OT Transition & Postsecondary Skills IEP goals
11 transition & postsecondary skills templates tagged for the occupational therapist, across 2 skills: independent living, vocational & work readiness. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
11 templates · 2 skills · 6–8, 9–12 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
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.
Make a no-cook meal from a written recipe
Cooking from a recipe
By the annual IEP review date, given a written recipe with photos for a cold meal (such as a turkey wrap or a pasta salad) in the school kitchen, the student will prepare the cold meal and plate it, performing at least 8 of 9 steps independently, on 3 consecutive cooking sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly during cooking class.
Wash, dry, and put away dishes by hand
Dishes and kitchen cleanup
By the annual IEP review date, after a cooking lesson in the school kitchen, with a sink, dish soap, sponge, and dish rack, the student will wash, rinse, dry, and put away the dishes, performing at least 8 of 9 steps independently, on 4 of 5 observed sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected after each cooking lesson.
Make coffee or tea with a kettle
Household appliances
By the annual IEP review date, in the school kitchen, with an electric kettle or a drip coffee maker and the student's chosen drink, the student will make a hot drink and turn off and unplug the appliance, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, on 4 of 5 observed sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected twice weekly.
Fold and put away clean laundry
Laundry start to finish
By the annual IEP review date, given a basket of the student's clean laundry and the dresser or closet where it goes, the student will fold the clean laundry and put each item away, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, on 4 of 5 observed laundry days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly.
Sew a loose button back on
Clothing care
By the annual IEP review date, given a shirt with a missing button, the button, a needle threader, needle, and thread, the student will sew the button on so it holds when buttoned, performing at least 7 of 8 steps independently, on 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly.
Vocational & Work Readiness Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Assemble packets or kits that match a model
Assembly and packaging to a model
By the annual IEP review date, given a model packet with 5 items and the materials to make 10 packets at a work station, the student will assemble the packets to match the model independently with at least 95% accuracy on packets assembled correctly, on 3 consecutive work sessions, as measured by work-sample analysis collected at each work session (at least twice weekly).
Fold clothing to the store's display standard
Retail tasks
By the annual IEP review date, during a retail shift, given a table of unfolded shirts and the store's display photo, the student will fold each item to the store's standard and stack it by size independently with at least 90% accuracy on items folded to standard, on 3 consecutive shifts, as measured by work-sample analysis collected at each shift, checking a stack of items.
Put on the protective gear a task needs
Following workplace safety rules
By the annual IEP review date, before starting a task that requires protective gear, with the gear and a posted gear chart at the station, the student will put on each piece of required gear correctly before starting the task independently in 5 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection periods, as measured by direct observation collected at each task that requires gear, summarized weekly.
Self-determination, career exploration, employment, postsecondary education, independent living, and community access for students 14 to 21. This goal bank for school-based occupational therapists covers fine motor, handwriting, visual-motor, self-care, and classroom participation skills. Each goal describes a school task the student will perform, measured with accuracy, task-analysis steps, or rubric scores.
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 2 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 1 goal here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 8 goals here
Frequently asked questions
What makes an OT goal educationally relevant?
It describes a task the student needs for school: writing legibly, managing a lunch tray, using scissors, or opening materials. Clinical exercises are supports, not goals.
How are handwriting goals measured?
By a rubric for legibility (letter formation, size, spacing, line placement), by percent of letters formed correctly on a sample, or by words per minute when speed is the concern.
Should sensory strategies be IEP goals?
Strategies the student uses to stay regulated can be written as a self-monitoring or regulation goal when the behavior is observable, such as requesting a movement break. Sensory supports themselves belong in accommodations.
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.