How to Write IEP Transition Goals in Maine: Employment and Independent Living Examples

Goals That Sound Nice But Don't Do Anything

"Student will become more independent." "Student will explore career options." "Student will live independently after graduation."

These appear on IEPs across Maine, and they're useless. MUSER requires postsecondary goals to be measurable — meaning an observer can determine whether the goal was achieved by the time the student exits school. Vague aspirations don't generate transition services because there's nothing specific for the team to implement.

The fix isn't complicated: ground each goal in observable behavior, a specific setting, and a criteria for success.

Employment Goals That Drive Services

A measurable employment goal names the type of work, the setting, and the metric:

"After exiting school, [student] will work at least 15 hours per week in a community-based food service position with job coaching support no more than twice per week."

This goal does three things: it tells the IEP team that the student needs community-based work experiences during school (not just classroom job simulations), it supports a DVR referral for Pre-ETS and eventually an Individualized Plan for Employment, and it establishes that ongoing job coaching will be needed — which means OADS waiver enrollment should be in progress.

Compare that to "student will be employed after high school." That second version doesn't tell anyone what to do.

For students with more significant disabilities, the employment goal might reference customized employment: "After exiting school, [student] will work in a negotiated position matching their demonstrated skills in organizing and sorting tasks, earning at least minimum wage, with extended job coaching funded through MaineCare waiver services."

Independent Living Goals That Prepare for Real Life

Independent living goals should connect directly to the residential plan. If the student will live in a shared living arrangement, the goals should build the skills that shared living requires:

"By the end of the IEP period, [student] will independently prepare three simple meals per week using a visual recipe card, with no more than one verbal prompt per meal."

"By the end of the IEP period, [student] will manage a weekly personal hygiene routine (showering, laundry, grooming) with a checklist but without physical assistance."

If the student will live more independently — in their own apartment with periodic support — the goals need to include money management, transportation, and emergency response:

"By the end of the IEP period, [student] will use a debit card to make purchases under $50, verify the correct change on a receipt, and track weekly spending using a budgeting app with no more than two errors per week."

"By the end of the IEP period, [student] will independently navigate public transit routes between home, work, and one community location using a transit app, completing at least 10 round trips without adult accompaniment."

Education and Training Goals

For students heading to college, the postsecondary goal should name the specific pathway:

"After exiting school, [student] will enroll in the culinary arts certificate program at [community college], utilizing Student Accessibility Services accommodations for extended testing time and note-taking support."

This triggers the IEP team to ensure clinical documentation (WAIS-IV, WIAT-III) is current before graduation, because the college will require it. It also signals that the student needs self-advocacy training to manage their own accommodation requests at the post-secondary level.

For students pursuing vocational training rather than college, the goal might reference a specific DVR-funded program: "After exiting school, [student] will complete a DVR-funded vocational training program in building maintenance and obtain relevant safety certifications."

The Goal Drives the Services — Not the Other Way Around

Parents often feel like the IEP team writes services first and goals second. The legal structure works the opposite way: the postsecondary goal defines what the student is working toward, and the transition services (instruction, community experiences, adult agency linkages) are designed to get them there. If the team proposes a generic goal and pairs it with generic services, push back.

Ask: "What specific instruction will the school provide this year to move toward this goal?" If the team can't answer that, the goal needs to be more specific or the services need to be expanded.

The Maine IEP Transition to Adulthood Guide includes goal-writing worksheets organized by employment, independent living, and education/training domains, with examples calibrated to different disability profiles and post-school settings.

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