When writing an IEP, it is important to consider your student’s present levels of academic and functional performance (PLAFP). This includes a student’s approximate grade-level performance, as well as a more detailed summary of specific skills that a student can and cannot accomplish. Present levels should serve as a good source of information for both parents and other teachers.
When we carefully consider a student’s present levels, we ensure that the IEP goals, accommodations, and/or modifications, as well as service time, are appropriate for that student. Additionally, if you are doing an IEP toward the end of the year, the present levels will help to guide instruction for the following year’s teacher. So, what should be included in your present levels? Let’s take a look at some common goal areas and what should be included in the description of the present levels.
Depending on grade level, a phonics present level should include the following:
A clear summary should be included in the present level, answering the questions found above.
When assessing for reading comprehension, a summary of how the student does with the following skills (depending on grade level), should be included.
Check out this short snippet from one of the trainings inside of TII membership about present levels:
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Math present levels depend more on the grade level of the student. Students should be assessed on a variety of skills, beginning on their current grade level, then working backwards if necessary. Once a grade level has been established, the skills associated with that grade level’s standards should be summarized, as to what the student can and cannot do.
Like math, writing skills vary depending on grade level. However, some good skills to summarize in a present level include:
You’ve got all the information you need to put in the present level – but now what? If you’re unsure about how to put all of these pieces together to create a well-written present level, let The Intentional IEP help. As a member, you can get access to the resources shown above giving you language to help create that present level. Join here or click the image above.
An example of a well-written present level for reading comprehension is as follows:
“Stephanie was given a Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI) on March 3, 2022. She read a passage at the second grade level in XXX minutes, which makes her fluency rate 59 words per minute. The benchmark fluency rate for 2nd grade is XX words per minute. She had 17 miscues in the passage, mostly with proper nouns and multisyllabic words. Stephanie answered 2 out of 4 explicit questions correctly and 1 out of 4 inferential questions correctly. Stephanie was able to identify characters and the setting but struggled to sequence events. She was able to explain how a character was feeling but was unable to tell why they felt that way.”
Well-written present levels can help to ensure that IEP goals are appropriate and that appropriate accommodations are put into place. They can also be great sources of information for a teacher who is unfamiliar with the child. Summarizing the skills that a student can and cannot do will assist everyone in planning instruction!
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