a reading skills chart, and a chart displaying short term objectives, evaluation procedures, and criteria for each goal area. The guidelines for modifying instructional programs provide seven examples of data that indicate the need for program changes (i.e., instructional or motivational). (SEW)