Oregon Measurable Postsecondary Goals: IEP Examples and Assessment Guide

Why Postsecondary Goals Fail ODE Review

Oregon's compliance monitoring catches the same problems repeatedly: postsecondary goals that describe a process instead of an outcome. "The student will explore career interests" is a process. "After exiting high school, the student will work in a paid, competitive position in food service" is an outcome you can verify — either it happened or it didn't.

ODE requires postsecondary goals in at least two domains for every transition-age student: education/training and employment. Independent living goals are required when the IEP team determines they're appropriate, which for most students with significant support needs means they should be included.

Each goal must be based on an age-appropriate transition assessment. That's the other common compliance failure — goals that appear to come from nowhere, with no documented assessment connecting the student's interests, strengths, and support needs to the stated outcome.

What "Measurable" Actually Means

A measurable postsecondary goal describes a specific adult outcome in clear enough terms that an observer could determine whether the student achieved it after leaving school. The test ODE applies is straightforward: can this goal be measured as achieved or not achieved?

Fails the test: "The student will pursue further education after high school." Passes the test: "After exiting high school, the student will complete a certificate program in automotive technology at a community college."

Fails the test: "The student will live as independently as possible." Passes the test: "After exiting high school, the student will manage daily meal preparation, laundry, and personal hygiene in a supported living arrangement with no more than weekly staff check-ins."

The specificity isn't about predicting the future perfectly — it's about establishing a target the IEP team can design transition services around.

Examples by Domain

Education and Training Goals

• "After exiting high school, the student will enroll in a two-year associate degree program in computer information systems."
• "After exiting high school, the student will complete a vocational certificate program through Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation in partnership with a local employer."
• "After exiting high school, the student will attend a community-based skills training program through their Support Services Brokerage."

Employment Goals

• "After exiting high school, the student will work in a paid, competitive integrated employment position for at least 15 hours per week with job coaching support."
• "After exiting high school, the student will obtain a customized employment position in a retail setting, supported by Pre-ETS workplace readiness training."
• "After exiting high school, the student will operate a self-employment microenterprise with business planning support through Oregon VR."

Independent Living Goals

• "After exiting high school, the student will use public transit independently to commute to work and community activities."
• "After exiting high school, the student will manage their own daily medication schedule using a pill organizer and phone reminders without staff prompting."
• "After exiting high school, the student will shop for groceries, prepare simple meals, and manage a monthly personal budget with the support of a Personal Support Worker."

How Assessments Drive Goals

Age-appropriate transition assessments must be conducted at regular intervals — not once at 14 and never again. A student's interests, skills, and support needs change significantly between 14 and 21. The assessment should inform the goal, and the goal should be updated when the assessment data changes.

Oregon districts use a combination of formal assessment tools (standardized interest inventories, aptitude tests) and informal methods (situational assessments in real work or community settings, structured interviews, observation-based functional evaluations). The strongest transition plans draw on multiple assessment types rather than relying on a single interest inventory.

If your district hasn't conducted an updated transition assessment before an annual IEP review, request one. OAR 581-015-2200 requires that goals be based on current, age-appropriate data.

The Oregon IEP Transition to Adulthood Guide includes a framework for reviewing and strengthening postsecondary goals across all three domains, with a crosswalk to Oregon-specific services.

See more Oregon guides →