Measurable postsecondary goal examples

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

A measurable postsecondary goal states an outcome the student will reach after high school, in education or training, employment, and independent living where appropriate. It uses "will," names the setting or program, and can be checked after exit. Example: within one year of graduation, Maya will enroll in a certified nursing assistant course at the community college.

A postsecondary goal describes where the student will be after leaving high school. It is not a skill to build this year. That is the job of the annual goals. The postsecondary goal is the destination, and the transition plan is the route.

Federal law requires measurable postsecondary goals in training or education, in employment, and, where appropriate, in independent living. They must be based on age-appropriate transition assessment and updated every year.^[1] The 12 examples below show each goal with the assessment it rests on, how anyone could check it after exit, and one annual goal that supports it. Names and data are illustrations.

For the full set of requirements and a complete plan for one student, see transition planning in the IEP.

What makes a postsecondary goal measurable

Run each draft through four checks:

It happens after high school. "After graduation" or "within one year of exit" makes the timing clear.
It uses "will." "Plans to," "hopes to" and "is interested in" describe wishes, not outcomes.
It names something you could verify. A program, a type of job, a living setting.
It rests on assessment data. Each goal should trace to a dated source in present levels.

A useful test: after the student leaves, could someone answer yes or no to whether the goal happened? If the answer is "sort of," rewrite it. The measurable postsecondary goals glossary entry has the short definition. States report on these goals as part of federal monitoring, and NTACT:C publishes checklists teams use to review them.^[2]

How to choose the right postsecondary goal

The goal comes from the student's preferences and the assessment, not from the student's disability label. The table matches common profiles to goal types.

Student profile from assessment	Education or training goal	Employment goal	Independent living goal
On a regular diploma track, wants a degree	Enroll in a 2-year or 4-year college program	Work in the field of study, often part time during school	Often not needed; team records the decision
Strong hands-on interest, reading below grade level	Enroll in a certificate or apprenticeship program	Work full time in the trade	Depends on adaptive data
Needs support at work; strong preference for routine tasks	Complete on-the-job training or an adult program	Supported or customized employment	Usually needed: daily routines, money, travel
Significant support needs, uses AAC	Participate in an adult day or postsecondary program with supports	Supported employment or volunteer work matched to preferences	Needed: living setting, self-care, community participation
Planning to stay in an 18 to 21 program	Complete the district transition program	Work-based learning toward a job	Needed if daily living data show a gap

The last two rows matter. Students with significant support needs get measurable postsecondary goals too. The goal names the outcome and the supports, and it reflects what the student communicates about preferences, through whatever mode they use.

Education and training goals

Name the type of program, not a specific college the student may not get into. Pair each goal with an annual goal from the postsecondary education goals page.

Postsecondary goal	Based on	How it is checked after exit	Supporting annual goal
1. Within one year of graduation, Maya will enroll in a certified nursing assistant course at a community college.	Interview (9/2026): wants to work in a hospital; career inventory high in social and health areas	Enrollment record	Turns in 90% of assignments on time across a grading period
2. After graduation, Jalen will attend a 4-year university as a full-time student majoring in a field related to computers.	Transcript on a college track; interview names game design	Enrollment record	Requests accommodations in 3 of 3 new courses
3. Within 6 months of exit, Rosa will complete a 10-week food handler and kitchen skills training program.	Situational assessment in the school cafe: 9 of 10 steps independent	Certificate	Follows a 12-step recipe with 11 of 12 steps independent
4. After leaving the 18 to 21 program, Sam will take part in a community-based adult education class on cooking or computer use, with staff support, at least once a week.	Preference assessment with picture choices: chose cooking 8 of 10 times	Attendance record	Chooses between 2 activities using his AAC device in 4 of 5 chances

Weak: "Maya plans to go to college."

Measurable: "Within one year of graduation, Maya will enroll in a certified nursing assistant course at a community college."

Employment goals

Name the kind of work and, where it matters, the level of support. "Will get a job" is too thin. "Will work part time in retail with a job coach for the first 3 months" says something a team can plan for. See vocational skills and job seeking for the annual goals.

Postsecondary goal	Based on	How it is checked after exit	Supporting annual goal
5. After completing training, Maya will work as a certified nursing assistant in a hospital or care facility.	Job shadow reflections: liked patient care tasks 3 of 3 times	Employment status	Completes job applications with 12 of 12 fields
6. After graduation, Rosa will work part time in a restaurant kitchen, at least 20 hours a week.	Work-based learning rating: 4 of 4 on safety, 3 of 4 on speed	Employment status and hours	Starts work within 5 minutes of arrival on 9 of 10 days
7. Within 6 months of exit, Sam will work in supported employment at a business that matches his interest in sorting and stocking, with a job coach.	Situational assessment: completed stocking tasks for 40 minutes with 2 check-ins	Employment status	Completes a 6-step stocking task with 1 gesture prompt
8. After earning a degree, Jalen will work full time in a computer-related job.	Interest inventory and coursework	Employment status	Writes a resume with 0 to 2 errors

Weak: "Rosa will work."

Measurable: "After graduation, Rosa will work part time in a restaurant kitchen, at least 20 hours a week."

Supported employment and customized employment are real outcomes, not fallback goals. The supported employment entry explains the model.

Independent living goals

Write an independent living goal "where appropriate," meaning when the assessment shows the student will need support or instruction in daily living after school.^[1] When the team decides it is not needed, write that decision and the data behind it. See independent living goals and personal finance goals.

Postsecondary goal	Based on	How it is checked after exit	Supporting annual goal
9. After graduation, Rosa will live with her family and manage her own weekly spending money and work schedule.	Budget probe: totals off by $8 to $15; uses no calendar	Family report	Records weekly spending within $1 of actual on 4 of 4 weeks
10. After exit, Sam will live in a supported living setting and take part in choosing his daily schedule and meals.	Adaptive checklist and picture-choice data	Family and provider report	Packs a work bag using a picture list, 8 of 8 items
11. Within one year of graduation, Maya will ride public transportation on her own to school and work.	Travel assessment: 6 of 15 route steps independent	Student report	Rides the bus to the job site with 14 of 15 steps independent
12. After graduation, Jalen will schedule and attend his own medical appointments.	Health checklist: parent makes all calls	Student report	Arrives at weekly appointments on time, 4 of 4 for 6 weeks

Weak: "Sam will be as independent as possible."

Measurable: "After exit, Sam will live in a supported living setting and take part in choosing his daily schedule and meals."

The weak version gives the team nothing to plan around. The rewrite names the living setting and the part Sam will control, which points straight at choice-making and communication goals this year.

How to measure progress toward postsecondary goals

You do not measure the postsecondary goal during the IEP year. You measure the annual goals that lead to it, and you update the assessment each year. Three habits keep the plan honest:

Re-run part of the transition assessment every year. Repeat the interview and one inventory or situational assessment. Note any change in interests.
Graph the supporting annual goals. Use the method each goal names, such as task analysis for job and travel routines or percent accuracy for budgets and applications.
Check the services. If the job shadow or agency referral did not happen, the student is no closer to the goal, whatever the annual goal data say.

The task analysis data sheet works well for routines like bus travel. Score each step on every trip and graph the percent of steps done independently. Regular short measures over time are what show whether the student is on track.^[3]

Writing annual goals and objectives under each postsecondary goal

Every postsecondary goal should have at least one annual goal pointed at it. For goal 11 (Maya riding the bus on her own), the chain looks like this:

Postsecondary goal: Within one year of graduation, Maya will ride public transportation on her own to school and work.
Annual goal: Using a city bus, Maya will travel from school to the job site with 14 of 15 route steps independent on 3 consecutive trips.
Objective 1: 9 of 15 steps with an adult riding along, by the first grading period.
Objective 2: 12 of 15 steps with the adult seated apart, by the second grading period.

The transition IEP goal examples page has 24 more annual goals sorted by sub-skill.

Adapting postsecondary goals by grade

Postsecondary goals at 14 or 15 can be broader, because interests are still forming. By the last year, they should be specific.

Year	Education or training	Employment
Age 14 to 15	After graduation, will enroll in a training program in a health-related field.	After training, will work in a health-related job.
Age 16 to 17	Within one year of graduation, will enroll in a certified nursing assistant course.	After training, will work as a nursing assistant.
Final year	Within 3 months of graduation, will start the community college CNA course she applied to.	After certification, will work as a CNA at a care facility.

Paste a draft annual goal into the goal checker to flag missing parts before the meeting.

Frequently asked questions

Are postsecondary goals the same as annual goals?

No. A postsecondary goal is an outcome after high school, such as enrolling in a training program or working in a type of job. An annual goal is a skill the student works on during the IEP year, measured with data and reported on.

Does every student need an independent living postsecondary goal?

Federal law requires one only where appropriate, based on transition assessment. When the team decides it is not needed, record the decision and the data. Some states require all three areas for every student, so check your state's rule.

Can a postsecondary goal name a specific college?

It can, but naming the type of program is usually better. Admission is not in the student's control, and the goal should still make sense if the student enrolls in a similar program somewhere else.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: The Collaborative, NTACT:C
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.