When it comes to creating an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for your child, one of the most critical components is the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance, or PLAAFP statement. This might sound like a mouthful, but don’t worry—I’m here to break it down for you in a way that’s simple and easy to understand.
Think of the PLAAFP as the foundation of your child’s IEP. It provides a snapshot of where your child is right now, highlighting their strengths, needs, and how their disability affects their involvement in the general education curriculum. Everything in the IEP—goals, services, accommodations—builds from the PLAAFP.
Let’s review what makes up a solid PLAAFP statement and why it’s so important.
What is the PLAAFP Statement?
The PLAAFP statement is a detailed overview that provides insight into your child’s current academic and functional needs. Here’s what it typically includes:
- Your Child’s Strengths: Every child has unique strengths, and the PLAAFP captures what your child does well. This could be anything from excelling in math to having a great memory or even showing exceptional social skills. Recognizing these strengths is important because they can be used to help address areas where your child might need more support.
- Main Areas of Concern: These are the areas where your child may be facing challenges, either academically or functionally. It’s essential to relate these concerns to district or state standards and benchmarks. For example, if your child struggles with reading, how does this impact their ability to meet grade-level expectations? Understanding these connections helps to tailor the IEP to address your child’s unique needs.
- Parent Concerns: Your input is invaluable! What are your concerns or priorities for your child’s education? Maybe you’re worried about social skills or want to focus more on preparing for life after high school. Including your concerns ensures that the IEP addresses what’s most important to you and your family.
- Your Child’s Instructional Preferences: Some children learn better with visual aids, while others might benefit from hands-on activities. Knowing how your child learns best can make a big difference in their educational experience.
- Evaluation Results: This includes information from standardized tests, progress monitoring data, and any other evaluations that provide insight into your child’s current abilities. These results give a clear picture of where your child stands and help to identify areas that need attention.
- Using Strengths to Address Concerns: A great PLAAFP statement doesn’t just list strengths and needs separately—it connects them. How can your child’s strengths be used to help improve areas of concern? For example, if your child is good at working with computers, this strength might be used to support their reading skills through educational software.
How Does Your Child's Disability Affect Progress in General Education?
Another critical part of the PLAAFP is understanding how your child’s disability affects their involvement in the general education curriculum. Here are some key questions to consider:
- Involvement: How does the disability affect your child’s participation in general education activities?
- Access: Are there barriers that prevent your child from accessing the curriculum in the same way as their peers?
- Progress: How does the disability impact your child’s ability to make progress in their educational goals?
Addressing these questions helps to ensure that the IEP provides the right supports and accommodations so your child can be successful in the general education environment.
Baseline Information: Setting the Stage for Success
Baseline data is the starting point for monitoring your child’s progress. Baseline data should be focused on identifying specific areas where your child’s performance is not aligned with grade-level expectations. This includes academic skills that need improvement, as well as any behavioral or social barriers that may be interfering with learning.
By pinpointing these gaps, baseline data provides a clear understanding of what is currently challenging for your child and sets the stage for targeted intervention. It also highlights the specific skills and behaviors that need support, ensuring the IEP addresses the unique barriers to your child’s success and helps them make meaningful progress.
Data should be:
- Specific: Clearly define what is being measured.
- Objective: Use unbiased methods to collect data.
- Measurable: Use data that can be quantified.
- Frequent: Collect data regularly to track progress.
It’s also important that this data directly relates to the areas of concern identified in the PLAAFP and aligns with state content standards. Accurate baseline information helps in setting realistic and achievable goals.
Connecting PLAAFP to Goals and Services
The PLAAFP is more than just a report—it’s the bridge to creating meaningful and measurable annual goals for your child. By thoroughly understanding your child’s present levels, you can develop goals that are challenging yet achievable. This, in turn, informs the special education services, related services, accommodations, and program modifications your child will receive.
When reviewing the PLAAFP, ask yourself:
- Do we have enough information to develop specific, ambitious goals?
- Do we know what services and supports will help my child reach these goals?
A well-written PLAAFP statement provides the foundation for making informed decisions that will guide your child’s education and ensure their needs are being met.
Why Reviewing the PLAAFP Before the ARD Meeting Matters
Getting a copy of the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) statement before the ARD meeting is really important. The PLAAFP gives you a clear picture of your child’s current strengths, areas where they need help, and how their disability affects their learning.
By reading this information ahead of time, you can better understand where your child is at right now. This helps you come to the meeting with any questions or ideas ready to go. It also gives you a chance to reach out to the school team before the meeting if you have concerns or need clarification. Working together with the team before the ARD meeting ensures everyone is on the same page and helps create a more supportive and effective IEP.
When you’re prepared, you can actively participate in the meeting and make sure your child’s IEP truly meets their needs. Reviewing the PLAAFP beforehand makes the ARD meeting more productive and ensures your child gets the right help to succeed.
Final Thoughts
The PLAAFP statement is the cornerstone of your child’s IEP. It provides a comprehensive view of their current abilities and needs, shaping all the other decisions made in the IEP process. By understanding and participating in the development of the PLAAFP, you’re advocating for your child’s success, ensuring they have the support they need to thrive in school and beyond. Always remember, your insights as a parent are invaluable—don’t hesitate to share your thoughts and concerns to help build the best educational plan for your child.
More from the PLAAFP guide:
Role of Testing in the PLAAFP: Learn how standardized tests and other assessments provide a snapshot of your child’s strengths and challenges.
Data in the PLAAFP: Explore the various ways data is gathered, from teacher observations to parent input, and how it supports the PLAAFP.
Translating Data into Action: Understand how raw test scores and data points are transformed into actionable goals and interventions in the PLAAFP.
Review for Quality: Tips on how to review and question the data to ensure it truly reflects your child’s needs and abilities.
