How to gather baseline data

Before a team can set goals and plan for instruction, they need to establish the baseline on skills related to the specific educational needs described in the ETR. First, the team needs to define the targeted skill the student will achieve and define it in measurable and observable terms. They then must determine what measures the skill and collect the baseline.

The team needs to be aware of various methods and types of assessments in order to ensure that quality baseline data is gathered. The baseline data in the PLOP will be the foundation of the annual IEP Goal. It can also determine the method of progress monitoring of the goal for the duration of the IEP. Different assessment methods are best suited to different needs so it is critical to identify an assessment method that accurately measures the targeted skill. For example, if the child needs to develop skills in oral reading fluency, the team needs to measure words read correctly per minute on a timed grade-level passage.

Annual goals are required in areas that are directly affected by the student’s disability according to the needs from the ETR. There must be a direct relationship between the annual goal and the PLOP. All performance levels must be described in measurable terms of growth using the same conditions and behaviors as the goal it is aligned with. Data needs to be current and contain multiple data points