Sustained Attention & Task Engagement IEP goals for high school (grades 9 to 12)
27 of the sustained attention & task engagement templates in the library are written for high school (grades 9 to 12). Each opens in the builder, where the grade band is a starting point and the baseline comes from your own assessment.
27 templates · 1 skill · 9–12 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Sustained Attention & Task Engagement Executive Function
Remain engaged in independent work for a set number of minutes
Engagement during independent work
By the annual IEP review date, during a 20-minute independent work period at the student's instructional level, the student will remain engaged with the assigned task independently for at least 15 minutes, in 4 of 5 consecutive observed sessions, as measured by duration recording collected three times per week.
Attend to whole-group instruction for a set number of minutes
Attending during whole-group instruction
By the annual IEP review date, during whole-group instruction lasting at least 15 minutes, the student will attend to whole-group instruction by following along in the materials being discussed and responding when directed independently for at least 12 minutes, in 4 of 5 observed lessons, as measured by direct observation collected twice weekly.
Stay on an assigned instructional program for a set time
Engagement during digital practice
By the annual IEP review date, during a 20-minute session on an assigned instructional computer program, the student will remain on the assigned program screen and respond to program items independently for at least 16 minutes, in 4 of 5 consecutive sessions, as measured by duration recording collected twice weekly.
Reduce adult redirections needed during work time
Reducing need for redirection
By the annual IEP review date, during a 30-minute independent work block, the student will reduce adult redirections back to the assigned task to no more than 2 times per 30-minute work block, while using a self-monitoring card, on 4 of 5 consecutive observed days, as measured by frequency recording collected daily.
Keep working through a classroom interruption
Continuing to work through interruptions
By the annual IEP review date, when a classroom interruption occurs during independent work (a visitor at the door, an announcement, a peer talking to the teacher), the student will independently continue working on the task without joining or commenting on the interruption in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by direct observation collected daily during one work period and summarized weekly.
Stay engaged in a lecture using a note-taking frame
Attending to lecture-style instruction
By the annual IEP review date, during a 20-minute lecture segment with a note-taking frame, the student will attend to the lecture by writing in the note frame as each section is presented and responding when called on independently for at least 15 minutes, in 4 of 5 consecutive observed lectures, as measured by direct observation collected twice weekly.
High school sustained attention & task engagement goals point toward life after school: independence, self-advocacy, and skills used in courses, jobs, and the community. Conditions name realistic materials and settings, and many goals are written so the student collects part of the data.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Duration trackerTimes how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.Used by 17 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 4 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 6 goals here
Frequently asked questions
How do sustained attention & task engagement goals connect to transition planning in high school?
Annual goals should support the student's measurable postsecondary goals for education, employment, and independent living (34 CFR 300.320(b)). A skill goal can be written in the context of a course, a job site, or a daily living routine.
Can a high school student help write their own goals?
Yes, and the student must be invited to IEP meetings where transition is discussed. Student-chosen goals with self-monitoring tend to be measured more consistently.
How are high school goals measured when the student has many teachers?
With work samples, percent of assignments completed, rubrics, or self-monitoring checklists reviewed weekly by the case manager. The goal should say who records the data and where.
IEP Atlas Pro
Turn these goals into progress reports
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Count trials, prompts, and minutes live in the session; the graph and trend line draw themselves; progress reports are drafted from your data.