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Grades K-2 IEP goals

1,659 templates list kindergarten to grade 2 among their grade bands, across 86 skills in 11 areas, led by speech & language, motor & sensory skills (OT, PT & adapted PE), and reading. The band is a starting point; the baseline and target come from the student's own data.

1,659 templates · 86 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.

Early Communication Speech & Language

29 goals
  • PK, K-2Opportunities

    Follow a partner's point to a toy

    Responding to joint attention

    By the annual IEP review date, during floor play with 3 to 5 toys placed around the student, when the partner points to a toy within 3 feet and names it, the student will turn their head or body toward the pointed-to object and then touch it, reach for it, move to it, or vocalize about it independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly during play sessions.

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  • PK, K-2Frequency

    Show a toy to share interest

    Initiating joint attention by showing

    By the annual IEP review date, during a 15-minute play session with novel or cause-and-effect toys (such as a spinning top, a pop-up toy, or a toy that lights up) and an adult sitting nearby, the student will show an object to a partner by holding it up toward them, bringing it to them, or placing it in front of them to share interest (not to ask for help) independently at least 3 times per 15-minute play session, across 3 consecutive play sessions, as measured by frequency recording collected twice weekly.

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See all 35 early communication goals

  • PK, K-2Task-analysis steps

    Handle a book from front to back

    Book handling

    By the annual IEP review date, during independent book time, given an unfamiliar picture book handed to the student closed and upside down, the student will look through the book from the front cover to the back cover following the book handling steps, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, across 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly.

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  • PK, K-2Percent accuracy

    Show where to start reading on a page

    Left-to-right and return sweep

    By the annual IEP review date, during shared reading of an unfamiliar picture book, when the adult asks show me where I start reading on 8 pages, the student will point to the first word in the top left of the print on each page independently with at least 88% accuracy on start-of-print questions, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.

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See all 25 print concepts & early literacy goals

Fine Motor Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)

41 goals
  • PK, K-2Opportunities

    Hold a crayon or pencil with a tripod grasp

    Pencil and crayon grasp

    By the annual IEP review date, during a coloring, drawing, or writing activity lasting at least 5 minutes, the student will hold the writing tool with a tripod grasp (thumb, index, and middle finger) and an open web space for the whole activity independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly observations, as measured by direct observation collected weekly during a classroom writing or coloring activity.

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  • PK, K-2Opportunities

    Move small objects from palm to fingertips

    In-hand manipulation

    By the annual IEP review date, given five coins or counters placed in the palm of the dominant hand, the student will independently move the objects one at a time from the palm to the fingertips and place each in a container without using the other hand or the table in at least 4 of 5 trials, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly during OT or a math manipulatives activity.

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See all 55 fine motor skills goals

Motor Speech (Apraxia & Dysarthria) Speech & Language

23 goals
  • PK, K-2Percent accuracy

    Say CV words such as me and go

    CV syllable shapes

    By the annual IEP review date, given 10 functional consonant-vowel words from the student's practice set, presented in random order with a picture or object for each, the student will say each consonant-vowel word with the correct consonant and vowel in the correct order independently with at least 70% accuracy on consonant-vowel word productions, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected each therapy session.

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  • PK, K-2Percent accuracy

    Keep vowels clear in simple words

    Vowel accuracy

    By the annual IEP review date, given 10 one-syllable practice words that contrast 3 target vowels (such as "bee", "ba", "boo"), in random order with pictures, the student will say each word with the target vowel clear enough that the listener can tell which word was said independently with at least 75% accuracy on target vowels in practice words, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected each therapy session.

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See all 30 motor speech (apraxia & dysarthria) goals

Gross Motor Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)

37 goals
  • PK, K-2, 3-5Duration

    Balance on one foot during classroom and PE activities

    Static balance

    By the annual IEP review date, when asked to stand on one foot on a flat floor during PE or a therapy session, the student will independently stand on one foot without the other foot touching the floor and without holding on, with arms free for at least 8 seconds, on 3 consecutive weekly trials on each foot, as measured by duration recording collected weekly during PE or therapy.

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  • PK, K-2, 3-5Opportunities

    Walk along a line or low balance beam

    Dynamic balance

    By the annual IEP review date, given a 10-foot taped line on the floor, the student will walk the full length with no more than one step off independently with arms free in at least 4 of 5 trials, across 3 consecutive weekly sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly during PE or therapy.

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See all 50 gross motor skills goals

Visual-Motor & Visual-Perceptual Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)

28 goals
  • PK, K-2Percent accuracy

    Copy basic shapes from a printed model

    Copying basic shapes

    By the annual IEP review date, given a printed model of a circle, square, triangle, and cross and a pencil, the student will independently copy each shape so that it is closed, has the correct number of sides and corners, and is recognizable without the model with at least 85% accuracy on shapes copied correctly, on 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly during a writing center or OT session.

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  • K-2, 3-5Percent accuracy

    Copy overlapping and multi-part designs

    Copying complex designs

    By the annual IEP review date, given a printed model of six two-part designs (overlapping shapes, shapes with internal lines) and a pencil, the student will copy each design so that each part is present, in the correct position relative to the others, and recognizable independently with at least 80% accuracy on designs copied with all parts correctly placed, on 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly during OT or a drawing task.

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See all 40 visual-motor & visual-perceptual skills goals

Functional Routines Functional & Independence Skills

30 goals
  • PK, K-2, 3-5, 6-8Task-analysis steps

    Complete the morning arrival routine

    Morning arrival routine

    By the annual IEP review date, upon entering the classroom at the start of the school day, the student will complete the morning arrival routine without a visual task list, performing at least 7 of 8 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected daily during the arrival routine.

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  • PK, K-2, 3-5, 6-8Task-analysis steps

    Pack up and get ready for dismissal

    End-of-day dismissal routine

    By the annual IEP review date, when the end-of-day pack-up signal is given, the student will complete the end-of-day pack-up routine using a written pack-up checklist, performing at least 8 of 9 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected daily at dismissal.

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See all 40 functional routines goals

AAC & Augmentative Communication Speech & Language

42 goals
  • PK, K-2, 3-5Opportunities

    Hand a picture to a partner to request a preferred item

    Picture exchange to request

    By the annual IEP review date, given a preferred item in view and a single picture of it within reach, during snack or play, the student will pick up the picture and release it into the partner's open hand independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily during snack or play.

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  • PK, K-2, 3-5Opportunities

    Build a two-symbol request such as "I want" plus an item

    Two-symbol requests

    By the annual IEP review date, given a sentence strip, an "I want" symbol, and pictures of 5 or more available items during snack or play, the student will combine the request symbol and the item symbol and give or show the message to the partner independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily during snack or play.

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See all 70 AAC & augmentative communication goals

All 86 skills

Every skill with goals for this group, by area. The number is how many of its goals are tagged here.

In kindergarten through grade 2, goals across areas build foundations: early reading and math, communication, self-regulation, fine motor and handwriting, and classroom routines. Measures are short and frequent, so young students show their skills in a few minutes.

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

What are common IEP goals for K-2 students?

Phonological awareness, phonics, letter sounds, number sense and addition, following directions, handwriting, and coping strategies are common. The team picks the areas the evaluation shows matter most.

How many IEP goals should a young student have?

One per area of need. Keeping each goal to one measure makes data collection realistic for teachers and related service providers.

How often should K-2 goals be monitored?

Weekly for most academic goals, and several times a week for behavior and communication goals. Short probes fit young students' attention.

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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.