Career Exploration IEP goals for high school (grades 9 to 12)
28 of the career exploration 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.
28 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.
Career Exploration Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Explain own interest inventory results
Interest inventory results explained
By the annual IEP review date, after completing a career interest inventory, given the results page and a results summary sheet, the student will complete the results summary with own top interest areas, a job from each and whether the results fit independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 8 on a 4-row interest results rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 2 consecutive inventories or summaries, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected after each inventory, about each semester.
Match own interests to a career cluster
Matching interests to career clusters
By the annual IEP review date, given own interest inventory results or hobby list and a career cluster guide, the student will choose a career cluster that fits own interests, list jobs in it and explain the match independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 8 on a 4-row interest matching rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 3 consecutive matching sheets, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
Name the training and requirements for a job
Researching job requirements
By the annual IEP review date, given one-page job profiles from a government career website, the student will identify the training level and other hiring requirements listed for each job independently with at least 85% accuracy on job requirement items, on 3 consecutive probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected every two weeks.
Compare two training paths for one career
Comparing training paths
By the annual IEP review date, given a career of interest and information on two training paths, such as an apprenticeship and a community college certificate, the student will complete a comparison chart for the two training paths and state which fits own plans independently, earning a score of at least 10 out of 12 on a 6-row training path rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 2 consecutive comparisons, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected monthly.
Write questions before a job shadow
Job shadow questions
By the annual IEP review date, before a scheduled job shadow, given the job title, a short job description and a question planning sheet, the student will write a set of questions that cover the job's tasks, training, schedule and the worker's views independently, earning a score of at least 8 out of 10 on a 5-row job shadow question rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 3 consecutive question sets, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected before each shadow or visit, at least monthly.
Ask prepared questions on a workplace tour
Workplace visits
By the annual IEP review date, during a class workplace tour, with own prepared question card, the student will ask a prepared question of a worker or tour guide and record the answer independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive visits, as measured by direct observation collected at each workplace tour or visit, about monthly.
High school career exploration 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:
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 15 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 5 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.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 career exploration 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.