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High School Behavior & Classroom Expectations IEP goals

78 behavior & classroom expectations templates list high school (grades 9 to 12) among their grade bands, across 5 skills: school attendance & punctuality, safety behaviors, replacement behaviors, following adult directions, classroom expectations & routines. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.

78 templates · 5 skills · 9–12 · How we write and review goals

Goals by skill

Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.

School Attendance & Punctuality Behavior & Classroom Expectations

16 goals
  • 6-8, 9-12Duration

    Build up time at school step by step

    Re-entry routine after an absence

    By the annual IEP review date, on school days, following the planned schedule for that step of the plan, the student will remain at school for the planned part of the day using their coping plan when anxious for at least 300 minutes, on 4 of 5 school days for 2 consecutive weeks, as measured by duration recording collected daily, from sign-in and sign-out times.

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  • 6-8, 9-12Opportunities

    Reach each class before the bell

    Reaching each class before the bell

    By the annual IEP review date, during passing periods between classes, the student will enter the classroom before the bell rings independently in at least 6 of 7 opportunities, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by direct observation collected daily, from teachers' period records.

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See all 20 school attendance & punctuality goals

Safety Behaviors Behavior & Classroom Expectations

15 goals
  • K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12Opportunities

    Stay with the group on outdoor and community outings

    Staying with the group

    By the annual IEP review date, during a community outing with an assigned adult and a group of up to 6 students, the student will stay within sight and within 10 feet of the assigned adult for the whole outing independently in 5 of 5 opportunities, across 5 consecutive outings, as measured by direct observation collected each outing, at least twice monthly.

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  • 3-5, 6-8, 9-12Opportunities

    Step back to a safe distance when upset with a peer

    Keeping hands and feet to self

    By the annual IEP review date, when a conflict with a peer begins (raised voices, an insult, a shove) during unstructured time, the student will step back to at least two arm's lengths from the peer within 5 seconds and keep hands down independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive 2-week data summaries, as measured by direct observation collected each observed conflict plus 1 weekly role-play, summarized every 2 weeks.

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See all 45 safety behaviors goals

Replacement Behaviors Behavior & Classroom Expectations

19 goals
  • 6-8, 9-12Opportunities

    Request to step out of class using a pass system

    Requesting a break

    By the annual IEP review date, during any class period when the student shows a defined early sign of escalation (raised voice, refusing to open materials, head down for more than 2 minutes), the student will show the pass to the teacher and go directly to the agreed location before leaving the room in any other way independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive 2-week data summaries, as measured by direct observation collected each occurrence, logged by the receiving teacher and summarized every 2 weeks.

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  • 6-8, 9-12Opportunities

    Ask for a modified or alternative task instead of refusing

    Requesting a modified task

    By the annual IEP review date, when assigned a task the student has previously refused or left incomplete, the student will ask the teacher for a specific modification (shorter set, alternate format, extra time, or a different start point) before refusing or leaving the task independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive 2-week data summaries, as measured by direct observation collected each applicable assignment, logged by the teacher and summarized every 2 weeks.

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See all 65 replacement behaviors goals

Following Adult Directions Behavior & Classroom Expectations

12 goals
  • 3-5, 6-8, 9-12Opportunities

    Follow a direction from an unfamiliar adult

    Following a first-time direction

    By the annual IEP review date, when given a one-step direction by a school adult who does not work with the student daily, the student will independently follow the direction within 15 seconds without it being repeated in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive 2-week data summaries, as measured by direct observation collected each observed opportunity, summarized every 2 weeks.

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  • 3-5, 6-8, 9-12Opportunities

    Accept a correction without arguing

    Accepting corrections

    By the annual IEP review date, when an adult delivers a brief, private correction about work or behavior, the student will independently acknowledge the correction ("okay," a nod, or restating it) and make the change or move on within 30 seconds without arguing in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive 2-week data summaries, as measured by direct observation collected each observed correction, summarized every 2 weeks.

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See all 40 following adult directions goals

Classroom Expectations & Routines Behavior & Classroom Expectations

16 goals
  • 3-5, 6-8, 9-12Opportunities

    Speak only during their turn in a group discussion

    Taking turns in discussion

    By the annual IEP review date, during a structured class discussion with a turn-taking rule (talking piece, hand signal, or round-robin), the student will wait until the current speaker finishes before speaking independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly data summaries, as measured by frequency recording collected twice weekly during a discussion, first 10 turns taken, summarized weekly.

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  • 6-8, 9-12Opportunities

    Arrive with the required materials for each class

    Being prepared for class

    By the annual IEP review date, at the start of each class period with the required materials listed on the syllabus or class board, the student will arrive with all required materials (listed per class) and place them on the desk within 2 minutes of the bell independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive 2-week data summaries, as measured by direct observation collected each class period, logged by the teacher, summarized every 2 weeks.

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See all 50 classroom expectations & routines goals

High school behavior & classroom expectations 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:

Frequently asked questions

How do behavior & classroom expectations 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

Pro tracks every goal on your caseload and drafts the report for you. Free for 14 days.

Count trials, prompts, and minutes live in the session; the graph and trend line draw themselves; progress reports are drafted from your data.