Independent Living IEP goals for middle school (grades 6 to 8)
17 of the independent living 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.
17 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.
Independent Living Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Make a no-cook meal from a written recipe
Cooking from a recipe
By the annual IEP review date, given a written recipe with photos for a cold meal (such as a turkey wrap or a pasta salad) in the school kitchen, the student will prepare the cold meal and plate it, performing at least 8 of 9 steps independently, on 3 consecutive cooking sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly during cooking class.
Answer questions about a recipe before cooking
Reading a recipe
By the annual IEP review date, given a printed recipe the student has not cooked before and a set of questions about it (servings, cook time, temperature, tools, ingredients), the student will answer questions about the recipe's ingredients, tools, time, and temperature independently with at least 85% accuracy on recipe questions, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
Choose meals that include each food group
Meal planning
By the annual IEP review date, given photo cards of foods and a plate model showing food groups, the student will build a meal that includes a food from each group on the plate model independently with at least 85% accuracy on meals that include each food group, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
Put groceries away in the right place
Food storage
By the annual IEP review date, after a grocery trip, given a bag of 10 to 15 mixed items in the classroom or training apartment kitchen, the student will put each item in the freezer, refrigerator, or pantry where it belongs independently with at least 90% accuracy on grocery items stored in the correct place, on 3 of 4 consecutive weekly checks, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly after the class shopping trip.
Wash, dry, and put away dishes by hand
Dishes and kitchen cleanup
By the annual IEP review date, after a cooking lesson in the school kitchen, with a sink, dish soap, sponge, and dish rack, the student will wash, rinse, dry, and put away the dishes, performing at least 8 of 9 steps independently, on 4 of 5 observed sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected after each cooking lesson.
Make coffee or tea with a kettle
Household appliances
By the annual IEP review date, in the school kitchen, with an electric kettle or a drip coffee maker and the student's chosen drink, the student will make a hot drink and turn off and unplug the appliance, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, on 4 of 5 observed sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected twice weekly.
Middle school independent living 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:
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 9 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 2 goals here
- Latency trackerTimes the gap between a cue and the start of the response.Used by 1 goal here
Frequently asked questions
How are independent living 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.