High School IEP goals
2,196 templates list high school (grades 9 to 12) among their grade bands, across 94 skills in 12 areas, led by transition & postsecondary skills, executive function, and functional & independence skills. The band is a starting point; the baseline and target come from the student's own data.
2,196 templates · 94 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.
Independent Living Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Cook a stovetop meal from a picture recipe
Cooking from a recipe
By the annual IEP review date, given a picture recipe for a one-pan meal the student chose (such as scrambled eggs and toast, or pasta with sauce) in the school or training apartment kitchen, the student will cook the meal from start to finish, performing at least 10 of 11 steps independently, on 3 consecutive cooking sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected twice weekly during cooking lessons.
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.
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.
Transition-Related Skills Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Complete a job-match reflection after an interest inventory
Connecting interests to jobs
By the annual IEP review date, after completing a career interest inventory and exploring a matched job profile, the student will complete a job-match reflection sheet independently, earning a score of at least 6 out of 8 on a 4-row job-match reflection rubric (0–2 per row), on 3 consecutive job-match reflections, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
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.
Self-Determination Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Set a personal goal with an action plan
Setting a personal goal and action plan
By the annual IEP review date, during a goal-planning conference with the case manager, using a blank goal plan sheet, the student will write a personal goal with an action plan that lists steps, dates and a way to check progress independently, earning a score of at least 8 out of 10 on a 5-row goal plan rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 3 consecutive goal plans, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected monthly, at each new goal plan.
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.
Functional Academics Functional & Independence Skills
Read safety signs and state what each means
Safety and survival signs
By the annual IEP review date, given a set of 20 printed safety and information signs (stop, exit, danger, restroom, poison, no entry) shown one at a time, the student will read each sign aloud and state what to do when it is seen independently with at least 90% accuracy on signs, on 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Follow the direction given by a sign in the building or community
Following signs in the environment
By the annual IEP review date, during a walk through the school building past planned signs (exit, push, pull, restroom, keep out, office), the student will follow the direction given by each sign encountered independently in at least 5 of 6 opportunities, across 3 consecutive observed walks, as measured by direct observation collected weekly during a planned walk or community trip.
Vocational & Work Readiness Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Check the schedule and report to the station
Following a work schedule
By the annual IEP review date, at the start of a work period, with a posted weekly schedule listing each student's station, the student will check the schedule and report to the assigned station by the start time independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, for 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by direct observation collected daily at each work period, summarized weekly.
Clock in and out for each shift
Clocking in and out
By the annual IEP review date, at the start and end of each shift, using a paper time sheet and the wall clock, the student will complete the clock-in and clock-out routine for the shift, performing at least 5 of 6 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive shifts, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected at each shift.
Job Seeking & Applications Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Find job postings that match own needs
Finding job postings
By the annual IEP review date, given a job search website on a classroom device and own job search criteria (job type, hours, travel distance), the student will search for jobs that meet own criteria and save the matching postings, performing at least 7 of 8 steps independently, on 3 consecutive search sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly during the job search unit.
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.
Personal Finance & Money Management Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Build a monthly budget from take-home pay
Budgeting from income
By the annual IEP review date, given a monthly take-home pay amount, a list of fixed and flexible expenses, a budget template, and a phone calculator, the student will fill in the budget so planned spending and saving equal the take-home pay independently with at least 90% accuracy on budget lines and totals, in 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected every two weeks.
Sort expenses into needs and wants
Budgeting from income
By the annual IEP review date, given 12 to 15 expense cards with prices (rent, groceries, phone bill, concert tickets, new shoes) and a needs and wants sorting mat, the student will sort each expense as a need or a want and give a reason for the hard ones independently with at least 85% accuracy on expenses sorted as needs or wants, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
All 94 skills
Every skill with goals for this group, by area. The number is how many of its goals are tagged here.
Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Executive Function
Functional & Independence Skills
Social-Emotional & Communication
Speech & Language
Math
Vision, Hearing & Assistive Technology
Writing
Behavior & Classroom Expectations
Science, Social Studies & Digital Literacy
Reading
High school goals across areas connect to life after school: academic skills for coursework, self-advocacy and self-determination, independent living, and employment. Transition planning and measurable postsecondary goals shape which annual goals the team writes.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 607 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 691 goals here
- Reading fluency trackerWords attempted, errors, words correct per minute, and accuracy for each probe.Used by 8 goals here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 272 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 419 goals here
- Duration trackerTimes how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.Used by 62 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 95 goals here
- Latency trackerTimes the gap between a cue and the start of the response.Used by 42 goals here
Frequently asked questions
What are common IEP goals for high school?
Academic goals tied to coursework, self-advocacy, time management, and transition goals for employment, education, and independent living are common. Each annual goal should build toward the student's postsecondary goals.
When do transition goals need to be in the IEP?
Under 34 CFR 300.320(b), beginning with the first IEP in effect when the student turns 16, or younger if the team decides. Many states start earlier.
Should high school students write their own goals?
They should help. Students who share their goals, track their data, and lead parts of the meeting build the skills they need as adults.
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