Grades K-2 Functional & Independence Skills IEP goals
128 functional & independence skills templates list kindergarten to grade 2 among their grade bands, across 8 skills: functional routines, toileting, daily living skills, community & safety skills, preschool & kindergarten readiness, functional academics, leisure & recreation, school-related independence. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
128 templates · 8 skills · K–2 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Functional Routines Functional & Independence Skills
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.
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.
Toileting Functional & Independence Skills
Request the bathroom with a picture or sign
Communicating the need to use the bathroom
By the annual IEP review date, when they show the signs of needing the bathroom listed in their toileting plan (holding, squirming, pausing play), the student will tell an adult they need the bathroom by handing over the picture card, signing, saying a word, or pressing a device button before an adult names the bathroom in at least 4 of 6 opportunities, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily, across the school day.
Go to the bathroom at the schedule cue
Taking part in a toileting schedule
By the annual IEP review date, when the toileting schedule cue is given (a timer, the bathroom picture on their visual schedule, or an adult's spoken cue), the student will stop the current activity and walk to the bathroom with the adult independently in at least 5 of 6 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected at every scheduled trip.
Daily Living Skills Functional & Independence Skills
Wash hands following a step sequence
Handwashing
By the annual IEP review date, before eating snack or lunch and after using the restroom, the student will wash hands at the sink using a picture sequence posted at the sink, performing at least 8 of 9 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected at one planned handwashing time each day.
Put on outdoor clothing before going outside
Dressing for outdoor recess
By the annual IEP review date, when the class gets ready to go outside for recess on a cold day, the student will put on outdoor clothing for cold weather using a picture sequence at the cubby, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive observed days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected three days per week during cold-weather months.
Community & Safety Skills Functional & Independence Skills
Walk safely through a parking lot with an adult
Parking lot safety
By the annual IEP review date, when walking from the car or bus to the school entrance through the drop-off area, the student will walk through the parking lot following the safety routine beside the adult, performing all 5 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive observed walks, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected daily at arrival or at each community outing.
Stay with the group during a community outing
Staying with the group
By the annual IEP review date, during a community-based instruction outing in a store or public building, the student will stay within the agreed distance of the group and stop when the group stops independently in 6 of 6 opportunities, across 3 consecutive outings, as measured by direct observation collected at each outing, recorded in 10-minute intervals.
Preschool & Kindergarten Readiness Functional & Independence Skills
Say goodbye to the caregiver and join the classroom
Separating from a caregiver
By the annual IEP review date, at morning drop-off at the classroom door, with the caregiver following the agreed goodbye routine, the student will complete the drop-off routine and join the first activity, performing at least 4 of 5 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected daily at drop-off.
Sit and attend during circle time
Attending during circle time
By the annual IEP review date, during the daily circle time on the carpet with the whole class, the student will remain in the circle area and take part in the activity in their usual way (such as responding, singing, or using the materials) independently for at least 8 minutes, on 4 of 5 consecutive circle times, as measured by duration recording collected daily during circle time.
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.
Identify familiar logos and environmental print
Environmental print and logos
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 photographs of familiar logos and signs from the student's community (stores, restaurants, restroom, stop), the student will name or point to the place or item each logo stands for independently with at least 80% accuracy on logos and signs, on 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Leisure & Recreation Functional & Independence Skills
Choose a free-time activity from a choice board
Choosing a leisure activity from options
By the annual IEP review date, at the start of free choice time, with a choice board of three to four activities the student likes, the student will choose an activity by pointing to, touching, or naming a picture on the choice board and go to it independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily at free choice time.
Play on own with a chosen activity
Independent leisure for a set time
By the annual IEP review date, during free choice time, after choosing an activity from the choice board, the student will independently play with the chosen activity by using the materials in their own way, without needing an adult to keep them going for at least 8 minutes, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by duration recording collected daily during free choice time.
School-Related Independence Functional & Independence Skills
Sign in to a school device and open the assigned task
Signing in to a school device
By the annual IEP review date, at the start of a lesson that uses a school-issued device, the student will sign in to the school device and open the assigned task on the learning platform using a login card kept in a private place, performing at least 7 of 9 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive device sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected twice weekly.
Turn in completed classwork to the designated spot
Turning in classwork
By the annual IEP review date, when a classwork assignment is finished and the class turn-in bin is in its usual place, the student will place the finished assignment in the turn-in bin with name written on it independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, for 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by direct observation collected daily across the first five turn-in opportunities, summarized weekly.
In kindergarten through grade 2, functional & independence skills goals target foundational skills and are measured with short probes, word lists, or direct observation that fit a young student's attention span. Criteria usually use small item sets and frequent checks.
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 58 goals here
- Duration trackerTimes how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.Used by 11 goals here
- Latency trackerTimes the gap between a cue and the start of the response.Used by 5 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 38 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 14 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 2 goals here
Frequently asked questions
How are functional & independence skills goals measured in the early grades?
With brief, repeatable measures: a one-minute probe, a 10-item set, or a few observed opportunities per day. The goal's mastery rule states how many measurements must meet the criterion.
Should early-grade goals be tied to grade-level standards?
Goals come from the student's present levels and should enable progress in the general curriculum, but the criterion is set from baseline data, not copied from a standard. The standard can inform what skill to target.
How many goals should a K-2 student have?
One per area of need identified in the evaluation. Young students often have goals across several areas (communication, early literacy, self-regulation), so keeping each goal to one measure keeps data collection realistic.
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