Task initiation IEP goals
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
A task initiation IEP goal measures how quickly a student starts work after a direction, usually as latency in minutes or seconds. It names the task, the support or strategy, the time limit and how often. Example: given a written direction for independent work, the student will begin within 2 minutes, using a first-step card, in 4 of 5 work periods.
Task initiation is the skill of getting started. A student who has trouble with it often knows how to do the work. They sit, sharpen a pencil, look around, and the clock runs out. "Off task" or "unmotivated" goals miss this. A task initiation goal measures the gap between the direction and the first step, and teaches a way to close it.
The 24 goals below are grouped by situation. Every baseline is fictional and shows where the criterion came from. For goals on other executive function skills, see the pillar on executive functioning IEP goals.
How to choose a task initiation goal
| What you see | Sub-skill | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Starts eventually, but only after many minutes | Starting after a direction | Latency |
| Starts only when an adult comes to the desk | Starting without prompts | Prompts per task, or latency without an adult |
| Starts easy work fast, avoids writing or tests | Starting effortful tasks | Latency on that task type |
| Does not know what to do first | Start-up strategies | Opportunities: strategy used within a time |
| Trouble at routine times: arrival, homework, after breaks | Routine starts | Latency or days met |
| Needs a visual work system | Starting with a work system | Latency, prompts |
If the student avoids the task because it is too hard, the goal may belong in the academic area instead, with a task initiation strategy built in. Check the work level first.
Starting work after a direction
| Goal | Baseline | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Given a written direction for independent work, the student will begin the task within 2 minutes, using a first-step card, in 4 of 5 work periods for 3 consecutive weeks. | Median 6 minutes | Latency |
| During math, after the teacher finishes giving directions, the student will write the first problem number and begin within 90 seconds on 4 of 5 days. | Median 4 minutes | Latency |
| When the class begins a timed writing task, the student will start writing within 3 minutes of the prompt in 4 of 5 timed writes. | Median 9 minutes | Latency |
| During science labs, the student will start the assigned lab role within 2 minutes of the start signal in 4 of 5 labs. | 1 of 5 | Latency, opportunities |
Weak: "The student will get started on work."
Measurable: "Given a written direction for independent work, the student will begin within 2 minutes, using a first-step card, in 4 of 5 work periods."
Starting without adult prompts
| Goal | Baseline | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| During independent work, the student will start without repeated prompts, needing no more than 1 adult prompt to begin, on 4 of 5 tasks across 4 weeks. | Median 4 prompts | Prompts per task |
| During independent reading, the student will begin without an adult at the desk within 2 minutes on 8 of 10 days. | 2 of 10 | Latency |
| Across all classes, the student will reduce adult prompts needed to begin work from a median of 3 to 0 or 1 per task, measured on 5 sampled tasks per week. | 3 prompts | Prompts per task |
| After a break, the student will return to work without an adult cue within 1 minute of the timer in 4 of 5 breaks. | 1 of 5 | Latency |
Weak: "The student will work independently."
Measurable: "During independent work, the student will begin with no more than 1 adult prompt on 4 of 5 tasks."
Starting effortful or non-preferred tasks
| Goal | Baseline | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Given an open-ended writing task, the student will start writing a first sentence or plan within 4 minutes in 4 of 5 writing tasks. | Median 12 minutes | Latency |
| Using a first-then schedule, the student will start a non-preferred task within 2 minutes in 4 of 5 opportunities. | 1 of 5 | Latency |
| When handed a quiz, the student will begin the first item within 2 minutes on 4 of 5 quizzes. | Median 7 minutes | Latency |
| Given a hard task and a 3-minute start timer, the student will work until the timer ends and then continue or ask for help, in 4 of 5 tasks. | 0 of 5 | Opportunities |
Weak: "The student will complete writing assignments without avoidance."
Measurable: "Given an open-ended writing task, the student will write a first sentence or plan within 4 minutes in 4 of 5 writing tasks."
Start-up strategies
These goals teach a strategy the student can keep using after the IEP ends.
| Goal | Baseline | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| When unsure how to begin, the student will use a start-up strategy (reread the directions, do the example, or ask one question) within 3 minutes in 8 of 10 tasks. | 2 of 10 | Opportunities |
| Before independent work, the student will write a first step on a sticky note and begin it within 2 minutes in 4 of 5 work periods. | 0 of 5 | Opportunities |
| Before a task, the student will use a self-talk script ("First I will...") and begin within 2 minutes on 4 of 5 tasks. | Not yet used | Opportunities |
| When given a choice of task order, the student will pick a task and start it within 2 minutes on 4 of 5 days. | Median 5 minutes | Latency |
Weak: "The student will use strategies to start work."
Measurable: "When unsure how to begin, the student will use one taught start-up strategy within 3 minutes in 8 of 10 tasks."
Starting at routine times
| Goal | Baseline | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| On arrival, the student will start morning work within 5 minutes of entering the room on 9 of 10 days. | 4 of 10 days | Days met |
| At home, the student will start homework at the planned time, within 10 minutes, on 4 of 5 school nights, as shown on a parent-signed log. | 1 of 5 | Home log |
| At the start of class, the student will begin the warm-up within 2 minutes of the bell on 4 of 5 days for 4 weeks. | 1 of 5 | Latency |
| Given a long-term assignment, the student will start the first step within 2 school days of receiving it on 3 consecutive projects. | Starts 1 to 2 days before due | Days to start |
Weak: "The student will be ready to learn."
Measurable: "On arrival, the student will start morning work within 5 minutes of entering the room on 9 of 10 days."
Starting with a work system
These suit students with significant support needs or students who use a visual work system.
| Goal | Baseline | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Using a left-to-right work system, the student will start the first task within 1 minute of sitting down on 4 of 5 sessions. | Median 4 minutes | Latency |
| Given a photo task strip, the student will start a familiar job within 1 minute with no more than a gesture cue on 4 of 5 days. | Full physical prompt | Prompt level |
| At the cleanup signal, the student will start cleaning up within 30 seconds on 4 of 5 opportunities. | 1 of 5 | Latency |
| At a job site, the student will start the assigned work task from a posted task list within 2 minutes of arriving on 4 of 5 shifts. | 1 of 5 | Latency |
Weak: "The student will complete tasks in the work system."
Measurable: "Using a left-to-right work system, the student will start the first task within 1 minute of sitting down on 4 of 5 sessions."
More wording is in the task initiation goal templates, with versions for K-2 and high school.
How to measure task initiation with latency
Latency recording is the time from a cue to the start of the behavior. For task initiation, the cue is the end of the direction, and the start is the first visible step: pencil on paper, first keystroke, first item touched.
Probe schedule. Time 3 to 5 work periods per week, in the same class each time. Use a stopwatch or the classroom clock. Record the median for the week, not the average, because one bad day can pull an average far off.
Define the start. Write it down before you begin. "Looks at the paper" is not a start. "Writes the first word or number" is.
Here is a filled-in example of the latency data sheet for a fictional 5th grader. Target: start within 2 minutes.
| Date | Task | Direction ended | Started | Latency | Met target? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon Nov 3 | Math page 42 | 10:05 | 10:09 | 4 min | No |
| Tue Nov 4 | Math page 43 | 10:04 | 10:06 | 2 min | Yes |
| Wed Nov 5 | Writing prompt | 10:06 | 10:13 | 7 min | No |
| Thu Nov 6 | Math page 44 | 10:05 | 10:06 | 1 min | Yes |
| Fri Nov 7 | Math quiz | 10:03 | 10:06 | 3 min | No |
The weekly median is 3 minutes, and the target was met on 2 of 5 days. The long latency on writing suggests the writing task itself may need support.
Graph the weekly medians. If they stay flat for 4 weeks, change the strategy: a smaller first step, a different cue or a check of whether the task is at the right level.
Short-term objectives for task initiation
- With an adult reading the first step aloud, the student will begin within 2 minutes in 4 of 5 work periods.
- With a first-step card and one gestural cue, the student will begin within 2 minutes in 4 of 5 work periods.
- With a first-step card and no cue, the student will begin within 2 minutes in 4 of 5 work periods, in 2 different classes.
Adapting by grade
| Grade band | Typical latency target | Supports |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool and K-2 | 30 seconds to 1 minute | Picture cue, first-then card, adult nearby |
| Grades 3-5 | 1 to 2 minutes | First-step card, timer |
| Middle school | 2 minutes | Self-talk, sticky note step, discreet cue |
| High school | 2 to 3 minutes, plus long-term starts | Self-set first step, phone reminder |
Starting quickly is only part of the picture. If the student starts but drifts, add a goal for on-task behavior. Paste your draft into the goal checker before the meeting. The IEP must describe how progress on each goal will be measured.[1]
Frequently asked questions
What is task initiation?
Task initiation is the ability to begin a task without long delay once a direction is given. It is one of the executive functioning skills. A student may understand the work and still take many minutes to begin it.
How do I measure task initiation?
Use latency: the time from the end of the direction to the first visible step of the task. Time 3 to 5 work periods a week, record the weekly median, and graph it against the goal's time limit.
Is a task initiation goal the same as an on-task goal?
No. Task initiation measures how fast the student starts. On-task goals measure how much of the work period the student stays engaged. Many students need one but not the other.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Task initiation goals (executive function)
- Latency recording measurement guide
- Latency data sheet
- Latency recording in the IEP glossary
- IEP goal checker
Related guides
- Executive functioning IEP goals: examples by skill
- On-task behavior IEP goals
- How to collect baseline data for an IEP goal
- Present levels (PLAAFP) examples that lead to measurable goals
- Organization IEP goals: 20 examples with the data behind them
- Working memory IEP goals: 12 examples that measure strategy use
Sources
- 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.