Planning IEP goals: 20 examples from first steps to long projects

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

A measurable planning IEP goal asks the student to make a plan before acting and then scores the plan or whether it was followed. Pick one kind of plan: steps for a task, a pre-writing plan, dated steps for a project, or a plan for a real outing. Example: before a writing task, the student will complete a 4-part graphic organizer in 4 of 5 assignments.

Planning is deciding what to do, in what order, before you start. Students who skip it jump into a task, get halfway, and find they are missing a material, a step or a week. The Harvard Center on the Developing Child describes how working memory, mental flexibility and self-control work together so people can plan and carry out tasks.^[1]

Planning goals are easy to write badly. "Will plan assignments" names no plan, no product and no count. The 20 goals below each name a planning product (a step list, an organizer, a calendar) and a way to score it. Baselines are illustrative; they show the format, not targets.

The cluster pillar on executive functioning IEP goals shows two planning goals, breaking an assignment into dated steps and writing a weekly plan. This page goes further and does not repeat them.

How to choose the right planning goal

What you see	Sub-skill	What to score	Data sheet
Starts a task without the materials or the first step	Sequencing a task	Steps listed in a workable order	Task analysis data sheet
Writing wanders, starts without a plan	Planning written work	Organizer parts completed	Rubric data sheet
Long projects collapse near the due date	Long-term projects	Interim dates met, of dates set	Opportunity data sheet
Gets lost or unprepared outside school routines	Planning for real life	Plan parts complete and followed	Task analysis data sheet

Each sub-skill has templates on the planning goals page.

Sequencing a task before starting

Younger students and students with significant support needs start here: say or show the steps, then do them.

Goal	Baseline	Measure
Before a multi-step task, the student will state a first, next, last plan and follow it in order on 4 of 5 tasks.	1 of 5	Tasks planned and followed
Given 4 to 6 picture cards of a familiar task, the student will put the steps in order with no more than 1 error on 4 of 5 trials.	2 of 5	Trials with 0 or 1 errors
Before an independent assignment, the student will write the steps of the assignment as a numbered list of at least 3 steps on 8 of 10 assignments.	2 of 10	Assignments with a step list
Before an activity, the student will gather every material on the list before starting, with all materials present on 4 of 5 activities.	1 of 5	Activities ready
During block play or a building center, the student will tell a building plan, then build it with at least 2 of 3 planned parts present in the finished build on 4 of 5 days.	1 of 5 days	Days met

Weak: "The student will plan before starting work." Measurable: the written step list goal. "Plan" is invisible. A numbered list of 3 or more steps is something you can collect and count.

Planning written work and projects

The plan is the product. Score it with a short rubric or checklist so two adults give the same score.

Goal	Baseline	Measure
Before drafting, the student will complete a pre-writing plan with a topic, 3 details and a closing on 4 of 5 writing tasks.	1 of 5	Plans with all 4 parts
Before writing a narrative, the student will sketch a story plan in 3 boxes (beginning, middle, end) and use all 3 in the draft on 3 of 4 stories.	0 of 4	Stories planned and used
Before a science lab, the student will plan the steps and materials on a lab planning sheet, scoring at least 5 of 6 checklist items on 4 of 5 labs.	2 of 6 items	Checklist score
Before a STEM build, the student will sketch the design and list the materials, with at least 90% of needed materials listed on 3 of 4 builds.	50% of materials	Materials listed, of materials used
For a 3-day project, the student will map the work out by day and finish each day's part on the planned day on 2 of 3 days across 3 projects.	0 of 3 days	Days on plan

Weak: "The student will use graphic organizers." Measurable: the pre-writing plan goal. "Use" could mean filling in one box. "Topic, 3 details and a closing" tells you when the plan is complete.

Long-term projects and deadlines

Middle and high school students lose the most points here. Use the grade portal and the project calendar as the data source.

Goal	Baseline	Measure
Given a planned project with dated subtasks, the student will complete subtasks by their interim dates, meeting at least 4 of 5 dates on 2 consecutive projects.	1 of 5	Interim dates met
Given a due date, the student will work backward to set start dates for each part, setting dates that leave at least 1 day of margin on 3 of 4 assignments.	0 of 4	Plans with margin
For a project of 2 weeks or longer, the student will set at least 3 checkpoints with a teacher and bring the work to each checkpoint on 3 of 4 projects.	0 of 4	Projects with checkpoints met
When a project checkpoint is missed, the student will revise the project plan within 2 school days, with new dates that still meet the due date, on 3 of 4 missed checkpoints.	0 of 4	Revisions made
When a test or project date is announced, the student will enter it on a monthly calendar that day, entering at least 9 of 10 announced dates.	4 of 10	Dates entered

Weak: "The student will complete long-term assignments on time." Measurable: the interim dates goal. Lateness on the final date is the symptom. Missed interim dates are the planning skill you can teach and count.

Planning for real life

These goals fit transition-age students and life skills programs. The plan has to work outside the classroom, so score whether it was followed.

Goal	Baseline	Measure
Before going to a new location, the student will plan the route and the time to leave and arrive within 5 minutes of the target on 4 of 5 trips.	1 of 5	Trips on time
The student will plan a community outing from start to finish (place, cost, transport, time) with at least 7 of 8 plan items correct on 3 consecutive outings.	3 of 8 items	Plan items correct
Each week, the student will draft a meal plan and grocery list for 3 meals, with every needed ingredient on the list on 3 of 4 weeks.	0 of 4 weeks	Weeks with complete list
With a phone and a script, the student will schedule a doctor or dental appointment, completing all 5 steps of the task analysis on 2 consecutive role-plays and 1 real call.	2 of 5 steps	Steps completed
Before the annual IEP meeting, the student will prepare talking points covering strengths, needs and one request, and share at least 2 of them at the meeting.	Did not attend	Points prepared and shared

Weak: "The student will improve independent living planning skills." Measurable: the community outing goal. Eight plan items scored right or wrong gives a number you can graph across outings.

How to measure planning goals

Planning is unusual because there are two things to score: the plan itself and whether the student followed it.

Score the plan with a checklist. List the parts a complete plan needs, such as topic, 3 details and closing. Count the parts present.
Score the follow-through. Did the draft use the plan? Were the interim dates met? Record yes or no.
Keep the products. Staple the plan to the finished work. A folder of 8 plans is strong evidence at a progress report.
Graph the plan score each week or each project. A rubric scoring graph works well for organizers. Interim dates fit opportunities.

The IEP must state how progress will be measured.^[2] For projects with only 3 or 4 data points a semester, report each project's result, not a percent. Review the trend at each grading period.^[3]

Short-term objectives

For the interim dates goal:

With the teacher writing the dated subtasks, the student meets at least 3 of 5 dates.
With the student writing the subtasks and the teacher checking them, the student meets at least 4 of 5 dates.
With the student writing and checking the plan alone, the student meets at least 4 of 5 dates on 2 projects.

Adapting by grade

Grade band	Planning product	Who writes it first	Example criterion
Pre-K to 2	Spoken first, next, last; picture sequence	Adult models, student says it	4 of 5 tasks
3 to 5	Step list, writing organizer	Student with a template	Plans with all parts on 4 of 5 tasks
Middle school	Project calendar, lab plan	Student, checked by teacher	4 of 5 interim dates
High school	Backward plan, real-life plan	Student alone	3 of 4 plans with margin

Grade-band templates are on the grades 3 to 5 and high school pages.

Mistakes to avoid

Scoring only the final due date. The deadline tells you the plan failed, not where. Track interim steps.
An adult makes every plan. That is an accommodation. For a goal, the student has to write more of the plan over time.
A plan with no follow-through check. A perfect organizer that the draft ignores is not progress.
Too long a horizon too soon. A student who can't plan one class period is not ready for a 6-week project plan.

Check the draft with the goal checker. For the clock side of long projects, see time management IEP goals. For keeping the project materials together, see organization IEP goals.

Frequently asked questions

What is an example of a planning IEP goal?

Before drafting, the student will complete a pre-writing plan with a topic, 3 details and a closing on 4 of 5 writing tasks. It names the planning product, what makes it complete and how often it must happen.

How do you measure a planning goal?

Score two things. First, the plan itself, using a checklist of the parts a complete plan needs. Second, whether the student followed it, such as interim dates met or the draft using the organizer. Keep the plans as work samples.

What is the difference between planning and time management goals?

Planning goals target deciding the steps and their order before starting. Time management goals target how long things take and getting them done in the time available. Long projects often need one goal of each.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

A Guide to Executive Function, Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University
34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Progress Monitoring: Data & Goal Setting, National Center on Intensive Intervention

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.