Marybeth+Fafalla-+Goals+and+Objectives

= Creating Appropriate Transition Goals and Objectives = In a 2007 topic brief on writing transition goals, the Connecticut State Department of Education Bureau of Special Education urges the reader to ask, //"If we are to prepare students to successfully transition to the responsibilites of adut life, how can we accomplish this without knowing where the student is going?"// IDEA 2004 mandates that transition planning be documented no later than in the annual IEP during which they turn 16 years old. Goals related to postsecondary transition (called Post School Outcomes Goal Statements/PSOGS in Connecticut) must be based on student preference and interest, data from age appropriate transition assessments, and be measurable. In addition to the methods described on the Increasing student participation page to encourage active participation by students in this procces, additional efforts must be made to develop accurate Post School Goal Outcome Statements. These statements differ from an annual goal in that they are over-arching goals that refer to a student's projected activities after graduation or leaving the high school. Annual goals should reflect steps made toward a student's post school goals (Anderson, 2009). Goals should be written in terms of Postecondary Education/Training, Employment, and Independent Living/Community Participation. Examples and nonexamples of PSOGs can be found [|here]. Steere and Cavaiuolo (2002) suggest creating outcomes that are: Back to main page References
 * 1) **Specific-** in order to help direct the IEP
 * 2) **Realistic-** to ensure that adults will agree to help student achieve goals. If goal is perceived as unrealistic, discuss and explore with student the demands and expectations of that particular goal to make sure they understand what is needed to be successful.
 * 3) **Clearly connected with goals & objectives-** Remove/adjust any extraneous goals that may not connect with outcome (ask "Will the attainment of [objective] and [larger goal] lead to the attainment of [desired outcome]?")
 * 4) **Revised based on student experiences-** While continuing to explore post-school options, the student may change his/her mind in regards to their desired post-school outcome. It is important to document this change in order to update the students plan and maintain student motivation.
 * 5) **Do not limit your expectations for the student-** Allowing the student to make his/her own decisions regarding post-school outcome is an important part of developing a sense of self-determination. It is important to allow the student to challenge him/herself in reaching for their goals.