IEP goals for autistic preschoolers

Preschool goals look small on paper and matter a great deal. A 3-year-old who learns to hand over a picture for "help" has a way to get through the day without crying, and a starting point for every language goal that follows. Write goals for skills the child can use right away, inside the routines of the preschool day.

The 20 goals below are grouped into five areas. Every baseline is fictional and shows where the criterion came from. For goals across all ages, see the pillar on IEP goals for autism.

Preschool goals in the IEP

For a preschool child, the IEP's present levels describe how the disability affects the child's participation in appropriate activities, rather than only the general curriculum.^[1] In practice, that means goals tied to play, snack, circle, centers and arrival. Many children move from an early intervention plan (an IFSP) to a preschool IEP around age 3. The preschool special education entry explains the change, and the ECTA Center summarizes the federal preschool program.^[4]

A few habits help at this age:

• Accept any mode. A sign, a picture, a gesture, a word or an AAC button all count as communication.
• Teach inside routines. Snack has 10 chances to request; a worksheet has none.
• Expect adult support and fade it. Goals often name the prompt level, such as "with a gestural cue."
• Leave harmless behavior alone. Spinning, lining up toys and hand flapping are not IEP targets unless they cause harm or block learning.

How to choose a preschool goal

Early communication goals

Weak: "The child will use words to request."

Measurable: "During snack and play, the child will request more using a sign, picture, word or AAC button in 8 of 10 opportunities." It names the routine and accepts every mode.

The early communication goal templates have many more.

Joint attention and play goals

Joint attention is sharing focus on something with another person. It supports language and play.

Weak: "The child will play with peers."

Measurable: "During center time, the child will play near a peer with similar toys for at least 5 minutes on 4 of 5 days." Parallel play is a real step, not a failure to play.

Regulation and transition goals

Weak: "The child will transition without tantrums."

Measurable: "When a visual timer ends, the child will stop the activity and move toward the next one within 1 minute in 4 of 5 transitions."

Routines and self-help goals

Weak: "The child will be independent in self-care."

Measurable: "During snack, the child will complete 5 of 6 steps of the snack routine independently on 4 of 5 days." Measured by task analysis.

The preschool readiness goal templates cover more routines.

Classroom participation goals

Weak: "The child will sit nicely at circle."

Measurable: "During a 10-minute circle time, the child will stay with the group, seated or standing in the circle area, for at least 7 minutes on 4 of 5 days." Standing counts. A wiggle seat or fidget is an accommodation, not a failure.

How to measure preschool goals

Preschool data should fit inside the routine. A clipboard at the snack table is enough.

• Opportunities for requests and responses. Record 10 chances per routine on the opportunity data sheet.
• Task analysis for routines like snack and cleanup, with the prompt level for each step, on the task analysis data sheet.
• Duration for circle time and play, on the duration data sheet.
• Latency for drop-off and transitions, on the latency data sheet.

Collect 2 to 3 times a week for each goal, and graph it every 2 weeks. Share short notes or photos with the family, so practice at home matches school.

Short-term objectives for preschool goals

For the "request more" goal:

1. With a full model from the adult, the child will request more in 8 of 10 opportunities at snack.
2. With a partial model or gesture cue, the child will request more in 8 of 10 opportunities at snack and play.
3. With no prompt, the child will request more in 8 of 10 opportunities across 3 routines.

Adapting within the preschool years

Moving on to kindergarten? The preschool IEP goals and goals for the early childhood setting cover the wider age band. Paste any draft into the goal checker.

The Division for Early Childhood's recommended practices stress teaching within everyday routines and activities.^[2] ASHA's practice portal on AAC covers options for young children.^[3]

Frequently asked questions

Use it in IEP Atlas

• IEP goals for autism
• Preschool readiness goals (functional skills)
• Preschool IEP goals
• Goals for the early childhood setting
• Preschool special education in the IEP glossary
• IEP goal checker

Related guides

• IEP goals for autism: examples by area and age
• IEP goals for nonverbal autistic students
• Autism accommodations in the classroom
• Emotional regulation and self-regulation IEP goals
• How to write IEP goals for autistic students
• Social skills IEP goals for autistic students
• IEP goals for autistic students in kindergarten and first grade

Sources

1. 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
2. DEC Recommended Practices, Division for Early Childhood, Council for Exceptional Children
3. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), ASHA
4. Part B, Section 619 of IDEA, Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.