IEP goals for Developmental Delay
1,169 templates across 84 skills in 12 areas, led by motor & sensory skills (OT, PT & adapted PE), speech & language, and functional & independence skills. Open any goal to set the baseline and target from your own data, then print the matching data sheet.
1,169 templates · 84 skills · Pre-K, K–2, 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.
Gross Motor Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Balance on one foot during classroom and PE activities
Static balance
By the annual IEP review date, when asked to stand on one foot on a flat floor during PE or a therapy session, the student will independently stand on one foot without the other foot touching the floor and without holding on, with arms free for at least 8 seconds, on 3 consecutive weekly trials on each foot, as measured by duration recording collected weekly during PE or therapy.
Walk along a line or low balance beam
Dynamic balance
By the annual IEP review date, given a 10-foot taped line on the floor, the student will walk the full length with no more than one step off independently with arms free in at least 4 of 5 trials, across 3 consecutive weekly sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly during PE or therapy.
Early Communication Speech & Language
Follow a partner's point to a toy
Responding to joint attention
By the annual IEP review date, during floor play with 3 to 5 toys placed around the student, when the partner points to a toy within 3 feet and names it, the student will turn their head or body toward the pointed-to object and then touch it, reach for it, move to it, or vocalize about it independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly during play sessions.
Show a toy to share interest
Initiating joint attention by showing
By the annual IEP review date, during a 15-minute play session with novel or cause-and-effect toys (such as a spinning top, a pop-up toy, or a toy that lights up) and an adult sitting nearby, the student will show an object to a partner by holding it up toward them, bringing it to them, or placing it in front of them to share interest (not to ask for help) independently at least 3 times per 15-minute play session, across 3 consecutive play sessions, as measured by frequency recording collected twice weekly.
Fine Motor Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Hold a crayon or pencil with a tripod grasp
Pencil and crayon grasp
By the annual IEP review date, during a coloring, drawing, or writing activity lasting at least 5 minutes, the student will hold the writing tool with a tripod grasp (thumb, index, and middle finger) and an open web space for the whole activity independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly observations, as measured by direct observation collected weekly during a classroom writing or coloring activity.
Move small objects from palm to fingertips
In-hand manipulation
By the annual IEP review date, given five coins or counters placed in the palm of the dominant hand, the student will independently move the objects one at a time from the palm to the fingertips and place each in a container without using the other hand or the table in at least 4 of 5 trials, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly during OT or a math manipulatives activity.
Preschool & Kindergarten Readiness Functional & Independence Skills
Say goodbye to the caregiver and join the classroom
Separating from a caregiver
By the annual IEP review date, at morning drop-off at the classroom door, with the caregiver following the agreed goodbye routine, the student will complete the drop-off routine and join the first activity, performing at least 4 of 5 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected daily at drop-off.
Sit and attend during circle time
Attending during circle time
By the annual IEP review date, during the daily circle time on the carpet with the whole class, the student will remain in the circle area and take part in the activity in their usual way (such as responding, singing, or using the materials) independently for at least 8 minutes, on 4 of 5 consecutive circle times, as measured by duration recording collected daily during circle time.
Visual-Motor & Visual-Perceptual Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Copy basic shapes from a printed model
Copying basic shapes
By the annual IEP review date, given a printed model of a circle, square, triangle, and cross and a pencil, the student will independently copy each shape so that it is closed, has the correct number of sides and corners, and is recognizable without the model with at least 85% accuracy on shapes copied correctly, on 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly during a writing center or OT session.
Copy overlapping and multi-part designs
Copying complex designs
By the annual IEP review date, given a printed model of six two-part designs (overlapping shapes, shapes with internal lines) and a pencil, the student will copy each design so that each part is present, in the correct position relative to the others, and recognizable independently with at least 80% accuracy on designs copied with all parts correctly placed, on 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly during OT or a drawing task.
Print Concepts & Early Literacy Reading
Handle a book from front to back
Book handling
By the annual IEP review date, during independent book time, given an unfamiliar picture book handed to the student closed and upside down, the student will look through the book from the front cover to the back cover following the book handling steps, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, across 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly.
Turn the page when the adult finishes reading
Book handling
By the annual IEP review date, during one-to-one shared reading of a picture book when the adult reads the last word on a page and pauses, the student will turn to the next page at the pause independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Play & Social Participation Social-Emotional & Communication
Play with a toy the way it is designed for several minutes
Functional play with toys
By the annual IEP review date, during free play with a set of 3 familiar toys that have a clear action (such as a car, a shape sorter, a toy phone), the student will play with a toy using its designed action (such as rolling the car, putting shapes in the sorter, holding the phone to an ear) independently for at least 5 minutes, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by duration recording collected three times per week during free play.
Play next to peers with similar materials
Parallel play near peers
By the annual IEP review date, during centers when peers are playing with the same type of materials (such as blocks, playdough, cars), the student will play within arm's reach of a peer using similar materials independently for at least 6 minutes, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by duration recording collected three times per week during centers.
Feeding & Mealtime Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Scoop soft food with a spoon
Spoon and fork use
By the annual IEP review date, during snack or lunch, given a food that holds on a spoon (such as yogurt, applesauce or mashed food) in a bowl, the student will scoop the food with the spoon and bring it to the mouth, keeping most of the food on the spoon with no adult hands on the spoon in at least 7 of 10 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed meals, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three meals a week.
Spear bite-size pieces with a fork
Spoon and fork use
By the annual IEP review date, during lunch, given bite-size pieces of a firm food such as fruit, cooked vegetables or pasta, the student will spear a piece of food with the fork and bring it to the mouth without the piece falling off, with no adult help in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed meals, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three meals a week.
All 84 skills
Every skill with goals for this group, by area. The number is how many of its goals are tagged here.
Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Speech & Language
- Early Communication35
- Motor Speech (Apraxia & Dysarthria)15
- AAC & Augmentative Communication19
- Phonological Processes28
- Receptive Language28
- Grammar, Syntax & Morphology23
- Expressive Language22
- Vocabulary & Semantics13
- Narrative Language & Retelling11
- Listening Comprehension & Auditory Processing9
- Pragmatic Language10
- Articulation12
- Speech Fluency (Stuttering)2
Functional & Independence Skills
Reading
Social-Emotional & Communication
Behavior & Classroom Expectations
Executive Function
Math
Science, Social Studies & Digital Literacy
Writing
Vision, Hearing & Assistive Technology
Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Early childhood goals across communication, motor, social, adaptive, and readiness skills. Developmental Delay is a category states may use for young children, generally ages 3 through 9, when a delay in one or more areas calls for special education. The goals below are preschool and early elementary goals across communication, motor, social, adaptive, and readiness skills.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 59 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 289 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 545 goals here
- Latency trackerTimes the gap between a cue and the start of the response.Used by 39 goals here
- Reading fluency trackerWords attempted, errors, words correct per minute, and accuracy for each probe.Used by 1 goal here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 19 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 132 goals here
- Duration trackerTimes how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.Used by 85 goals here
Frequently asked questions
Until what age can a child be eligible under Developmental Delay?
IDEA lets states use the category for children ages 3 through 9, and each state sets its own age range within that. After the state's cutoff the child is reevaluated under another category.
What do preschool IEP goals look like?
They name a skill in a classroom routine, such as following a two-step direction during cleanup or requesting a turn during play, and measure it with opportunities or task-analysis steps. Numbers are small and sessions are short.
How is progress measured for very young children?
By direct observation during routines, usually trial-by-trial or event recording over a few days each week. Work samples are rare at this age, so the data sheet travels with the teacher.
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