Safety Behaviors IEP goals for grades 3 to 5
30 of the safety behaviors templates in the library are written for grades 3 to 5. Each opens in the builder, where the grade band is a starting point and the baseline comes from your own assessment.
30 templates · 1 skill · 3–5 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Safety Behaviors Behavior & Classroom Expectations
Stay with the group during walks inside the building
Staying with the group
By the annual IEP review date, during a class walk between rooms with an adult at the front and back of the line, the student will stay within 2 arm's lengths of the group for the whole walk independently in 5 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly data summaries, as measured by direct observation collected daily, each walk, summarized weekly.
Stay with the group on outdoor and community outings
Staying with the group
By the annual IEP review date, during a community outing with an assigned adult and a group of up to 6 students, the student will stay within sight and within 10 feet of the assigned adult for the whole outing independently in 5 of 5 opportunities, across 5 consecutive outings, as measured by direct observation collected each outing, at least twice monthly.
Stop and stand still at the safety stop cue
Responding to a stop cue
By the annual IEP review date, when an adult gives the safety stop cue ("stop" with a raised hand) while the student is walking or running in a practice area, the student will stop moving and stand still until the adult gives the go cue independently within 2 seconds, on 10 of 10 consecutive recorded cues, as measured by latency recording collected daily, 5 practice cues plus natural cues, summarized weekly.
Wait at the door or curb until the adult gives the go signal
Waiting at doors and boundaries
By the annual IEP review date, when the group reaches an exterior door, the bus loading area, or a curb during a walk, the student will stop at the marked waiting spot and wait for the adult's go signal before crossing or going through independently in 10 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly data summaries, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily, each door or curb, summarized weekly.
Keep hands and feet in own space during transitions and lines
Keeping hands and feet to self
By the annual IEP review date, during a line-up and hallway transition with peers within arm's reach, the student will keep hands and feet in own space (no contact with peers) for the whole transition independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly data summaries, as measured by direct observation collected daily, 1 to 2 transitions, summarized weekly.
Step back to a safe distance when upset with a peer
Keeping hands and feet to self
By the annual IEP review date, when a conflict with a peer begins (raised voices, an insult, a shove) during unstructured time, the student will step back to at least two arm's lengths from the peer within 5 seconds and keep hands down independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive 2-week data summaries, as measured by direct observation collected each observed conflict plus 1 weekly role-play, summarized every 2 weeks.
Grades 3 to 5 safety behaviors goals build on foundational skills and begin to use longer tasks, multi-step work, and independence as the target. Measurement shifts toward curriculum-based probes, work samples, and rubrics the student can see.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 15 goals here
- Latency trackerTimes the gap between a cue and the start of the response.Used by 1 goal here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 9 goals here
- Duration trackerTimes how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.Used by 1 goal here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 4 goals here
Frequently asked questions
What changes in safety behaviors goals between the early and upper elementary grades?
Tasks get longer and more independent, and the support level in the goal moves from prompts toward checklists and self-monitoring. The measure often changes too, from direct observation to work samples and probes.
Can an upper elementary goal include self-monitoring?
Yes. Students at this age can check their own work or rate their own behavior, and the goal can measure both the skill and the accuracy of the self-rating.
How do I set a criterion for a grade 3 to 5 student working below grade level?
Use the student's baseline on the measure and expected growth for that measure, not the grade-level benchmark. The goal should be ambitious for the student, as Endrew F. requires, and reachable within the year.
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