PLAAFP
Also: Present Levels, Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance
The section of an IEP that describes what a student currently knows and can do — the baseline from which annual goals are written.
The Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP, sometimes just "present levels") section of an IEP is the narrative foundation of the entire document. It describes the student's current performance in academic areas (reading, writing, math), functional areas (communication, social-emotional, adaptive behavior, motor skills), and how the disability affects involvement and progress in the general curriculum.
A strong PLAAFP is specific and data-driven. It cites current assessment scores, classroom work samples, progress-monitoring data from the previous IEP, and observations. Every annual goal in the IEP must connect back to a need identified in the PLAAFP — if the PLAAFP does not document a need, the goal is not defensible.
PLAAFPs are updated annually at the IEP review meeting and substantially rewritten at the triennial re-evaluation.
Related terms
- IEPA legally binding written plan for a student with a disability that spells out the specialized instruction and services the school will provide.
- Annual ReviewThe once-per-year IEP meeting where the team reviews progress and updates the plan.
- Re-evaluationThe re-assessment every three years (or sooner if needed) that confirms a student still qualifies for special education.
- Progress MonitoringThe ongoing measurement of a student's progress toward IEP goals, used to decide whether instruction is working.
Managing PLAAFP day-to-day?
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