Transition & Postsecondary Skills IEP goals for Traumatic Brain Injury
63 transition & postsecondary skills templates across 8 skills: independent living, self-determination, community access & travel, personal finance & money management, job seeking & applications, postsecondary education readiness, vocational & work readiness, transition-related skills. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
63 templates · 8 skills · 6–8, 9–12 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Independent Living Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Bake a sheet-pan dinner in the oven
Cooking from a recipe
By the annual IEP review date, given a written recipe with photos for a sheet-pan dinner (such as chicken and vegetables) in the training apartment kitchen, the student will prepare, bake, and serve the sheet-pan dinner, performing at least 9 of 10 steps independently, on 3 consecutive cooking sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly during cooking lessons.
Make a one-pot meal in a slow cooker
Cooking from a recipe
By the annual IEP review date, given a picture recipe for a slow-cooker meal (such as chili or soup) in the transition program kitchen, the student will set up and start the slow-cooker meal, then serve it when it is done, performing at least 8 of 9 steps independently, on 3 consecutive cooking sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly.
Self-Determination Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Map a long-term goal into dated milestones
Breaking a long-term goal into steps
By the annual IEP review date, given a long-term goal the student chose, such as a job, a training program or a living goal, and a blank goal map, the student will build a goal map that runs from the long-term goal back to a first action for this month, performing at least 7 of 8 steps independently, on 3 consecutive goal maps, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected monthly.
Predict the result of each option before choosing
Thinking through consequences
By the annual IEP review date, given short scenarios about school, home or community choices, read aloud or in print, the student will state one likely result of each option before choosing independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Community Access & Travel Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Follow a walking route with a map app
Walking routes
By the annual IEP review date, on a new walking route of a few blocks to a community destination, with staff walking a short distance behind, the student will follow the map app's directions to the destination, performing all 8 steps independently, on 3 consecutive new routes, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly.
Ride a bus route with one transfer
Riding a bus route with a travel plan
By the annual IEP review date, on a two-bus trip from school or home to a job site or program, with a written or phone travel plan and staff following at a planned distance, the student will travel the route with one transfer and arrive at the destination, performing all 11 steps independently, on 5 consecutive trips, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected at each travel-training trip.
Personal Finance & Money Management Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Rework a budget when costs change
Budgeting from income
By the annual IEP review date, given a balanced monthly budget and a change card (fewer work hours, a higher phone bill, a car repair), with a phone calculator, the student will change the flexible budget lines so the budget balances again independently with at least 85% accuracy on adjusted budget lines and totals, in 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected every two weeks.
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.
Job Seeking & Applications Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Fill in work history and references correctly
Work history and references sections
By the annual IEP review date, given a practice application with work history and references sections and own work history card, the student will enter each job, volunteer role and reference with the correct details independently with at least 90% accuracy on work history and reference fields, on 3 consecutive applications, as measured by work-sample analysis collected every two weeks.
State availability and travel plans in an interview
Interview answers
By the annual IEP review date, during a mock or real interview when asked about days, hours, start date or how the student will get to work, the student will state own available days, hours, start date and travel plan as listed on own availability card independently in at least 5 of 6 opportunities, across 3 consecutive interview practice sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly during interview practice.
Postsecondary Education Readiness Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Enter syllabus due dates into a planner
College-style planning
By the annual IEP review date, at the start of each course, given the course syllabus and own planner or calendar app, the student will enter every due date and test date from the syllabus into own planner with a reminder before each one independently, completing at least 95% of assigned syllabus due dates, each entered with a reminder, on 3 consecutive syllabi or unit schedules, as measured by work-sample analysis collected at the start of each course or unit.
Plan a weekly schedule for college courses
College-style planning
By the annual IEP review date, given a sample college course schedule, own work and family commitments and a weekly planning grid, the student will build a weekly plan with classes, study blocks, work, travel and rest independently, earning a score of at least 8 out of 10 on a 5-row weekly schedule rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 3 consecutive weekly plans, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected weekly during the planning unit.
Vocational & Work Readiness Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Use a task app instead of coach prompts
Fading the job coach
By the annual IEP review date, at each task change during a work-based learning shift, with a task app on own phone or tablet, the student will independently check the task app and start the next task without a prompt from the job coach in at least 5 of 6 opportunities, across 3 consecutive shifts, as measured by direct observation collected at each shift.
Carry out spoken directions from a supervisor
Following supervisor directions
By the annual IEP review date, during a work-based learning shift, when the supervisor gives a spoken direction with two or three parts, the student will repeat or note the direction and complete every part of it independently in at least 5 of 6 opportunities, across 3 consecutive shifts, as measured by direct observation collected at each shift.
Transition-Related Skills Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Update a contact list of adult service providers
Adult service contacts
By the annual IEP review date, after each new agency or provider contact, given own contact list on paper or in a phone, the student will add or update each provider's name, role, agency, phone and email and note when last contacted, performing at least 5 of 6 steps independently, on 3 consecutive updates, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected monthly.
Self-determination, career exploration, employment, postsecondary education, independent living, and community access for students 14 to 21. After a brain injury, the skills most affected at school are often memory, attention, organization, processing speed, and regulation, and they can change quickly during recovery. Goals here use strategies the student can learn and data that can be reviewed often.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 26 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 21 goals here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 4 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 1 goal here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 10 goals here
- Latency trackerTimes the gap between a cue and the start of the response.Used by 1 goal here
Frequently asked questions
How often should goals be reviewed after a brain injury?
Recovery can be faster than the annual IEP cycle. Teams often set shorter review points and reconvene when data shows the goal is met or no longer fits. IDEA allows the IEP to be revised at any time (34 CFR 300.324(b)).
What goals are common for students with TBI?
Working memory strategies, task initiation, following multi-step directions, organization with checklists or planners, sustained attention, and emotional regulation. Academic goals target the specific skills the injury affected.
What transition goals fit students with traumatic brain injury?
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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