50 Task Initiation IEP Goals

Task initiation is such a struggle for me. I get these weird mental blocks about things. I know it drives some of the people who work with me crazy. I really empathize with my ADHD clients who struggle with this too. Because I get it. It’s not about more prompts or more people telling me to do the thing. It’s that I’m overwhelmed with how to start the task.

Remember, an IEP goal for something is just the start–they also need to be taught the skill. I have Teaching Strategies for Task Initiation that you can add to your IEP as appropriate.

Task Initiation vs. Task Avoidance

Many students who struggle with task initiation also show task avoidance.

• Task initiation = can’t start
• Task avoidance = won’t start (often because of overwhelm, anxiety, or skill gaps)

But avoidance is often a response to something:

• the task feels too big
• they don’t know where to start
• they’re afraid of getting it wrong

So what looks like avoidance is often a task initiation deficit underneath. I guess what I’m saying here–if you treat task avoidance as a behavior, and there is an underlying task initiation issue, it won’t improve long term.

Include task avoidance for context in present levels, not as the target skill. Because if you focus on “avoidance,” teams tend to go behavioral. If you focus on “initiation,” you’re much more likely to get goals, instruction and supports. The whole “can’t vs won’t” philosophy of IEP students.

And definitely avoid IEP goals like: “Student will reduce task avoidance…” That’s vague and not measurable in a meaningful way.

Task Initiation IEP Goals

Most of the students I’ve had as clients, who struggle with this, had autism or ADHD. Executive functioning is the brain’s way of planning, focusing, remembering, and multitasking.

Here are examples of IEP goals for task initiation.

1. Task initiation for classroom assignments: Student will initiate and complete ___ out of ___ assigned classroom tasks within ___ minutes of instruction with ___% accuracy.
2. Task initiation for personal hygiene: Student will initiate and complete daily personal hygiene tasks (e.g., brushing teeth, washing hands) within ___ minutes of prompting with ___% accuracy.
3. Task initiation for homework completion: Student will initiate and complete homework assignments within ___ minutes of starting time on ___ out of ___ days per week.
4. Task initiation for peer interaction: Student will initiate social interactions with peers during unstructured time in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
5. Task initiation during transitions: Student will initiate transition to the next activity within ___ minutes with no more than ___ prompts in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
6. Task initiation for self-advocacy: Student will initiate self-advocacy (e.g., asking for help, requesting clarification) in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
7. Task initiation for household routines: Student will initiate and complete assigned household tasks within ___ minutes on ___ out of ___ days.
8. Task initiation for independent routines: Student will initiate a daily routine (e.g., morning or evening routine) with no more than ___ prompts on ___ out of ___ days.
9. Task initiation for problem-solving tasks: Student will initiate problem-solving tasks within ___ minutes of presentation in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
10. Task initiation for vocational tasks: Student will initiate and complete assigned vocational tasks within ___ minutes with ___% accuracy.
11. Task initiation with reduced prompting: Student will initiate assigned tasks with no more than ___ prompts in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
12. Task initiation within a time frame: Student will begin assigned tasks within ___ minutes of instruction in ___ out of ___ trials.
13. Task initiation using a checklist: Student will use a checklist to initiate tasks independently in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
14. Task initiation following directions: Student will initiate tasks after receiving directions without additional prompting in ___ out of ___ trials.
15. Task initiation for multi-step tasks: Student will initiate the first step of a multi-step task within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
16. Task initiation during independent work: Student will initiate independent work periods within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
17. Task initiation after breaks: Student will initiate tasks following a break within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
18. Task initiation with visual supports: Student will initiate tasks using visual supports within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ trials.
19. Task initiation for written assignments: Student will begin written assignments within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
20. Task initiation for reading tasks: Student will begin reading tasks within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
21. Task initiation for group work: Student will initiate participation in group tasks in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
22. Task initiation for test-taking: Student will begin test or quiz tasks within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
23. Task initiation across settings: Student will initiate tasks across ___ different settings with no more than ___ prompts in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
24. Task initiation with self-monitoring: Student will use a self-monitoring strategy to initiate tasks in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
25. Task initiation after receiving materials: Student will initiate tasks after receiving materials within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ trials.
26. Task initiation for preferred vs non-preferred tasks: Student will initiate non-preferred tasks within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
27. Task initiation with verbal cue fading: Student will initiate tasks as verbal prompts are faded to no more than ___ prompts in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
28. Task initiation for organization tasks: Student will initiate organization tasks (e.g., gathering materials) within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
29. Task initiation using planner: Student will use a planner to identify and initiate tasks independently in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
30. Task initiation for long-term assignments: Student will initiate long-term assignments by completing the first step within ___ days of assignment in ___ out of ___ opportunities.

Elementary IEP Goals for Task Initiation (Early Skill Building)

These goals should be more focused on skill building.

1. Task initiation for simple classroom tasks: Student will initiate assigned classroom tasks within ___ minutes of instruction with no more than ___ prompts in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
2. Task initiation for routines: Student will initiate daily classroom routines (e.g., unpacking, morning work) within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ trials.
3. Task initiation with visual supports: Student will initiate tasks using visual cues or schedules within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
4. Task initiation for transitions: Student will begin transitioning to the next activity within ___ minutes with no more than ___ prompts in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
5. Task initiation for basic self-help tasks: Student will initiate self-help tasks (e.g., handwashing, packing up) within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ trials.

Middle School (Increasing Independence)

1. Task initiation for independent work: Student will initiate independent work within ___ minutes of instruction with no more than ___ prompts in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
2. Task initiation for multi-step assignments: Student will initiate the first step of a multi-step task within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ trials.
3. Task initiation using a checklist: Student will use a checklist to initiate and begin tasks independently in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
4. Task initiation after breaks: Student will initiate tasks within ___ minutes following a break in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
5. Task initiation for non-preferred tasks: Student will initiate non-preferred tasks within ___ minutes with no more than ___ prompts in ___ out of ___ trials.

High School (Real-World + Executive Functioning)

1. Task initiation for long-term assignments: Student will initiate long-term assignments by completing the first step within ___ days of assignment in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
2. Task initiation using planner or schedule: Student will use a planner or digital tool to identify and initiate tasks independently in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
3. Task initiation across settings: Student will initiate tasks across ___ settings (e.g., classes, home, community) with no more than ___ prompts in ___ out of ___ trials.
4. Task initiation for vocational tasks: Student will initiate assigned vocational or job-related tasks within ___ minutes in ___ out of ___ opportunities.
5. Task initiation for self-advocacy: Student will initiate requests for help or clarification within ___ minutes of need in ___ out of ___ opportunities.