Requesting Help IEP goals for high school (grades 9 to 12)
19 of the requesting help 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.
19 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.
Requesting Help Social-Emotional & Communication
Make a specific help request that names the problem
Making specific help requests
By the annual IEP review date, when they request help during independent or small-group work, the student will make a specific help request that names the step or part of the task they are stuck on and what they have tried independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks of data, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Request help promptly after getting stuck
Reducing time spent stuck before requesting help
By the annual IEP review date, during independent work, after they stop making progress on an item, the student will initiate a help request using their help signal or a spoken, signed, or typed request independently within 90 seconds, on 4 of 5 consecutive observed opportunities, as measured by latency recording collected twice weekly during independent work.
Ask a peer for help or information during group work
Asking peers for help or information
By the annual IEP review date, during small-group or partner work in general education classes, the student will ask a peer a question about the task or materials (such as "What page are we on?" or "Can you show me how you did that?") independently at least 2 times per 20-minute group work session, across 3 consecutive observed sessions, as measured by frequency recording collected twice weekly during group work.
Send a written help request about an assignment
Requesting help in writing or online
By the annual IEP review date, when an assignment is missing, unclear, or not started by the day before it is due, the student will send a written help request by email or learning management system message that names the assignment and asks a specific question independently in at least 3 of 4 opportunities, across 2 consecutive monthly reviews, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly by reviewing sent messages and the gradebook with the student.
Ask the speaker to repeat or rephrase when a message is missed
Asking a speaker to repeat or rephrase
By the annual IEP review date, when they do not hear or follow a spoken direction, question, or comment from an adult or peer, the student will ask the speaker to repeat or rephrase (such as "Can you say that again?", "What page?", "Can you write it?") using speech, sign, or their device independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly through planned probes plus observed natural events.
Try one listed strategy before asking the teacher for help
Using a self-help strategy before asking
By the annual IEP review date, during independent work when they reach an item they are unsure about, the student will use one strategy from their "before I ask" list (reread the directions, check the example, look at a completed item, ask a peer) and then ask the teacher if still stuck 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.
High school requesting help 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 13 goals here
- Latency trackerTimes the gap between a cue and the start of the response.Used by 3 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 3 goals here
Frequently asked questions
How do requesting help 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
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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.