Illinois IEP Transition Goals: Examples for Employment, Education, and Independent Living

What Makes a Transition Goal Compliant in Illinois

Starting at age 14½, every IEP in Illinois must include measurable postsecondary goals in three domains: post-school employment, post-school education or training, and independent living.

ISBE Indicator 13 compliance checks verify that each goal meets specific criteria: the goal must be based on age-appropriate transition assessment data, it must use the word "will" (not "plans to," "hopes to," or "may"), and it must be connected to transition services written into the IEP.

A goal that says "John plans to get a job after high school" fails compliance. A goal that says "John will work part-time in competitive, integrated food service employment" passes — it states a measurable outcome in definitive language.

Employment Goal Examples

Employment goals should name the type of work, the setting, and the level of integration. Avoid generic statements like "will be employed in the community."

Entry-level competitive employment: "After completing high school, Maria will work at least 15 hours per week in competitive, integrated retail or food service employment with natural workplace supports."

Supported employment: "After exiting the transition program, David will maintain part-time competitive employment in warehouse logistics with job coaching support through the Division of Rehabilitation Services Supported Employment Program."

Customized employment: "After completing the 18-to-22 transition program, Alex will work in a customized clerical position negotiated through the DRS Discovery Process, performing data entry and filing tasks matched to their processing strengths."

Each of these connects to specific transition services: vocational assessment, work-based learning placements, STEP or Pre-ETS enrollment, DRS referral for an Individualized Plan for Employment.

Education and Training Goal Examples

Education goals cover postsecondary schooling, vocational training, and certificate programs — not high school coursework.

Community college: "After graduating, Sarah will enroll in the culinary arts certificate program at a community college, utilizing disability services accommodations for extended testing and note-taking support."

Vocational training: "After completing transition services, Marcus will complete a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training program through an ISBE-recognized vocational school."

Job-specific certification: "After exiting the transition program, Priya will complete a forklift operator certification and a workplace safety certificate through a Community Rehabilitation Program."

These goals should connect to IEP services like career counseling, Pre-ETS postsecondary enrollment counseling, and college disability documentation preparation (including confirming whether the Summary of Performance is in the permanent record under Public Act 104-0356).

Independent Living Goal Examples

Independent living goals address the practical skills that make employment and community participation sustainable. They cover daily living, community navigation, self-care, financial management, and self-advocacy.

Transportation: "After completing the transition program, Jaylen will independently navigate a fixed-route public transit system to travel between home, work, and community destinations."

Financial management: "By age 20, Elena will independently manage a monthly budget of at least $500, including tracking income from employment and expenses for food, transportation, and personal items, using a budgeting app with initial weekly check-ins reduced to monthly check-ins."

Self-advocacy: "After high school, Amir will independently request reasonable accommodations from employers and service providers by identifying his support needs and communicating them in writing or in person."

Health management: "By age 21, Destiny will independently manage her daily medication schedule, recognize when to contact her physician, and schedule and attend medical appointments without parental assistance."

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Conditional language. "Plans to," "hopes to," "may pursue" — these all fail Indicator 13. Use "will."

Goals disconnected from assessments. Every postsecondary goal must trace back to a specific transition assessment finding. If the goal says the student will work in food service but no assessment evaluated food service interest or aptitude, the connection is missing.

Missing transition services. A goal without corresponding services is an aspiration, not a plan. The IEP must specify what the district will do to help the student reach each postsecondary goal — and who is responsible for delivering each service.

Too vague. "Will live independently" is not measurable. "Will manage daily meal preparation, personal hygiene, and laundry in a supervised apartment setting with weekly check-ins from a support coordinator" is.

The Illinois IEP Transition to Adulthood Guide includes a goal-writing framework with additional examples across all three domains, the assessment-to-goal connection checklist, and the transition services that should accompany each goal type.

See more Illinois guides →