Supporting executive functioning is one of the most meaningful ways we help students grow. These skills are the quiet engine behind so much of learning. They help students plan their day, organize materials, follow directions, shift between tasks, regulate big feelings, and stay focused long enough to finish what they started. When these skills are shaky, school can feel harder than it needs to be.

Executive functioning also develops across time. It changes alongside the student. A second grader might need help remembering a simple routine or sticking with independent work for ten minutes. A tenth grader might need help breaking a research paper into steps or keeping track of deadlines across seven classes. The needs look different, and the goals should too.

This guide breaks down executive functioning IEP goals by grade level so teams can meet students where they are. You’ll find practical, measurable examples that match real school days and real developmental stages. The aim is to help your team write goals that feel clear, attainable, and supportive of the long-term independence every student deserves.

 

Why Executive Functioning IEP Goals Look Different by Grade Level

Executive functioning grows over time. Younger students rely on simple routines and visual supports. Middle school students juggle bigger workloads and shifting schedules. High school students manage credits, jobs, devices, and life after graduation.

Grade-level goal banks help teams:

• Target skills that match real developmental needs

• Write goals that fit the student’s day instead of abstract expectations

• Build a natural progression from early routines to independent planning

When goals are SMART, functional, and designed for the student’s grade band, it becomes much easier to track progress and show families how skills are growing.

How To Use This Goal Bank

This bank is designed to be flexible. You can:

• Adjust goals up or down based on present levels

• Swap examples and settings to fit your classroom

• Pair goals with accommodations and consistent routines

• Use them during IEP writing, progress monitoring, and team collaboration

Think of these goals as starting points rather than final language. They work best when personalized to the student, the schedule, and the school setting.

Elementary School Executive Functioning IEP Goals (K to 5)

Elementary students benefit from goals that support early routines, simple organization, emotional awareness, and following directions. These goals are short, concrete, and connected to daily classroom tasks.

Organization and Routines

• Within 12 weeks, using a visual checklist, the student will complete their morning routine in 4 out of 5 school days with no more than one reminder.

• By the end of the semester, the student will place work in the correct folder (unfinished or finished) in 80 percent of opportunities.

• Within three months, the student will bring their home-school folder back to school with required papers in 4 out of 5 school days.

• Within one quarter, the student will clean out and organize their desk or cubby once per week with adult support, maintaining materials in place in 80 percent of checks.

• Within 12 weeks, the student will pack their backpack at dismissal using a picture list in 4 out of 5 school days.

Attention and Task Initiation

• Within nine weeks, the student will begin an assigned task within two minutes of receiving directions in 80 percent of observed opportunities.

• By the end of the semester, the student will remain engaged in independent work for 10 minutes using a visual timer in 4 out of 5 sessions.

• Within two months, the student will follow one-step directions on the first request in 80 percent of opportunities.

• Over the next quarter, after a distraction, the student will return to task within 30 seconds in 4 out of 5 observations.

• Within 12 weeks, during centers, the student will stay with their group and participate for at least eight minutes in 80 percent of rotations.

Emotional Regulation and Flexibility

• Within three months, when a routine changes, the student will choose one coping tool from a visual menu and use it in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

• Within one quarter, when frustrated with work, the student will request help using a taught phrase in 80 percent of observed situations.

• By the end of the semester, the student will label their feelings using a visual chart in 4 out of 5 weekly check-ins.

• Within 12 weeks, the student will transition away from a preferred activity with no more than one reminder in 80 percent of transitions.

• Over the next quarter, the student will use a break card appropriately in 4 out of 5 opportunities when overwhelmed.

Working Memory and Following Directions

• Within 12 weeks, the student will follow two-step directions with no more than one repetition in 80 percent of opportunities.

• By the end of the semester, the student will complete a picture-based task list (for example, clean up, put away, get notebook) in 4 out of 5 days.

• Within two months, the student will recall classroom rules and restate them when prompted in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

• Within one quarter, the student will independently check the posted schedule and identify the next activity in 80 percent of observations.

• Within 12 weeks, the student will remember and retrieve needed materials for lessons in 4 out of 5 days.

Early Self-Advocacy

• Within three months, the student will request help using a sentence starter when confused in 4 out of 5 observed situations.

• By the end of the semester, the student will move a name or picture to a designated spot to request a scheduled break in 80 percent of opportunities.

• Within 12 weeks, the student will tell an adult when they do not understand directions in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

Middle School Executive Functioning IEP Goals (Grades 6 to 8)

Middle school brings new schedules, more teachers, and increased expectations. Students benefit from goals that strengthen planning, self-monitoring, emotional regulation, and communication.

Organization, Materials, and Time Management

• Within 12 weeks, the student will record homework, tests, and projects in a planner for all core classes in 4 out of 5 school days.

• By the end of the semester, the student will arrive to class with required materials in 85 percent of class periods.

• Within one quarter, the student will break one long-term assignment into smaller steps with target dates and complete each step on time in 3 out of 4 projects.

• Within 12 weeks, the student will reorganize their binder or locker weekly and maintain materials in place in 80 percent of weekly checks.

• Over the next quarter, the student will check their class schedule independently and transition on time in 4 out of 5 days.

Focus, Task Initiation, and Follow-Through

• Within three months, the student will start classwork within two minutes of receiving directions in 80 percent of observed opportunities.

• By the end of the semester, with a teacher-approved strategy, the student will remain engaged in independent work for 20 minutes in 4 out of 5 class periods.

• Within one quarter, the student will complete in-class assignments during allotted time in 80 percent of opportunities.

• Within 12 weeks, the student will use a checklist to complete all parts of an assignment in 4 out of 5 tasks.

• Over the next quarter, the student will reduce missing assignments by 30 percent from baseline.

Emotional Regulation, Social Behavior, and Problem-Solving

• Within three months, when upset during peer conflict, the student will request support using a taught script in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

• Within one quarter, the student will identify two early signs of frustration and use a coping tool in 80 percent of weekly check-ins.

• By the end of the semester, the student will participate in a three-step problem-solving routine in 4 out of 5 structured opportunities.

• Within 12 weeks, the student will remain in class during moments of frustration using a break routine in 80 percent of situations.

• Over the next quarter, the student will respond to redirection without escalation in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

Working Memory, Study Skills, and Note-Taking

• Within three months, given a structured note-taking format, the student will record key ideas in 3 out of 4 class sessions.

• Within one quarter, the student will use a study checklist to prepare for quizzes or tests in 80 percent of assessments.

• By the end of the semester, the student will follow three-step written directions without additional support in 80 percent of assignments.

• Within 12 weeks, the student will transfer homework assignments correctly from board or LMS to planner in 4 out of 5 days.

• Over the next quarter, the student will recall and apply strategies taught in class in 80 percent of opportunities.

Self-Advocacy and Communication

• Within three months, the student will identify one executive functioning challenge and one strategy that helps in 4 out of 5 meetings.

• By the end of the semester, the student will reach out to a teacher (email or in-person) to clarify assignments in 4 out of 5 weeks.

• Within 12 weeks, the student will participate in IEP or planning meetings by naming one strength and one support that helps.

High School and Transition Executive Functioning IEP Goals (Grades 9 to 12)

High school students manage complex schedules, academic pressure, employment, and next-step planning. Goals focus on independence, planning, self-advocacy, and life readiness.

Advanced Organization, Planning, and Time Management

• Within one semester, the student will maintain a weekly schedule that includes classes, homework blocks, and activities in 4 out of 5 school weeks.

• Within 18 weeks, the student will review grades once per week and create a brief action plan to address missing work in 80 percent of weeks.

• By the end of the semester, the student will create a project plan with three interim deadlines for long-term assignments and meet deadlines in 3 out of 4 projects.

• Within one quarter, the student will pack required materials for each day using a checklist in 4 out of 5 school days.

• Over the next semester, the student will independently track upcoming tests and assignments using the school’s learning platform in 80 percent of weeks.

Sustained Attention, Long-Term Projects, and Deadlines

• Within three months, the student will complete 40 minutes of structured work time with no more than one reminder in 4 out of 5 sessions.

• By the end of the semester, the student will submit assignments by the due date in 85 percent of core classes.

• Within 12 weeks, the student will check the LMS for updates at least three times per week, as shown in self-monitoring logs.

• Over the next quarter, the student will use a task-breakdown method to manage long-term assignments in 3 out of 4 projects.

• Within one semester, the student will complete missing work within agreed-upon timelines in 80 percent of cases.

Emotional Regulation, Stress Management, and Coping Skills

• Within one semester, the student will identify three stress-management strategies and use one during stressful academic moments in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

• Over the next quarter, the student will follow a calming routine during tests or presentations and remain in class in 80 percent of observations.

• Within 12 weeks, the student will request academic support appropriately when overwhelmed in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

• By the end of the semester, the student will describe two personal triggers and two coping strategies in 3 out of 4 check-ins.

• Within one semester, the student will complete a self-regulation plan and apply it in real situations in 80 percent of opportunities.

Working Memory, Study Routines, and Test Preparation

• Within 18 weeks, the student will create and follow a study routine for at least two core classes in 80 percent of assessments.

• By the end of the semester, the student will use reminders or checklists to track deadlines in 4 out of 5 school weeks.

• Within three months, the student will take notes using a structured system and apply these notes during assignments in 80 percent of opportunities.

• Within one quarter, the student will summarize key information from lectures or readings in 4 out of 5 assignments.

• Over the next semester, the student will review and adjust study strategies based on teacher feedback in 80 percent of opportunities.

Self-Advocacy, Transition, and Independence

• Within one semester, the student will explain needed accommodations to at least two teachers in their own words, as documented by staff.

• Within 18 weeks, the student will complete one real-world planning task, such as emailing about a job, scheduling an appointment, or organizing college materials, in 3 out of 4 opportunities.

• By the end of the school year, the student will identify one postsecondary goal and three action steps and track progress in 80 percent of monthly check-ins.

• Within one quarter, the student will ask for clarification when instructions are unclear in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

• Within 12 weeks, the student will self-advocate for extended time, breaks, or organization help in 80 percent of identified situations.

Growing Independence, One Step at a Time

Executive functioning skills grow slowly and steadily, and the progress is often quiet before it becomes visible. A student starts using their planner without reminders. They stay engaged for a little longer. They manage a tough moment with a coping tool instead of shutting down. These small steps add up, and over time, they become confidence, consistency, and real independence.

When teams write grade-level IEP goals that reflect a student’s developmental stage, school routines, and unique needs, the growth becomes easier to support and easier to see. It also helps everyone work from the same playbook, whether the student is learning how to pack a backpack in second grade or manage deadlines in tenth.

If you want more tools that make this process easier, Lighthouse Therapy offers several goal banks that pair well with this one. Check out our full IEP goal bank archive here. 

Our clinicians work with teams across the country to build strong, practical IEPs and provide high-quality virtual services that help students grow in ways that feel meaningful. If your district could use extra support, guidance, or partnership in this work, we would love to connect.

Every student can strengthen their executive functioning skills with the right teaching, the right routines, and the right supports. With clear goals and steady collaboration, we can help students move toward greater independence one step at a time.