Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance

The Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) section of the IEP forms the foundation for developing IEP programs & services and includes the following components:

1.      Sources of information utilized to develop an IEP – Input from all mandated IEP participants is critical. Therefore, in preparation for the IEP meeting, parents, current teachers, related service providers, and others who know the child should complete an IEP Planner to ensure that a well-rounded picture of the whole child is available at the IEP meeting.  In addition, class work, homework, projects, teacher-made tests, district assessments and statewide assessments, quarterly report cards, NTU's CPI Checklists, special education evaluations and reports, discipline incidents, attendance records, and other cumulative records are all connected to the student’s participation and progress in the general education curriculum and program. 

2.      Concerns of the parent for enhancing the education of his/her child - The parent is in a unique position to discuss the:

a.       Child’s strengths, interests, and preferences so they can help facilitate his/her participation in the general curriculum & program(s);

b.      Child’s communication methods and effective communication strategies to work with the child

c.       History of the child’s disability and how it has impacted his/her participation in the general education curriculum & program(s); and

d.      Strategies for learning and positive behaviors that are effective or ineffective at home.

3.      The student's strengths, weaknesses, and needs related to the general education curriculum and programs such as:

a.       The Core Curriculum Content Standards (CCCS) and Cumulative Progress Indicators (CPI)). NCLB’s definition of Core Academic Subjects and each state’s CCCS have broadened our perspective of the general education curriculum and program. Consequently, the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and needs identified in the PLAAFP should be related to these general education curriculum and programs.

b.      Performance on NCLB-mandated assessments, including performance in the various content areas (e.g., reading, writing, math, and specific skills in each subject) and formats (e.g., multiple choice questions and open-ended questions, including rubrics, speed, and length/duration of tasks);

c.   Performance on district assessments, teacher-made tests, classroom participation, homework, and report cards.

c.       Instructional strategies that have been effective or ineffective in helping the student gain access to and progress in the general education curriculum and program. These strategies can lead directly to instructional modifications and supplemental aids and services on the IEP.

d.      Student's interests and preferences related to the general education curriculum and program, which can be utilized instructionally and programmatically to motivate the student in the general education curriculum and to identify supplemental aids and services to address IEP goals.

e.       Special factors, such as behavior that impedes participation and progress in the general education curriculum and program, as well as services (e.g., related services, AT, etc,) that can facilitate participation and progress in the general education curriculum and program. 

Once the PLAAFP section is developed, the rest of the IEP delineates the student’s goals and objectives and the special education program(s), resources, and services the student requires that address his/her educational needs/weaknesses. The student’s strengths, noted in the PLAAFP section, can be utilized instructionally and programmatically to motivate the student and to identify supplemental aids and services to address IEP goals.