IEP goals for street crossing

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

A street crossing IEP goal names the type of crossing, the support and a safety-level criterion. Example: at a signalized crosswalk on the school route, the student will stop at the curb, wait for the walk signal, look left, right and left, and cross within the lines, completing 8 of 8 steps independently on 10 consecutive crossings.

Street crossing is the clearest case where a goal cannot stop at 80%. A student who stops at the curb 4 times out of 5 has missed a curb. Street crossing goals use 100% criteria over many crossings, and they keep an adult within reach until the data says otherwise.

This page gives 12 goals in four groups, with illustrative baselines and template links, plus notes on teaching pedestrian safety. The life skills IEP goals pillar covers the other safety goals. The street and stranger safety goal hub collects matching templates.

Choosing a street crossing goal

Student profile	Sub-skill	Measure	Data sheet
Runs ahead, does not stop at curbs	Stopping at the curb and on cue	Stops out of curbs reached	Opportunity data sheet
Stops, but crosses on red or without looking	Signalized crossings	Steps independent out of 8	Task analysis data sheet
Safe at signals, not at stop signs or mid-block	Unsignaled crossings	Steps independent out of 9	Task analysis data sheet
Safe on streets, wanders in parking lots	Parking lots and driveways	Safe responses out of hazards	Opportunity data sheet

A student who bolts toward traffic needs a behavior plan and a safety plan before community walks begin, not only a skills goal. See FBA and BIP for that process.

Stopping at the curb and on cue

Goal	Baseline (illustrative)	Measure	Template
1. On community walks, the student will stop with both feet behind the curb or painted line at every curb, without a prompt, on 20 of 20 curbs across 4 walks.	9 of 20	Opportunities	Template
2. When an adult says "stop" during a walk, the student will stop moving within 2 seconds on 10 of 10 trials across 2 weeks.	Median 6 seconds; 4 of 10 within 2 seconds	Latency	Template
3. Walking on a sidewalk, the student will stop and look at every driveway before crossing it on 15 of 15 driveways across 3 walks.	3 of 15	Opportunities	Template

Stopping on cue (goal 2) comes before any crossing goal. It is the safety net that lets an adult step back a little.

Weak: "The student will be safe near streets."

Measurable: "On community walks, the student will stop with both feet behind the curb or painted line at every curb, without a prompt, on 20 of 20 curbs across 4 walks, measured on an opportunity data sheet."

Signalized crossings

An 8-step task analysis for a crosswalk with a signal:

Stop behind the curb.
Press the pedestrian button if there is one.
Watch the signal, not the cars or other people.
Wait for the walk symbol.
Look left, right and left again.
Check for turning cars.
Cross inside the lines at a steady walk.
Step up on the far curb and keep moving.

Goal	Baseline (illustrative)	Measure	Template
4. At a signalized crosswalk on the school route, the student will complete 8 of 8 crossing steps independently on 10 consecutive crossings.	3 of 8	Task analysis	Template
5. Given 12 photos of pedestrian signals (walk, flashing hand, solid hand, countdown), the student will say "go," "don't start" or "wait" with 12 of 12 correct on 3 probes.	6 of 12	Accuracy	Template
6. When the countdown shows 5 seconds or less before the student steps off the curb, the student will wait for the next walk signal on 10 of 10 opportunities.	Starts to cross on 6 of 10	Opportunities	Template

Weak: "The student will cross the street with the light."

Measurable: "At a signalized crosswalk on the school route, the student will complete 8 of 8 crossing steps independently on 10 consecutive crossings, measured by task analysis."

Unsignaled crossings

Crossings at stop signs or with no control ask the student to judge traffic, which is harder than reading a signal. Teach them after signalized crossings are solid.

Goal	Baseline (illustrative)	Measure	Template
7. At a stop-sign intersection on a quiet residential street, the student will stop, look left, right and left, wait until no car is moving toward the crossing and cross, 9 of 9 steps, on 10 consecutive crossings.	4 of 9	Task analysis	Template
8. When a car is approaching, the student will wait at the curb until it passes or stops fully, then look again, on 10 of 10 opportunities.	6 of 10	Opportunities	Template
9. When a car stops and the driver waves, the student will make eye contact or check the driver is waiting before crossing on 5 of 5 opportunities.	Crosses without checking	Opportunities	Template

Students with visual impairments learn crossings from a certified orientation and mobility specialist, with techniques such as traffic surge listening. See the orientation and mobility goals, including stop-sign crossings and accessible pedestrian signals.

Weak: "The student will look both ways."

Measurable: "At a stop-sign intersection on a quiet residential street, the student will complete 9 of 9 crossing steps on 10 consecutive crossings, measured by task analysis."

Parking lots and driveways

Goal	Baseline (illustrative)	Measure	Template
10. In a store parking lot, the student will walk with an adult along the edge or marked path, staying out of driving lanes, completing 6 of 6 steps on 4 consecutive trips.	2 of 6	Task analysis	Template
11. When a car's reverse lights or engine are on, the student will stop and wait until the car moves away or stops on 5 of 5 opportunities.	Walks behind it on 3 of 5	Opportunities	Template
12. During community outings, the student will stay within arm's reach of the assigned adult on 90% of 1-minute intervals across 3 outings.	55% of intervals	Interval	Template

Goal 12 uses interval recording, which fits "stays with" behavior better than counting. It is a support goal for students who wander, not a crossing goal on its own.

Weak: "The student will be safe in parking lots."

Measurable: "In a store parking lot, the student will walk with an adult along the edge or marked path, staying out of driving lanes, 6 of 6 steps on 4 consecutive trips, measured by task analysis."

Teaching pedestrian safety

Teach on real streets. Classroom mats and videos help with the steps, but judging traffic needs real cars. Start on quiet streets.
Same route, then new routes. Master the school route first, then test the skill on a new route. A new route is the real test of generalization.
Fade by distance, not by attention. The adult moves from holding a hand, to within reach, to a step behind, to a few steps behind. Never fade to a distance where the adult cannot stop the student.
Teach the reasons. "Cars turning right look left, not at you." Students who know why tend to follow the rule when no adult is close.
Practice in all weather and light. Rain, dusk and snow change how far drivers can see.

How to measure

Score crossing steps on the task analysis data sheet, one column per crossing. Use the opportunities method for curbs and hazards: each curb or car is one opportunity. Record the adult's distance with each crossing so the fading plan is visible on the graph.

Probe several crossings per walk, 2 or 3 walks a week. Because criteria are 100% over 10 or more crossings, expect this goal to take most of a year for many students. That is normal and safe.

Adapting by age and support level

Student	Focus	Criterion example
K-2	Holding hands, stopping at curbs and on cue	10 of 10 stops on cue
Grades 3 to 5	Signals, crossing with an adult beside	8 of 8 steps on 10 crossings
Middle school	Stop signs, driveways, adult a step behind	9 of 9 steps on 10 crossings
High school and transition	New routes, parking lots, routes to the bus or job	8 of 8 on a new route, 10 crossings

More templates are on the community safety goals page and the safety signs goal hub. Related guides: emergency goals, stranger safety goals and public transportation goals. Check each draft in the goal checker to confirm the condition, behavior and criterion are all there.

Annual goals should address the functional needs in present levels.^[1] Safety needs belong at the front of that list.

Frequently asked questions

Why do street crossing goals use 100 percent criteria?

Because one missed step can cause serious harm. A student who stops at most curbs is not yet safe at all curbs. Goals use 100 percent over 10 or more crossings, and adult support fades only as the data allows.

Can street crossing be taught in the classroom?

The steps and signal meanings can be practiced with mats, photos and video. Judging real traffic needs real streets, so classroom practice should lead to supervised community walks on quiet streets first.

Who teaches street crossing to a student with a visual impairment?

A certified orientation and mobility specialist. The techniques differ, such as listening for the traffic surge and using accessible pedestrian signals, so the O&M specialist writes or advises on those goals.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, 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.