Career Exploration IEP goals for middle school (grades 6 to 8)
15 of the career exploration templates in the library are written for middle school (grades 6 to 8). Each opens in the builder, where the grade band is a starting point and the baseline comes from your own assessment.
15 templates · 1 skill · 6–8 · 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.
Sort jobs into career clusters
Career clusters
By the annual IEP review date, given job cards with a photo and a short description, and a sorting mat with six career clusters, the student will sort each job card into its career cluster independently with at least 85% accuracy on job cards sorted, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
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.
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.
Write a workplace visit report
Workplace visit report
By the annual IEP review date, after a class workplace tour, given a visit report template and own notes or photos, the student will complete a visit report that describes the jobs, tasks, tools and setting seen and own interest in the work independently, earning a score of at least 8 out of 10 on a 5-row visit report rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 3 consecutive visit reports, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected after each visit, about monthly.
Middle school career exploration goals account for multiple teachers, changing classes, and more independent work. They often pair the skill with a strategy or tool, and the data can be collected across settings by different staff or by the student.
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 7 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 4 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 2 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 2 goals here
Frequently asked questions
How are career exploration goals measured across several middle school classes?
By defining the task and the observation period so any teacher can use the same sheet, or by work samples collected from more than one class. Student self-monitoring with a weekly check is common.
Should middle school goals include study skills?
When assessment shows that organization, planning, or test preparation limits the student's progress, yes. Those goals are measured with task-analysis checklists and percent of assignments completed.
When does transition planning start?
The IEP in effect when the student turns 16 must include postsecondary goals and transition services, and many states start at 14. Middle school goals can build the self-advocacy and independence those plans rely on.
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.