High School Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE) IEP goals
98 motor & sensory skills templates list high school (grades 9 to 12) among their grade bands, across 8 skills: physical fitness & PE participation, functional mobility, handwriting, fine motor skills, visual-motor & visual-perceptual skills, gross motor skills, feeding & mealtime skills, sensory processing & regulation. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
98 templates · 8 skills · 9–12 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Physical Fitness & PE Participation Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Walk or jog continuously for a set number of minutes
Cardiovascular endurance
By the annual IEP review date, during the PE warm-up on the track or gym floor, the student will independently continue walking or jogging without stopping or sitting down for at least 10 minutes, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly sessions, as measured by duration recording collected weekly during PE.
Complete laps of the track or gym in a set time
Laps and distance
By the annual IEP review date, given a 10-minute timing on the school track, the student will complete laps of the course by walking or jogging independently at least 7 times per 10-minute timing (laps completed), in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly timings, as measured by frequency recording collected weekly during PE.
Functional Mobility Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Wheel up and down the school ramp
Ramps, elevators and doors
By the annual IEP review date, when using the ramp at the main entrance on arrival or dismissal, the student will propel up the full ramp without rolling back and come down with hands controlling the speed on the push rims, with no adult hands on the chair in at least 4 of 5 trials, across 3 consecutive weekly sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly with the PT and on daily arrival.
Drive a power wheelchair through a busy hallway
Power wheelchair driving
By the annual IEP review date, during passing time in the main hallway between classes, the student will drive the power wheelchair from one classroom door to the next, keeping to the right and slowing near people, without touching people or bumping into walls and lockers, with no adult cues in at least 5 of 6 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by direct observation collected on six class changes a week.
Handwriting Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Copy notes from the board within the time limit
Far-point copying
By the annual IEP review date, given a three-sentence note on the board and the same time the class is given, the student will complete copying the note with all words present and legible independently within 4 minutes, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly observations, as measured by duration recording collected weekly during a board-copying task.
Keep handwriting legible across a full page
Legibility over longer writing
By the annual IEP review date, during a written assignment of at least one page, the student will write the whole page with words legible to a reader unfamiliar with the student's writing independently with at least 90% accuracy on words legible in the final third of the page, on 3 consecutive biweekly work samples, as measured by work-sample analysis collected every two weeks from a full-page writing sample.
Fine Motor Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Use a mouse or trackpad to click and drag on screen
Mouse, trackpad, and touch screen use
By the annual IEP review date, given a laptop with a mouse and an on-screen activity with 1-inch targets, the student will independently move the cursor to each target and click without moving off the target with at least 90% accuracy on targets selected or dragged correctly, across 3 consecutive weekly sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly during a computer-based activity.
Open a combination lock and locker
Locker and combination lock
By the annual IEP review date, given the student's assigned locker with a built-in dial lock and the combination written on a card, the student will complete the steps of opening the lock and locker, performing all 6 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive trials, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected twice weekly at the locker for one week each month.
Visual-Motor & Visual-Perceptual Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Copy a diagram or graphic organizer from the board
Copying diagrams and graphic organizers
By the annual IEP review date, given a graphic organizer with 5 boxes and connecting lines on the board, the student will copy the diagram with all parts, labels, and connections present and in the correct positions independently with at least 90% accuracy on diagram parts and connections copied correctly, on 3 consecutive weekly work samples, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly from class notes.
Find information in a table, schedule, or chart
Scanning tables and schedules
By the annual IEP review date, given the student's class schedule and a direction to find the room for a named period, the student will point to the correct cell within 15 seconds independently in at least 9 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly on a 10-item find task.
Gross Motor Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Travel a school route with a walker or wheelchair
Mobility with a device
By the annual IEP review date, when traveling from the classroom to the cafeteria using the student's mobility device, the student will complete the steps of the route, performing at least 7 of 8 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive observed trips, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected twice weekly on the fixed route.
Carry a lunch tray or materials while walking
Carrying items while walking
By the annual IEP review date, when carrying a lunch tray with food and a drink from the serving line to the table, the student will independently carry the tray to the table with both hands, without spilling or stopping in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly observations, as measured by direct observation collected weekly at lunch.
Feeding & Mealtime Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Pace bites using a self-check card
Pacing bites with a cue
By the annual IEP review date, during lunch in the cafeteria, with a small self-check card or phone reminder on the table, the student will take small bites, set the fork down between bites and check the card or reminder before the next bite with no adult reminders in at least 9 of 10 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed meals, as measured by direct observation collected twice weekly at lunch.
Tell lunch staff about their mealtime plan
Communicating hunger, fullness and preferences
By the annual IEP review date, when ordering or choosing food in the school cafeteria line, the student will tell the server or staff member their food needs (such as soft foods, no nuts or thickened drinks) and ask what fits the plan with no adult prompts in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive months, as measured by direct observation collected at each observed food choice, at least weekly.
Sensory Processing & Regulation Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Self-check alertness at the start of each class
Rating own alertness level
By the annual IEP review date, at the start of each class period, with a private rating on a phone app, card or notebook, the student will record a private alertness rating and use one planned strategy if the rating is low or high with no adult prompts in at least 5 of 6 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly from the self-check log.
Set up a sensory-friendly job workstation
Setting up a sensory-friendly work space
By the annual IEP review date, at the start of a work-based learning shift, the student will set up their workstation following the job-site sensory steps, performing at least 5 of 6 steps independently, across 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected at two shifts a week.
High school motor & sensory 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:
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 12 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 27 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 6 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 38 goals here
- Duration trackerTimes how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.Used by 12 goals here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 3 goals here
Frequently asked questions
How do motor & sensory 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.
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