Postsecondary goals are where transition planning most often goes wrong on paper. A vague "the student will be successful after high school" satisfies no one — it can't be measured, it doesn't guide the IEP, and it's a reliable compliance finding. Done right, postsecondary goals describe exactly where a student is headed after they leave school and become the anchor every transition service and annual goal points toward. Here's how to write them, with examples in each required area.
What a postsecondary goal is
A postsecondary goal is a measurable statement about what a student will do after they leave high school — not during it. That distinction trips teams up constantly: "the student will apply to college" is something that happens in high school, so it's not a postsecondary goal. "After graduation, the student will enroll in a community college program" describes life after school, so it is. Postsecondary goals are required in education or training and employment, and in independent living where appropriate, and they must be based on age-appropriate transition assessment.
The formula
A solid postsecondary goal follows a consistent frame: After [graduation/leaving high school], [student] will [measurable outcome in education, employment, or independent living]. The phrase "after high school" anchors it in the future, and the outcome has to be observable — something you could verify happened.
- Weak: The student hopes to get a good job.
- Strong: After graduation, Marcus will work part-time in an automotive service setting.
Education and training examples
- After high school, Ava will enroll in the welding certificate program at the community college.
- After graduation, Devon will participate in a supported postsecondary program focused on vocational and independent living skills.
- Upon completing high school, Priya will enroll in a four-year university to study early childhood education.
Note the range — postsecondary education includes certificate programs, vocational training, and supported programs, not just traditional college. Match it to the student's actual assessment-based aspirations.
Employment examples
- After high school, Marcus will work part-time in a retail or warehouse setting.
- After graduation, Lena will be competitively employed as a veterinary assistant.
- Upon leaving school, Eli will work in a supported employment setting with a job coach.
Employment goals should reflect the student's interests and the support level the assessment indicates — competitive, supported, or customized employment are all legitimate targets.
Independent living examples
Independent living goals are required when appropriate — generally for students whose needs extend to daily living:
- After high school, Devon will live in a supported apartment and use public transportation independently.
- After graduation, Priya will manage a personal budget and her own daily schedule with periodic check-ins.
Build the IEP backward from the goals
The reason measurable postsecondary goals matter so much is that everything else in the transition IEP flows from them. Once you know a student is headed toward the welding program, the course of study includes relevant CTE classes, the transition services include a campus visit and self-advocacy instruction, and the annual goals target the prerequisite skills. Reviewers literally check this alignment — does the rest of the IEP plausibly lead to these postsecondary goals? Write the postsecondary goals first, ground them in real transition assessment, and let them drive the plan. When they're an afterthought instead of the anchor, the whole transition section reads as the checkbox it became.