Tell lunch staff about their mealtime plan
When to use this goal
For older students with a feeding or swallowing plan, food allergy or diet needs who rely on adults to tell cafeteria and job-site staff what they can eat. Fits students who can explain with speech, a card or a device, decided by communication and present levels.
- Baseline
- Watch five food choices and record whether the student spoke up, an adult spoke for them, or nobody did. Ask the student how they explain their needs to friends and what they want people to know.
- Tips
- Speaking up about food needs is a lifelong safety and independence skill. Let the student write their own card in their own words. Make sure cafeteria staff know the plan anyway.
- Limits
- Food textures, liquid thickness, positioning for safe swallowing and any swallowing precautions come from the student's feeding or swallowing plan, which this goal never changes. Staff remain responsible for following the plan and allergy procedures whatever the student says. The goal teaches self-advocacy, not judging which foods are safe.
Original IEP Atlas template based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. ID mt-fd-024.
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Goal
By the annual IEP review date, when ordering or choosing food in the school cafeteria line, the student will tell the server or staff member their food needs (such as soft foods, no nuts or thickened drinks) and ask what fits the plan with no adult prompts in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive months, as measured by direct observation collected at each observed food choice, at least weekly.
Baseline: 0 of 5 opportunities.
- Condition
- Observable behavior
- Criterion
- Measurement method
Measurability check11 of 11 met
Met: Observable behavior. Stated as an action.
Met: Condition. Stated.
Met: Unit fits the behavior. Opportunities fits this behavior.
Met: Explicit criterion. Number and unit stated.
Met: Mastery rule and schedule. Both stated.
Met: Method produces the metric. Direct observation gives opportunities data.
Met: Review timeframe. Stated.
Met: Baseline and target compatible. Same unit, change in the right direction.
Met: Aligned with area of need. Still about Feeding & Mealtime Skills.
Met: Level of support. Defined.
Met: Blanks filled in. Nothing left to fill in.
Checks structure and wording only. Whether the goal fits the student is the team's call.
Short-term objectives (optional)
When are objectives required?Required for students on alternate assessments (34 CFR §300.320(a)(2)(ii)); some states require them for everyone.
Paste into your IEP system
Most district systems have a separate box for each part of a goal. Copy them one at a time, or all at once as labeled text.
- Area of need
- Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE) - Feeding & Mealtime Skills
- Baseline
- 0 of 5 opportunities.
- Annual goal410 characters
- By the annual IEP review date, when ordering or choosing food in the school cafeteria line, the student will tell the server or staff member their food needs (such as soft foods, no nuts or thickened drinks) and ask what fits the plan with no adult prompts in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive months, as measured by direct observation collected at each observed food choice, at least weekly.
- Timeframe
- By the annual IEP review date
- Condition
- When ordering or choosing food in the school cafeteria line
- Behavior
- The student will tell the server or staff member their food needs (such as soft foods, no nuts or thickened drinks) and ask what fits the plan with no adult prompts
- Criteria
- In at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive months
- Evaluation method
- Direct observation
- Schedule
- At each observed food choice, at least weekly
Copied as plain text, with straight quotes and plain dashes.
Matching data sheet
Opportunity tracker. One box per opportunity in each session.
Opportunity tracker
Opportunities- Student label:
- Target:
- in at least 4 of 5 opportunities
- Mastery rule:
- across 3 consecutive months
- Collection schedule:
- at each observed food choice, at least weekly
- Method:
- Direct observation
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, when ordering or choosing food in the school cafeteria line, the student will tell the server or staff member their food needs (such as soft foods, no nuts or thickened drinks) and ask what fits the plan with no adult prompts in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive months, as measured by direct observation collected at each observed food choice, at least weekly.
Key: + demonstrated independently · P demonstrated with a prompt (note type) · − not demonstrated · NA no opportunity occurred
| Date | Activity / context | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | # + (of 5) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preview shows 4 of 12 rows.
- Record up to 5 opportunities per session, matching the goal's denominator.
- Define in advance what counts as an opportunity so every data collector records the same thing.
- Count only + marks toward the criterion unless the goal specifies prompted responses.
The CSV opens in Excel or Google Sheets, with formulas. Sheets print blank; no student data is stored.