IEP goals for calendar skills, with activities
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
A calendar skills IEP goal names the calendar (paper, wall or phone), the task (find a date, count days, record a due date) and a criterion out of a fixed set. Example: given a monthly calendar and 10 questions about dates and days, the student will answer 9 of 10 correctly on 3 consecutive weekly probes, up from 4 of 10.
Calendar time is in almost every elementary special education classroom, yet many students say the date every morning for years without being able to answer "How many days until Friday?" Reciting is not reading. A good calendar goal moves the student from saying the date to using a calendar to plan, which is what adults do with one.
The 24 goals below run from the morning routine to work schedules and phone calendars, with a set of calendar skills activities for each stage. Each goal shows the condition, behavior, criterion with its denominator, an illustrative baseline and a link to its template. The numbers are illustrations, not benchmarks. For other math areas, see the math IEP goals pillar.
What a calendar goal must specify
- The calendar: a classroom wall calendar, a printed month, a planner, or a phone app. Each looks different.
- The task: name, find, count, record, or plan.
- The range: this week, this month, across two months, or a full year.
- Response: point, say, write, or enter in an app.
- Criterion: a count out of a fixed set, such as 9 of 10 questions, or opportunities out of 5.
The IEP must contain measurable annual goals and say how progress will be measured.[1] Calendar goals pass that test once they name the task and the calendar, because "will use a calendar" could mean anything.
How to choose the right calendar goal
| Student profile | Sub-skill | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Joins the morning routine but cannot name the day without help | Days, months and today's date | Opportunities out of 5 |
| Says the date, cannot find a date on a calendar | Finding and counting dates | Questions correct out of 10 |
| Forgets assignments and due dates | Recording due dates | Opportunities or work completed |
| Transition-age, needs work and appointment schedules | Adult calendars and phone apps | Task analysis or questions correct |
| Has words but confuses yesterday, today and tomorrow | Time concepts | Questions correct out of 10 |
Planning and time management goals overlap with calendar goals. If the main need is starting and pacing work, see time management IEP goals instead.
Goals for days, months and today's date
- Calendar routine: During the morning calendar routine, the student will name the day, month and date without prompts on 4 of 5 days for 3 consecutive weeks. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template
- Yesterday, today and tomorrow: Given 10 questions using yesterday, today and tomorrow with a weekly calendar, the student will answer 8 of 10. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template
- Day words: Given 10 printed color, number and day-of-the-week words, the student will read 9 of 10. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template
- Month names and abbreviations: Given the 12 month names and their abbreviations in random order, the student will read and match 11 of 12. Baseline: 4 of 12. Template
- Writing days and months: Given 10 day and month names dictated, the student will spell 9 of 10 correctly. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template
- Writing today's date: When starting a paper or form, the student will write today's date correctly on 9 of 10 opportunities. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template
Weak: "The student will participate in calendar time." Measurable: the routine goal, which names what the student says and how often it must happen.
Goals for finding and counting dates
- Finding dates and counting days: Given a monthly calendar and 10 questions such as "What day is March 14?" or "How many days until the field trip?", the student will answer 9 of 10. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template
- Recording and finding dates: Given a blank monthly calendar and a list of 10 events, the student will write each on the right date and answer questions about them for 9 of 10. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template
- Days until an event: Given 10 events on a calendar, the student will count the days from today to each event for 8 of 10. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template
- Counting to a calendar event: When an event is announced, the student will find it on the calendar and say how many days away it is on 4 of 5 opportunities. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template
- Weekly schedule questions: Given a weekly schedule or calendar and 10 questions, the student will answer 9 of 10. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template
- Years between dates: Given 10 pairs of dates, such as a birth year and the current year, the student will find the number of years between them for 8 of 10. Baseline: 2 of 10. Template
Weak: "The student will use a calendar." Measurable: the finding dates goal, which gives example questions and a count.
Goals for due dates and planning
- Entering due dates when announced: When a teacher announces a due date, the student will enter it on a monthly calendar that day on 4 of 5 opportunities. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template
- Planner routine: At the end of each class, the student will complete 6 of 6 steps of recording assignments and due dates in a planner. Baseline: 2 of 6 steps. Template
- Syllabus due dates: Given a course syllabus, the student will enter every listed due date into a planner, with 95% of dates entered correctly. Baseline: 40%. Template
- Learning platform calendar: Given the class learning platform, the student will list the due dates for the coming week with 9 of 10 correct. Baseline: 5 of 10. Template
- Phone reminders: For each due date recorded, the student will set a phone reminder on 7 of 8 opportunities. Baseline: 2 of 8. Template
- Digital calendar reminders: When given an assignment, the student will enter it as a digital calendar reminder on 4 of 5 opportunities. Baseline: 2 of 5. Template
Weak: "The student will keep track of assignments." Measurable: the due date goal, which names when and where the date is entered.
Goals for calendars in adult life
- Paydays and due dates: Given a monthly calendar and a pay schedule, the student will mark paydays and bill due dates and answer 10 questions with 8 of 10 correct. Baseline: 2 of 10. Template
- Appointment card to phone: Given an appointment card, the student will add the appointment to a phone calendar with the right date, time and place on 5 of 6 opportunities. Baseline: 1 of 6. Template
- Work shift schedule: Given a weekly work shift schedule and 10 questions, the student will answer 9 of 10. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template
- Paying bills by the due date: Each month, the student will pay each assigned bill by its due date for 6 of 6 bills. Baseline: 3 of 6. Template
- Expiration dates: Given 10 food items, the student will read the date and sort them into safe and expired for 10 of 10. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template
- Weekly routine in an app: Given a schedule app, the student will build a weekly routine, completing 7 of 7 steps. Baseline: 2 of 7 steps. Template
Weak: "The student will manage a schedule." Measurable: the appointment goal, which names the source, the device and the details that must be right.
Calendar skills activities
These activities fit short daily practice and match the goal sections above.
| Stage | Activity | What it builds |
|---|---|---|
| Days and months | Days of the week song with a moving clip on a weekly strip | Day order, yesterday and tomorrow |
| Days and months | Month sort: put 12 month cards in order, then find birthdays | Month order and names |
| Finding dates | Calendar scavenger hunt: 5 questions on the class calendar ("What day is the 20th?") | Reading rows and columns |
| Counting days | Countdown chain to a real event; remove a link each day and count what is left | Counting days ahead |
| Due dates | Planner check at the door: show the entry for today's assignment | Recording due dates |
| Adult calendars | Enter a real appointment, such as a dentist visit, in a phone calendar with a family member | Phone calendar use |
| Adult calendars | Mark paydays and rent day on a printed month, then answer "Will you be paid before rent is due?" | Planning with dates |
Keep the morning routine short (3 to 5 minutes) and let the student do the hard part. A student who points to the date every day after a peer says it is not practicing finding it.
How to measure calendar goals
Use percent accuracy for question sets, opportunities for routine and due date goals, and task analysis for app steps. Use the student's real calendar where you can: the class wall calendar, their planner, their phone. Short probes repeated over time and graphed show whether instruction is working.[2]
| Goal type | Method | Data sheet | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finding and counting dates | Percent accuracy | Accuracy data sheet | Weekly |
| Routine, due dates, reminders | Opportunities | Opportunity data sheet | Daily, summarized weekly |
| Phone calendar and app steps | Task analysis | Task analysis data sheet | Weekly |
Short-term objectives for calendar goals
For the finding dates goal:
- By the first report, given the current month only, the student will answer 8 of 10 questions about days and dates.
- By the second report, given the current month, the student will also count days to events within the month for 8 of 10.
- By the annual review, given two months side by side, the student will answer 9 of 10, including counts that cross the month.
Adapting calendar goals by grade and support level
| Grade or setting | Typical target | Supports | Example criterion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool and K to 2 | Day of the week, yesterday and tomorrow | Weekly strip, picture symbols | 4 of 5 days |
| Grades 3 to 5 | Finding dates, counting days | Monthly calendar | 9 of 10 questions |
| Middle school | Planner, due dates, learning platform | Planner, phone reminders | 4 of 5 opportunities |
| High school and transition | Work shifts, bills, appointments | Phone calendar | 5 of 6 opportunities |
The calendar skills goal hub collects every calendar template across math, reading, executive function and transition. Clock reading goals are on telling time IEP goals, and teaching steps for the clock are on teaching time and elapsed time. Run each draft through the goal checker.
Frequently asked questions
Is calendar time a good use of instructional time?
It can be, if students do the thinking. A 3 to 5 minute routine where each student finds a date, counts days or answers a question builds real skills. A 20-minute routine where students recite the date in unison usually does not.
What calendar skills should a high school student have?
Most adults use a calendar to remember appointments, work shifts, paydays and bill due dates. For transition-age students, goals often move to a phone calendar: entering appointments, setting reminders and checking the week's schedule.
How do I measure a calendar routine goal?
Count opportunities. Each school day is one opportunity to name the day, month and date without prompts. Record yes or no each day and report the count for each week, such as 4 of 5 days.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Calendar skills goal hub
- Telling time goal hub
- Measurement, time and money goals (math)
- Functional academics goals
- IEP goal checker
Related guides
- IEP goals for math: calculation, problem solving and functional math
- Telling time and elapsed time IEP goals
- Teaching time and elapsed time in special education
- How to measure money skills with real purchases
- Time management IEP goals: 24 examples by sub-skill
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.