Social-Emotional & Communication IEP goals
Self-advocacy, requesting help, peer interaction, conflict resolution, and regulation. Choose a skill to see sample goals, customize one in the builder, and download a matching data sheet.
Self-Advocacy
6 templatesSelf-advocacy goals teach students to tell others what they need, what they prefer, and what helps them learn, and to do it without waiting for an adult to notice. Strong goals name a specific, observable request or statement and count it in the situations where it matters. Every communication mode counts, from speech to AAC to a card handed to a teacher.
By the annual IEP review date, when given a classroom task or assessment for which one of their IEP accommodations applies, the student will request the accommodation by naming it to the teacher (spoken, written, signed, or shown on an accommodation card) independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly data collection sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly across at least two class periods.
Requesting Help
6 templatesRequesting-help goals teach students to get the help they need instead of guessing, waiting silently, or leaving a task. The most useful goals define what "stuck" looks like so observers agree, then measure whether, how quickly, or how specifically the student asks. Help requests can be spoken, signed, written, typed, or made with a card or communication device.
By the annual IEP review date, when they are unable to continue an independent work task, the student will request help from an adult by raising a hand, placing a help card on the desk, or saying or signing "help" independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three times per week during independent work.
Functional Communication
6 templatesFunctional communication goals expand what a student can do with communication: request, refuse, comment, ask, and keep a conversation going. They should name the communicative function and accept every mode the student uses, including speech, sign, AAC, pictures, and gestures. Write these goals with the speech-language pathologist so they match the student's system and the SLP's assessment.
By the annual IEP review date, with access to their communication device during snack, play, and choice routines, the student will request a preferred item or activity by combining two symbols (e.g., "want bubbles," "more music," "go swing") independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three times per week.
Peer Interaction
6 templatesPeer interaction goals help students connect with classmates in ways that matter to them. Good goals count observable actions, such as initiations, responses, turns, or minutes in a shared activity, and they don't require eye contact, a particular body posture, or a single "typical" way of playing. Building the skill usually means supporting peers and the setting too, not only the student.
By the annual IEP review date, during a 20-minute recess period, the student will initiate an interaction with a peer (e.g., greeting, inviting to play, commenting, showing or offering an item) using speech, sign, AAC, or gesture independently at least 3 times per 20-minute recess period, across 3 consecutive observed recess periods, as measured by frequency recording collected twice weekly.
Conflict Resolution
6 templatesConflict resolution goals teach students what to do when they and a peer want different things. The strongest goals use a named, taught sequence of steps and count whether the student uses it when a real disagreement happens, not only in role-play. Adults and peers share responsibility for resolving conflicts, so plans should address the setting as well as the student.
By the annual IEP review date, when a disagreement with a peer occurs during unstructured times, the student will use the steps of their taught problem-solving sequence (stop, say the problem, suggest a solution, agree or get an adult) independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by direct observation collected weekly, supplemented by staff incident notes.
Emotional Regulation
6 templatesEmotional regulation goals describe what the student does to manage stress, frustration, and change, not what they feel inside. Useful goals measure how quickly a chosen strategy starts after a trigger, how soon the student returns to an activity, how long they can wait, or how often they use a strategy on their own. Strategies should come from the student and team, and natural regulation such as movement or stimming can be part of the plan.
By the annual IEP review date, after a known trigger occurs (e.g., an unexpected loud noise, a difficult task, a correction), as identified in the student's regulation plan, the student will begin using a strategy from their personal regulation menu (e.g., deep breathing, a squeeze ball, headphones, a movement break, the break area) independently within 60 seconds, on 4 of 5 consecutive observed opportunities, as measured by latency recording collected daily during the settings where triggers most often occur.