Once it is determined that a child is eligible to receive special education services, the team will develop the IEP. One of the first steps in this process is to update the child’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP, in Ohio, also known as the Present Levels of Performance or PLOP).

The PLOP serves as a starting point, or baseline, for the coming year’s IEP. The PLOP describes the child’s current abilities and skills, and weaknesses and strengths — academically, socially, and physically. It explains how learning differences affect the child’s ability to access and progress in the general education curriculum. It must indicate the child’s current academic and functional levels compared to expected grade-level standards in order to provide a frame of reference. It also explains how the child handles academic subjects and everyday functional activities.

To write the PLOP, the IEP team draws information from several sources. They should include teacher observations and objective data, such as test results and scores. From the collected baseline data, the IEP team develops the IEP’s measurable annual goals. For instance, if the PLOP says a student has difficulty with decoding, then the IEP should have a goal that addresses the issue. All performance levels must be described in measurable terms of growth using the same conditions and behaviors as the goal it is aligned with.

It is important that the PLOP not be simply copied “as is” from one year’s IEP to the next. As kids mature and master skills, or as their work becomes more challenging, their performance and needs will change.