Transition & Postsecondary Skills IEP goals for Anxiety
47 transition & postsecondary skills templates across 9 skills: job seeking & applications, community access & travel, postsecondary education readiness, self-determination, career exploration, vocational & work readiness, independent living, transition-related skills, personal finance & money management. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
47 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.
Job Seeking & Applications Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Give a short personal pitch to an employer
Interview answers
By the annual IEP review date, when a mock interviewer opens with tell me about yourself, the student will give a short personal pitch that names own interest in the job, a strength with an example and a recent experience independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 8 on a 4-row personal pitch rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 3 consecutive practice or real conversations, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected weekly during interview practice.
Ask the interviewer questions at the end
Interview questions to ask
By the annual IEP review date, at the end of a mock or real interview, when the interviewer asks whether the student has questions, the student will ask a prepared question about the job, schedule, training or next steps independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection periods, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected at each mock or real interview, at least twice monthly.
Community Access & Travel Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Ask a librarian for help finding an item
Public library
By the annual IEP review date, at the public library on a class trip or family visit, when the student wants a book, movie, or game they cannot find, the student will ask the librarian for the item by title or topic and follow the directions given independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive library visits, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected at each library visit.
Answer a cashier's questions at checkout
Store checkout
By the annual IEP review date, at the register on community shopping trips, when the cashier asks a question, the student will answer each cashier question with a clear yes, no, or choice independently in at least 5 of 6 opportunities, across 3 consecutive shopping trips, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected on each shopping trip.
Postsecondary Education Readiness Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Bring a prepared question to office hours
Using office hours
By the annual IEP review date, when the student has a question or is behind in a dual enrollment or college-style course with posted office hours, the student will go to office hours with a written question and record the instructor's answer independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 2 consecutive grading periods, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly, from the student's course log.
Use the tutoring or writing center
Using campus tutoring
By the annual IEP review date, when a grade drops or an assignment is confusing in a dual enrollment or college course with a tutoring or writing center, the student will book or drop in to a tutoring session, bring the assignment and note what to do next independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 2 consecutive grading periods, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly, from grades and the tutoring log.
Self-Determination Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Make a choice within a set time
Making timely decisions
By the annual IEP review date, when offered two or three real options by a staff member, such as which task to do first or where to sit for a work session, the student will respond with a choice by speaking, pointing, signing or using a device independently within 15 seconds, on 4 of 5 consecutive observed choices, as measured by latency recording collected daily at two planned choice points.
Use a plan B when plans change
Problem solving when plans fall through
By the annual IEP review date, when a planned activity in the community or at work falls through, such as a late bus, a closed store or a cancelled shift, the student will state a backup plan and carry it out independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection periods, as measured by direct observation collected at each real or practice plan change, summarized every two weeks.
Career Exploration Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Write questions before a job shadow
Job shadow questions
By the annual IEP review date, before a scheduled job shadow, given the job title, a short job description and a question planning sheet, the student will write a set of questions that cover the job's tasks, training, schedule and the worker's views independently, earning a score of at least 8 out of 10 on a 5-row job shadow question rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 3 consecutive question sets, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected before each shadow or visit, at least monthly.
Ask prepared questions on a workplace tour
Workplace visits
By the annual IEP review date, during a class workplace tour, with own prepared question card, the student will ask a prepared question of a worker or tour guide and record the answer independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive visits, as measured by direct observation collected at each workplace tour or visit, about monthly.
Vocational & Work Readiness Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Direct a customer to the item they want
Customer service tasks
By the annual IEP review date, during a retail shift, when a customer asks where an item is, the student will tell or show the customer where the item is, or walk them to it, and ask whether they need anything else independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection periods, as measured by direct observation collected at each shift, summarized weekly.
Call in when sick or running late
Attendance and call-in procedures
By the annual IEP review date, when the student will be absent or late for a work shift, following the site's call-in policy, the student will contact the supervisor before the shift starts, say the reason and the expected return, and record the call, performing at least 5 of 7 steps independently, on 3 consecutive call-ins, including practice scenarios, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected at each real or practice call-in, summarized monthly.
Independent Living Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Choose the action for a home emergency
Home emergencies
By the annual IEP review date, given 8 to 10 home emergency scenario cards read aloud or in print, and the student's emergency contact card, the student will state or show the first safe action and who to contact for each scenario independently with 100% accuracy on home emergency scenarios, on 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Schedule an appointment by phone
Making and keeping appointments
By the annual IEP review date, during a practice call to a staff member acting as a receptionist, with a script card and the student's calendar, the student will make the call, set a time that fits the schedule, and save the appointment in the calendar, performing at least 7 of 8 steps independently, on 3 consecutive calls, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected every two weeks.
Transition-Related Skills Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Prepare for the move to high school
Middle to high school transition
By the annual IEP review date, in the spring of eighth grade, given a high school readiness plan template and the high school's orientation information, the student will complete a high school readiness plan with own schedule, key places, people to ask and a club or activity to try independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 8 on a 4-row high school readiness rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 2 consecutive plan drafts, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected monthly in the spring of eighth grade.
Find key rooms on a high school tour
Middle to high school transition
By the annual IEP review date, during a spring or summer visit to the high school, given a building map and own schedule, the student will find each class on own schedule and the key offices using the map, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, on 2 consecutive visits, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected at each visit and daily in the first week of school.
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. Anxiety is not an IDEA eligibility category. Students whose anxiety affects school are usually served under other health impairment or emotional disturbance (called emotional disability in some states), or with a Section 504 plan, and the goals that follow teach coping strategies, asking for support, attendance, and starting and finishing work.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 3 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 18 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 23 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 1 goal here
- Latency trackerTimes the gap between a cue and the start of the response.Used by 1 goal here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 1 goal here
Frequently asked questions
Can a student get an IEP for anxiety?
Anxiety is not its own IDEA category. A student may qualify under other health impairment or emotional disturbance when anxiety affects educational performance and the student needs specially designed instruction. Many students are served with a Section 504 plan instead, and the evaluation team decides.
What IEP goals help students with anxiety?
Goals often teach a coping strategy and when to use it, asking for a break or for help, starting work with a first-step plan, and attending class with a check-in. They name a skill the student uses, never "will not be anxious".
What transition goals fit students with anxiety?
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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