Embedded Files
Strengths Statement Related to Goal Area
Strengths Statement Related to Goal Area
Examples such as: "Betsy is a joy to be around," "Johnny loves math class," or "Sally is friendly with peers" are all problematic because they are vague and/or they do not relate to a specific goal area. High-quality strengths statements are skill-focused and conceptualized around a clear scope and sequence for increasing proficiency in the goal area.
For example, if the goal area is written expression and the student exhibits high-frequency spelling errors but their syntax is near grade-level expectations, highlight the latter in a strengths statement. Among other things, this indicates to service providers where the student has been more successful so the service providers can target instruction on the skill components where the student demonstrates greater need.
Examples
Examples
"When engaged in a writing task involving a preferred topic or when he has been provided with a graphic organizer to organize his writing ideas, Anquan typically writes at approximately the same rate that would be expected of a typically developing peer."
"In the area of social awareness, Max appears to demonstrate empathy and perspective taking skills that are typical of non-disabled same-age peers. He responds appropriately to concerns expressed by peers and adults in his classes. During unstructured or apparently preferred activities, Max typically follows instructions quickly and without argument."
Student-Centered Needs Statement Related to Goal Area
Student-Centered Needs Statement Related to Goal Area
Our annual IEP goals identify areas of educational need where the team expects the student to make progress, but it's less meaningful if we never articulate what this progress will do for the student and why it's important (i.e., "XXX needs to increase XXX because...").
If the student has post-secondary transition goals, this is a great opportunity to connect the annual IEP goals ("the steps on the staircase") to their post-secondary goals ("the destination.")
Examples
Examples
"Sally needs to develop greater proficiency in her reading fluency skills because this will help her to access and learn from reading activities in all instructional areas throughout her school day."
"Anquan needs to increase the rate and accuracy of his writing because it will allow him to meaningfully participate in writing activities in core academic classes and elective classes during his school day. Increasing his proficiency in spelling and punctuation skills will also reduce the number of instances throughout his school day where Anquan currently pauses his writing to ask an adult or peer for assistance."
"Max needs to increase his level of proficiency with the skill of following instructions because this will increase his capacity to meaningfully participate in his classes and in routines throughout the school day. Following instructions appropriately throughout his school day will also help Max to build and maintain positive relationships with authority figures in the school setting."
Transition PLAAFP
IDEA 2004 requires that, for students for whom transition data has been collected during an evaluation, the IEP must contain a PLAAFP statement that includes information regarding the students' strengths, preferences, interests, and needs in all areas of transition (i.e., Post Secondary Education & Training, Employment, and Independent Living (which includes Home Living, Recreation & Leisure, and Community Participation)). Further guidance and examples of postsecondary transition PLAAFPs are available on a separate page of Due Process Toolkit.
Specific, Measurable, and Observable Data
Quality documentation here is intertwined with high-quality goal development. Why? Once you have selected an appropriate measurement tool for your annual IEP goal, this section of the PLAAFP is straightforward. You simply (1) describe the measurement tool (e.g., answering the question: "What is an Oral Reading Fluency probe and how does it work?") and indicate your baseline data ("How does the student currently perform using that measurement?").
The PLAAFP must also include the expectation of peers in the general curriculum, expressed in quantitative terms. For example, if you are using a CBM probe, what score would a typically developing same-age peer be expected to obtain? If you are using a rubric for a Low Incidence student, how would a typically developing same-age peer be expected to score on it?
Feel free to include additional data that would support a reader of the IEP in understanding and supporting the student, but ensure that the data is relevant and objective. For example, when writing a PLAAFP for a social-emotional-behavioral goal, it would be relevant and objective to include that, "Johnny left the classroom and processed in the Stop & Think room 23 times in the school's most recent grading period. A majority of these incidents occurred in response to ongoing verbally aggressive behavior toward adults." Less helpful would be a statement such as, "Johnny is often rude toward others."
Examples
Examples
"When presented with an unrehearsed level 4 reading passage with one minute to read, Sally currently reads at a rate of 85 words correct per minute. A non-disabled same-age peer would be expected to read 150 words correct per minute on level 4 reading passages."
"Curriculum Based Measures of writing are an ongoing measure of a student's writing skills. The student is given a partial topic sentence, one minute of think time, and three minutes to write. Scoring procedures measure correct word sequences (CWS), which is defined as two adjacent words that are syntactically and semantically appropriate as well as correctly spelled. At this time, when given a story starter with one minute to think followed by three minutes to write, Anquan has obtained a median score of 8 CWS. The target score for a non-disabled same-age peer would be 22 CWS."
"Max needs to develop greater proficiency in the skill of following instructions. He struggles to generalize the skill, particularly to settings and activities that place heavy demands on his ability to self-regulate his emotions and attention. Observers assess Max's performance of this skill by determining if he (1) Remained silent or said an affirmative word/phrase, such as “Okay." and (2) Without delay, did what he had been instructed to do. On a rating form based on the skill steps listed, designed to assess the rate at which Max performs this skill when presented with opportunities, and completed by all of his classroom teachers, Max currently obtains a rating of 56%. A non-disabled same-age peer would obtain a rating of 85-100%, indicating expected proficiency."
PLAAFP for Areas Where There Is No Identified Special Education Need
IDEA 2004's requirement that the IEP include a statement of the student's Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (34 C.F.R. § 300.320 (a) (1)) has been further clarified by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) to mean that a student's IEP must include a PLAAFP statement in all areas, including those for which the student does not demonstrate the need for special education and related services.
Based on MDE's guidance, the IEP must contain the following:
Based on MDE's guidance, the IEP must contain the following:
A statement describing the student's present levels in the "big three" academic areas: math, reading and writing (if present levels in these areas are not otherwise described in a goal area).
A statement describing the student's present levels in the broad area of functional performance (i.e., "routine activities of everyday living").
Examples:
Examples:
No academic goals in IEP: "Stanley's academic performance is commensurate with his same aged peers."
Academic goals in one or more areas (i.e., reading and writing only): "Stella's academic performance in the area of mathematics is commensurate with her same aged peers."
No functional goals in IEP: "Beth's functional skills are commensurate with her same aged peers."
Tip from the Field: Placeholder Statements
Tip from the Field: Placeholder Statements
A case manager from one of our member districts had a student with goals in math, reading, writing, and functional performance. As such, she did not need to include a PLAAFP for areas of non-need. She was concerned, however, that it would be difficult to remember to add this PLAAFP element if one of the student's IEP goals was dropped (e.g., the student no longer had a reading goal). To address this, she added a placeholder statement on the Present Levels page (e.g., "Bailey currently has goals in the areas of math, reading, writing, and functional performance."). If, at any point in the future, the student's reading goal was dropped, that placeholder statement will remind her to replace it with "Bailey's academic performance in the area of reading is commensurate with her same aged peers." Please note that this is by no means required and is merely a tip from the field.
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