Functional Communication IEP goals for high school (grades 9 to 12)
16 of the functional communication templates in the library are written for high school (grades 9 to 12). Each opens in the builder, where the grade band is a starting point and the baseline comes from your own assessment.
16 templates · 1 skill · 9–12 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Functional Communication Social-Emotional & Communication
Maintain a conversation topic across several turns
Maintaining a conversational topic
By the annual IEP review date, during a structured conversation with a peer or adult in which the partner introduces a topic, the student will maintain the topic by making related comments or asking related questions across at least 3 consecutive turns independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Start a conversation with a greeting and an opener
Starting a conversation
By the annual IEP review date, during unstructured time (lunch, before class, a club) with a familiar peer nearby, the student will start a conversation by greeting the peer and asking a question or making a comment the peer can respond to (such as "Hey, did you see the game?") independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by direct observation collected weekly during one social time plus structured practice.
Join a conversation at a pause with a related comment
Joining a conversation already in progress
By the annual IEP review date, when two or more peers are talking and the student wants to join, the student will wait for a pause and then make a comment or ask a question related to the group's current topic independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by direct observation collected weekly during structured practice plus one natural setting.
Ask the partner questions about their topic or interests
Asking about the partner's interests
By the annual IEP review date, during a 10-minute conversation with a peer or adult about a topic the partner chooses, the student will ask the partner a question about the partner's topic, plans, or interests (such as "What did you think of it?", "Are you going this weekend?") independently at least 3 times per 10-minute conversation, across 3 consecutive observed conversations, as measured by frequency recording collected weekly.
Order or ask for an item in a store or restaurant
Communicating in community transactions
By the annual IEP review date, during community-based instruction at a restaurant, store, or counter service, the student will complete the transaction exchange with the employee, performing at least 5 of 6 steps independently, across 3 consecutive transactions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected each community outing, with mock transactions weekly.
Make a phone call or send a message to convey information
Communicating by phone, text, or email
By the annual IEP review date, when they need to convey information to a person outside the classroom (such as confirm a ride, report an absence to a work site, ask about an appointment), the student will complete the call or message, performing at least 5 of 6 steps independently, across 3 consecutive calls or messages, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly through planned practice plus real opportunities.
High school functional communication 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:
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 8 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 3 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 5 goals here
Frequently asked questions
How do functional communication 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.
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.