IEP goals for laundry

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

Laundry IEP goals break the job into sorting, washing, drying, folding and putting away, and measure how many steps the student completes alone. Example: using a picture task analysis at the school washer, the student will wash and dry a load, completing 16 of 18 steps independently on 3 consecutive weekly probes.

Laundry is a strong life skills goal because it is long, predictable and easy to practice. Most schools with a life skills or transition program have a washer and dryer, and many classrooms wash towels, smocks and PE pinnies every week. That gives a student a real reason to run a load.

This page gives 24 laundry goals in five groups, a complete laundry task analysis, and a filled-in data sheet showing how to score it. Baselines are illustrations. The life skills IEP goals pillar covers how laundry fits with other home routines. Laundry also connects to hygiene: clean clothes are part of the high school hygiene goals.

Choosing a laundry goal

Student profile	Sub-skill	Measure	Data sheet
New to laundry, needs every step shown	Hamper and sorting basics	Correct sorts out of items	Accuracy data sheet
Can load a machine with help	Washing a load	Steps independent out of 10	Task analysis data sheet
Washes, forgets the dryer or lint trap	Drying a load	Steps independent out of 8	Task analysis data sheet
Leaves clean clothes in a pile	Folding and putting away	Items folded to standard	Task analysis data sheet
Does the steps, never starts alone	Scheduling and laundromat use	Loads started on the planned day	Opportunity data sheet

A full laundry task analysis

This 18-step version covers one load at a front-load or top-load machine and a standard dryer. Adjust buttons and dial names to match the real machines.

Carry the basket to the machine.
Check pockets and empty them.
Sort lights and darks into two piles.
Load one pile into the washer without packing it full.
Add one pod or a measured cap of detergent.
Close the lid or door.
Set the cycle (normal) and temperature (cold).
Press start.
Set a phone or kitchen timer for the cycle time.
Return when the timer goes off.
Move wet clothes to the dryer.
Pull out items marked "hang dry" and set them on a rack.
Clean the lint trap.
Close the dryer and set the cycle.
Press start and set a timer.
Remove clothes when the timer goes off.
Fold or hang each item.
Put items away in the right drawer or closet.

Teachers of students who need smaller steps can split step 7 into "turn dial to normal" and "press cold." That makes 19 or 20 steps. Keep the task analysis the same length all year, or the graph will jump for no real reason. For more on writing steps, see task analysis examples.

Hamper and sorting goals

Goal	Baseline (illustrative)	Measure	Template
1. Each evening at home, the student will put worn clothes in the hamper instead of on the floor on 6 of 7 nights by family check sheet.	2 of 7 nights	Opportunities	Template
2. Given a basket of 20 mixed items, the student will sort lights and darks with 19 of 20 correct on 3 consecutive probes.	12 of 20	Accuracy	Template
3. Given 10 garments, the student will read the care label picture and set aside items marked "do not tumble dry" with 9 of 10 correct on 2 probes.	3 of 10	Accuracy	Template
4. Before loading, the student will check every pocket and remove items on 10 of 10 garments with pockets across 3 loads.	Checks 2 of 10	Task analysis	Template
5. From a basket of clean socks, the student will pair 10 of 10 pairs by color and pattern within 5 minutes on 3 of 4 probes.	6 of 10 pairs, 9 minutes	Opportunities	Template

Weak: "The student will sort laundry."

Measurable: "Given a basket of 20 mixed items, the student will sort lights and darks with 19 of 20 correct on 3 consecutive probes, measured by accuracy."

Washing goals

Goal	Baseline (illustrative)	Measure	Template
6. Using a picture sequence at the school washer, the student will complete steps 1 through 10 independently on 4 of 5 weekly loads.	4 of 10 steps	Task analysis	Template
7. Given a detergent cap with a fill line, the student will measure detergent to the line without overfilling on 9 of 10 loads.	4 of 10 loads	Opportunities	Template
8. With a color-coded dial guide, the student will set the cycle and water temperature that match the load on 4 of 5 loads.	Turns dial at random	Accuracy	Template
9. After pressing start, the student will set a phone timer for the cycle length shown on the machine on 8 of 10 loads.	0 of 10 loads	Opportunities	Template
10. When a load is too full, the student will remove items until the drum is about three-quarters full on 4 of 5 loads.	Overpacks 5 of 5	Opportunities	Template

Weak: "The student will use the washing machine."

Measurable: "Using a picture sequence at the school washer, the student will complete steps 1 through 10 independently on 4 of 5 weekly loads, measured by task analysis."

Drying goals

Goal	Baseline (illustrative)	Measure	Template
11. When the wash timer goes off, the student will move the load to the dryer within 10 minutes on 4 of 5 loads.	Leaves wet clothes 2 hours or more	Latency	Template
12. Before starting the dryer, the student will clean the lint trap and throw the lint away on 10 of 10 loads.	1 of 10	Opportunities	Template
13. The student will complete dryer steps 11 through 16 independently on 4 of 5 loads.	2 of 6 steps	Task analysis	Template
14. While moving clothes to the dryer, the student will pull out items labeled "hang dry" and lay them on a drying rack on 4 of 5 loads.	0 of 5 loads	Opportunities	Template

Weak: "The student will dry clothes safely."

Measurable: "Before starting the dryer, the student will clean the lint trap and throw the lint away on 10 of 10 loads, measured on an opportunity data sheet."

Folding and putting away goals

Goal	Baseline (illustrative)	Measure	Template
15. Using a folding board, the student will fold T-shirts so edges line up, 8 of 10 shirts to standard, on 3 consecutive probes.	3 of 10	Task analysis	Template
16. The student will fold towels in thirds and stack them on the shelf, 10 of 10 towels, on 4 of 5 classroom laundry days.	5 of 10 towels	Task analysis	Template
17. Given labeled drawers, the student will put away 15 of 15 clean items in the correct drawer or closet within 15 minutes on 3 of 4 probes.	7 of 15 items	Accuracy	Template
18. The student will hang 5 of 5 shirts or pants on hangers with the item centered and buttoned at the top on 3 probes.	2 of 5	Task analysis	Template
19. Before a work shift, the student will iron or steam a work shirt so no large wrinkles show, 7 of 7 steps, on 3 consecutive probes.	2 of 7 steps	Task analysis	Template

Weak: "The student will fold laundry neatly."

Measurable: "Using a folding board, the student will fold T-shirts so edges line up, 8 of 10 shirts to standard, on 3 consecutive probes, measured by task analysis."

Scheduling and laundromat goals

Goal	Baseline (illustrative)	Measure	Template
20. On the laundry day shown on a weekly calendar, the student will start a load without a reminder on 4 of 4 weeks.	0 of 4 weeks	Opportunities	Template
21. When the hamper is full, the student will start a load within 1 day, as recorded on a family check sheet, on 3 of 4 occasions.	Waits until no clean clothes	Opportunities	Template
22. At a community laundromat, the student will pay, wash, dry and fold one load, 20 of 22 steps independently, on 2 of 3 trips.	9 of 22 steps	Task analysis	Template
23. At a laundromat, the student will select machines that take the student's payment type (coins, card or app) and pay correctly on 3 of 3 trips.	Needs staff to pay	Task analysis	Template
24. When a machine shows an error or will not start, the student will ask an attendant or call a staff member, using a help script, on 3 of 3 occasions.	Walks away	Opportunities	Template

Laundromat trips are a good fit for community-based instruction planning, since they combine money, waiting and asking for help.

Weak: "The student will do laundry independently."

Measurable: "At a community laundromat, the student will pay, wash, dry and fold one load, 20 of 22 steps independently, on 2 of 3 trips, measured by task analysis."

How to measure laundry goals

Use task analysis for any goal built on the 18 steps. Probe once a week, during a real load. Score each step: I (independent), V (verbal), G (gesture), M (model) or P (physical). Count only I.

Here is a filled-in task analysis data sheet for a fictional student working on goal 6 (washing steps 1 to 10). Each column is one weekly probe.

Step	Wk 1	Wk 2	Wk 3	Wk 4	Wk 5	Wk 6
1. Carry basket	I	I	I	I	I	I
2. Check pockets	V	V	G	I	I	I
3. Sort lights and darks	G	G	I	I	I	I
4. Load without packing	P	G	G	I	I	I
5. Add detergent	M	M	G	G	I	I
6. Close lid	I	I	I	I	I	I
7. Set cycle and temperature	P	M	M	G	G	I
8. Press start	V	I	I	I	I	I
9. Set timer	P	P	M	M	G	G
10. Return at timer	V	V	V	I	I	I
Steps independent	2 of 10	3 of 10	5 of 10	7 of 10	8 of 10	9 of 10

The student moved from 2 to 9 steps in 6 weeks. The codes also show where help is fading: step 9 went from physical help to a gesture, so the next teaching focus is clear. The prompt hierarchy examples page explains the order for fading prompts.

Graph the bottom row. Check the trend every 3 to 4 probes. If one step stays at P or M for 4 weeks, teach it on its own with extra practice, then put it back in the chain.

Adapting by grade and support level

Student	Focus	Criterion example
Elementary	Hamper, sock pairing, towel folding	6 of 7 nights hamper use
Middle school	Sorting, washing steps with pictures	9 of 10 washing steps
High school	Full load, care labels, ironing for work	16 of 18 steps on 3 probes
Transition (18 to 21)	Laundromat, schedule, problem solving	20 of 22 laundromat steps

More templates are on the household skills goals page and the transition independent living goals page. Related routines are on the chores IEP goals page and the independent living goals page. The task analysis glossary entry defines the method for families. Check each draft in the goal checker.

The IEP must state how progress will be measured.^[1] A weekly probe on the same task analysis answers that question with one sheet.

Frequently asked questions

How many steps should a laundry task analysis have?

Most laundry task analyses run 15 to 22 steps for one full load. Split the hard steps for students who need smaller pieces. Keep the number the same all year so the graph shows real change.

How often should laundry goals be probed?

Once a week during a real load is enough for most students. Laundry takes 90 minutes or more from start to finish, so daily full probes are rarely practical. Practice single steps on other days.

Can laundry be taught without a washer at school?

Partly. Sorting, folding, pairing socks and reading care labels can be taught anywhere. Full washing and drying need a real machine, so use a home check sheet, a laundromat trip or a partner site.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.43: Transition services, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School

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.