Daily Living Skills IEP goals for high school (grades 9 to 12)
36 of the daily living skills 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.
36 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.
Daily Living Skills Functional & Independence Skills
Prepare a no-cook snack from a recipe card
Preparing a simple snack
By the annual IEP review date, given a picture recipe card for a no-cook snack during a cooking or life-skills lesson, the student will prepare a simple no-cook snack following the recipe card with ingredients and tools in their usual storage places, performing at least 8 of 10 steps independently, on 3 consecutive cooking sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected at each cooking session (at least weekly).
Buy an item from a vending machine
Using a vending machine
By the annual IEP review date, given a school or community vending machine and a set of bills and coins, the student will purchase an item from a vending machine using a picture or written task card, performing at least 6 of 8 steps independently, on 3 consecutive purchasing opportunities, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly.
Pay for an item using the next-dollar strategy
Paying with the next-dollar strategy
By the annual IEP review date, given a price under $20.00 on a price tag, menu, or receipt during a classroom store or community-based instruction activity, the student will count out dollar bills using the next-dollar strategy to pay for the item independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Change for PE within the class time allowed
Changing for physical education
By the annual IEP review date, when given the signal to change into PE clothes in the locker room, the student will complete changing into PE clothes and storing school clothes in the assigned locker independently within 6 minutes, on 4 of 5 consecutive PE days, as measured by duration recording collected each PE class.
Brush teeth after lunch following a sequence
Toothbrushing
By the annual IEP review date, after lunch at the classroom sink, with a personal toothbrush and toothpaste, the student will brush teeth following the toothbrushing sequence, performing at least 7 of 8 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected daily after lunch.
Heat a meal in a microwave following package directions
Using a microwave
By the annual IEP review date, given a frozen or refrigerated meal with microwave directions and a classroom microwave, the student will heat the meal in the microwave following the package directions, performing at least 7 of 9 steps independently, on 3 consecutive cooking sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly during life-skills lessons.
High school daily living skills 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:
- 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 7 goals here
- Duration trackerTimes how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.Used by 3 goals here
Frequently asked questions
How do daily living skills 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.