Transition & Postsecondary Skills IEP goals for ADHD
106 transition & postsecondary skills templates across 9 skills: postsecondary education readiness, self-determination, vocational & work readiness, transition-related skills, career exploration, job seeking & applications, personal finance & money management, independent living, community access & travel. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
106 templates · 9 skills · 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 · How we write and review goals
Top skills
The 8 most relevant skills, with sample goals. Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Postsecondary Education Readiness Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Compare colleges or programs on a checklist
Researching colleges and training programs
By the annual IEP review date, given two or three colleges or training programs the student is considering and a program comparison checklist, the student will complete the comparison checklist for each program and state which one fits own plans and why independently, earning a score of at least 10 out of 12 on a 6-row program comparison rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 2 consecutive comparisons, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected monthly.
Research a college's accessibility services office
Researching campus accessibility services
By the annual IEP review date, given the accessibility services web page of a college the student is considering and a fact sheet, the student will record where the office is, how to contact it, what documents it asks for and how to request accommodations independently with at least 85% accuracy on fact sheet items, on 3 consecutive probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected every two weeks.
Self-Determination Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Graph own progress data each week
Tracking progress on own goal
By the annual IEP review date, during a weekly data check-in, given own goal graph and the week's score or count, the student will record the week's score on own goal graph and say what the trend shows, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, across 3 consecutive weekly check-ins, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly.
Revise the plan when a goal stalls
Adjusting an action plan
By the annual IEP review date, at a planned goal review where the student's own data show the goal is behind schedule, the student will name one barrier and change one step, date or support in the action plan independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 2 consecutive grading periods, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected at each goal review, at least twice monthly.
Vocational & Work Readiness Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Continue working on a job task without prompts
Sustained work
By the annual IEP review date, during a work period at a familiar task station with a supervisor in the room but not at the station, the student will independently continue working on the assigned task without a supervisor prompt for at least 20 minutes, on 4 of 5 consecutive work periods, as measured by duration recording collected at each work period (at least three per week).
Ask for clarification on unclear directions
Asking for clarification
By the annual IEP review date, when given a work direction that is missing information (a location, a quantity, or a tool) during a school-based job, the student will ask the supervisor a question that gets the missing information before starting independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection periods, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected one planned unclear direction per work period, summarized every five.
Transition-Related Skills Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Name accommodations for a job or training setting
Connecting own accommodations to future settings
By the annual IEP review date, during a transition planning activity that describes a job, training, or volunteer setting, the student will name one current accommodation and explain how it could help with a specific task in that setting independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice monthly during planned practice opportunities.
Arrive on time for a scheduled job
Time-keeping for scheduled activities
By the annual IEP review date, when scheduled for a school job, club, or appointment at a set time during the school day, the student will arrive at the scheduled job or activity by its start time independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, for 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Career Exploration Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Name the training and requirements for a job
Researching job requirements
By the annual IEP review date, given one-page job profiles from a government career website, the student will identify the training level and other hiring requirements listed for each job independently with at least 85% accuracy on job requirement items, on 3 consecutive probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected every two weeks.
Compare two training paths for one career
Comparing training paths
By the annual IEP review date, given a career of interest and information on two training paths, such as an apprenticeship and a community college certificate, the student will complete a comparison chart for the two training paths and state which fits own plans independently, earning a score of at least 10 out of 12 on a 6-row training path rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 2 consecutive comparisons, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected monthly.
Job Seeking & Applications Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Screen job postings against own criteria
Screening postings for fit
By the annual IEP review date, given printed job postings and own job criteria card (age, hours, travel, interests, requirements), the student will mark each posting as a fit or not a fit and name the criterion that decided it independently with at least 90% accuracy on postings screened, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
Complete an online job application start to finish
Online job applications
By the annual IEP review date, given a real online job posting the student chose, a personal information card and a saved resume, the student will complete every section of the online application and submit it, performing at least 9 of 10 steps independently, on 3 consecutive applications, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected at each application, at least twice monthly during the job search.
Personal Finance & Money Management Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Log each purchase in a spending app
Tracking spending
By the annual IEP review date, after each purchase the student makes during community trips and at work, with a spending log app or notes page on the phone, the student will record the amount, place, and budget category of the purchase the same day independently in at least 9 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly, by checking the log against receipts.
Check the balance before a planned purchase
Bank account basics
By the annual IEP review date, before each planned purchase over a set amount (such as 20 dollars) on community trips, with the bank app on the student's phone, the student will check the available balance and decide whether the purchase fits before buying independently in at least 5 of 6 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by direct observation collected at each planned purchase.
Independent Living Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Lock the door and take keys when leaving
Home security
By the annual IEP review date, each time the student leaves home alone or last, as recorded by the family, the student will lock the door with keys and phone in hand when leaving independently in 6 of 6 opportunities, across 4 consecutive weeks, as measured by direct observation collected at each departure, totaled weekly.
Bring needed items to each appointment
Making and keeping appointments
By the annual IEP review date, before each scheduled appointment (medical, dental, benefits, or job-related), with the appointment saved in the student's phone, the student will gather and bring every item the appointment needs independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive months, as measured by direct observation collected at each appointment, by staff or family report.
All 9 skills
Every skill with goals for this group, by area. The number is how many of its goals are tagged here.
Self-determination, career exploration, employment, postsecondary education, independent living, and community access for students 14 to 21. Students with ADHD are most often served under Other Health Impairment, and the goals that follow are the executive function, attention, and self-management goals that teams write most. Each one uses a unit that fits the behavior: seconds for starting work, minutes for staying engaged, and percent for work turned in.
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 42 goals here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 20 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 16 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 20 goals here
- Duration trackerTimes how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.Used by 3 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 2 goals here
- Latency trackerTimes the gap between a cue and the start of the response.Used by 3 goals here
Frequently asked questions
Does a student with ADHD automatically get an IEP?
No. ADHD is not its own IDEA category. A student may qualify under Other Health Impairment when the condition affects educational performance and the student needs specially designed instruction. Some students are served with a Section 504 plan instead. The evaluation team decides.
What makes an attention goal measurable?
A clear definition of the behavior (eyes on task, materials in hand, responding when asked), a defined observation period, and a numeric criterion such as minutes engaged or intervals on task. 'Will pay attention' is not measurable; 'will remain engaged for 15 of 20 minutes of independent work' is.
What transition goals fit students with ADHD?
Career exploration, job seeking, postsecondary education, independent living, personal finance, community access, and self-determination goals, chosen from age-appropriate transition assessments and the student's own goals. Each annual goal should build toward a measurable postsecondary goal.
How are transition goals measured?
With task-analysis steps for routines like applications and bus routes, rubrics for products like resumes and career profiles, and opportunities for skills practiced in the community. The disability informs supports, not the measure.
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