Postsecondary Goals – Levels of Development
As you know, there are only three requirements to meet in writing a “compliant” postsecondary transition goal. First, it must be a goal that will be accomplished after their high school graduation. Second, it must be measurable, which means you can observe whether or not the goal occurred. Some examples of words or phrases that make it observable ormeasurableare: enroll, join, graduate, be employed as , participate in, or receive training in. Words or phrases that are not acceptable to use in transition goals are: would like to, is interested in, is thinking about , or, is considering. And third, the goal must be written with positive expectations. Use “will” and not words like: hopes to or is planning on.
The more information you know about a student, the more detailed a postsecondary goal can be written. As a student comes closer to graduation, the transition goals should be more specific than what you were able to write when he/she was a freshmen or sophomore.
Below are examples of how a goal could progress over time with more specific information from age-appropriate transition assessment s. Remember, you are not liable for a student reaching a postsecondary goal. You are liable for providing the appropriate classes, services and activities that would support him/her being prepared for their postsecondary goals.
Employment Postsecondary Goals
After graduating from high school, Alex will work in a food store.
After graduating from high school, Alex will work for the Kroger food store.
After graduating from high school, Alex will work for the Kroger food store as a stock person.
After graduating from high school, Alex will work for the Kroger food store as a stock person and then become a department manager.
Education Postsecondary Goals
After graduating from high school, Alex will enroll in an adult training school.
After graduating from high school, Alex will enroll in the Johnson County Adult Training School in their business program.
After graduating from high school, Alex will enroll in the Johnson County Adult Training School in their business program and earn a management certificate.
Independent Living Postsecondary Goals
After graduating from high school, Alex will live in the community.
After graduating from high school, Alex will live in an apartment in the community.
After graduating from high school, Alex will live in the Cutwright Apartments in the community with friends.
As an education professional working with students and parents, you have an obligation to help them in developing reasonable transition goals. But keep in mind the transition goals are ones they develop and not ones you develop. If you are not confident that a goal being expressed by the student and parents is reasonable and you are not able to modify it to be more achievable, in your opinion, then you are obligated to write the goal as the student and parents desire. You are not responsible for the child not accomplishing the goal as IDEA coverage ends when the student graduates or leaves high school even without graduating.
One suggestion to help with goal writing that does not takethe dream away from the student and family, is to write goals in more nonspecific language. For example, if the parents and student are wanting the goal to be he will be a “professional basketball player”, then the goal could be written for the student to be involved in the “sports entertainment industry.” This is in the sportsinterest, but much broader in scope than just being a professional basketball player.