Strategies for Building Strong and Compliant IEPs

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Strategies for Building Strong and Compliant IEPs

• Generating Statements of Present Level of
  Academic Achievement Functional Performance

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Acknowledgements

• Some of the material in this presentation is
• from
• IDEA 2004 and accompanying regulations
• NICHCYs Building the Legacy A Training
  Curriculum on IDEA 2004

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Advance organizer

• Examine the law
• Discuss how to implement the law
• Practices
• Documentation
• Engage in practice activities
• Review next steps

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The Rationale
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What is the purpose and intent of a PLAAFP?

• To identify and prioritize the specific needs of
  a child and establish baseline performance in the
  general education curriculum so that an
  individualized and meaningful plan can be
  developed. (www.kansped.org)
• The PLAAFP is used to build appropriate
  approaches, and/or accommodations or
  modifications to guarantee student involvement
  and progress in the general education curriculum.

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The PLAAFP is the foundation for generating the
rest of the IEP.

• Areas identified in the PLAAFP as areas of need
  must be addressed in one or more of the following
  IEP sections
• Annual goals
• Special education programs and services
• Supplementary aids, services, supports
• Secondary transition services
• The PLAAFP will help determine
• Participation in state- wide assessments, and
• Participation in district-wide assessments

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The Law
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C.F.R. 300.320(a)(1) Definition of
individualized education program, Statement of
child's present level of academic achievement and
functional performance.

• (a) General. As used in this part, the term
  individualized education
• program or IEP means a written statement for each
  child with a
• disability that is developed, reviewed, and
  revised in a meeting
• in accordance with Sec. Sec.  300.320 through
  300.324, and that
• must include--    (1) A statement of the child's
  present levels of
• academic achievement and functional performance,
  including--    (i)
• How the child's disability affects the child's
  involvement and progress
• in the general education curriculum (i.e., the
  same curriculum as for
• nondisabled children) or    (ii) For preschool
  children, as appropriate,
• how the disability affects the child's
  participation in appropriate
• activities

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First, a PLAAFP should include

• A statement of the childs present levels of
  academic achievement and functional performance.

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Academic achievement

• refers to a childs performance in academic
  areas then we are talking about the academic
  subjects a child studies in school and the skills
  the student is expected to master in each
  reading language arts, writing, math and the
  various skills expected there, science, history,
  and so on.
• This documents a very individualized
  conversation, answering the following question
• How is the child performing on academic tasks
  that are affected by his or her disability?

(Rebhorn Kupper, December 2007)
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Functional performance

• refers to those activities or skills that are
  not academic and not related to a childs
  academic achievement, then we are speaking of the
  skills and activities of everyday livingdaily
  living skills such as dressing, eating, going to
  the bathroom social skills such as making
  friends and communicating with others behavior
  skills, such as knowing how to behave across a
  range of settings and mobility skills, such as
  walking, getting around, going up and down
  stairs.
• This documents a very individualized
  conversation, answering the following question
• How is the child performing on functional tasks
  that are affected by his or her disability?

(Rebhorn Kupper, December 2007)
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Second, a PLAAFP should include

• A statement of how the childs disability affects
  the childs involvement and progress in the
  general education curriculum (i.e., the same
  curriculum as for nondisabled children).
• This documents a very individualized
  conversation, answering the following question
• How does the childs disability affect his or her
  participation and progress in the general
  education curriculum?

(Rebhorn Kupper, December 2007)
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And, for preschool children, as appropriate, a
PLAAFP should include

• A statement of how the disability affects the
  childs participation in appropriate activities.
• Appropriate activities refers to preschool
  activities including basic learning skills such
  as using scissors, coloring, grouping things,
  learning letters, playing games.
• This documents a very individualized
  conversation, answering the following question
• How does the childs disability affect his or her
  participation and success in the preschool
  environment?

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Documenting PLAAFP Requirements
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Use the IEP form to guide your practices and meet
requirements of the law

• On the RECIX IEP Form this information will be
  documented in the following sections
• Present Levels of Academic Achievement
• Present Levels of Functional Performance

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Suggested criteria for PLAAFP Describing
current performance

• Narrative summary
• State students area of disability/instructional
  focus.
• Describe what the student can and cannot do in
  this area at this time.
• Identify students relevant strengths in this
  area.
• Identify students relevant needs that will lead
  to educational impact.
• Describe academic, non-curricular, and functional
  issues to generate a picture of the whole child
  (e.g., reading skills, absenteeism, communication
  skills).
• Consider student interests and preferences.
• Note special factors that influence participation
  and progress (e.g., behavior).
• Note of special education and related services,
  accommodations and/or program modifications or
  supplementary aids and services provided in the
  past year that have been effective or not
  effective in supporting student participation and
  progress.

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Suggested criteria for PLAAFP Describing
current performance, continued

• Baseline data
• Statements above are supported by data obtained
  from a variety of sources.
• Special emphasis is on inclusion of parent and
  student voice.
• Must include baseline data that is specific,
  measurable and objective terms for each area that
  will be targeted through a measurable goal.

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Suggested criteria for PLAAFP Impact of
disability and educational need

• Statement of how disability impacts involvement
  and progress in the general education curriculum.
• Statement of how identified needs affect
  students participation and progress in the
  general education curriculum, or for a preschool
  student participation and success in age
  appropriate activities.
• Description of areas of educational need.
• Statement of current barriers to demonstrating
  mastery with NM State Standards and Benchmarks.
• Description of the areas of educational need
  requiring specialized instruction.

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Suggested criteria for PLAAFP General
Considerations

• Information documented in PLAAFPs needs to be
• Objective
• Relevant
• Current
• Representative of a variety of sources
• Reflective of a variety of voices

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Examples of statements one might write in a PLAAFP

• Elise is essentially non-verbal and uses many
  ways to communicate including gestures, facial
  expression, eye gaze, vocalizations, word
  approximations, head nods for yes, head shakes
  for no, and use of a Dynavox 3100 augmentative
  communication device which she accesses with a
  head switch.
• Lawrence needs a quiet, separate place to do
  individual work.
• Terri learns quickly when working in a small
  group.
• Zung understands and remembers what he hears
  about a subject. Learning by reading or looking
  at pictures is difficult for him and doesnt work
  as well.
• Kim imitates other children and learns from them.

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Examples of statements one might write in a
PLAAFP, continued

• Results of standardized testing using the
  Woodcock-Johnson Revised (WJ-R) show Marios
  basic reading skills are at a beginning-4th grade
  level (standard score 89). His basic writing
  skills are at a 3.7 grade level (standard score
  81).
• Davids performance in basic reading and writing
  is significantly below his ability. David makes
  errors when he reads and has trouble decoding
  long words, but his comprehension skills are
  strong. He uses context cues and picture cues to
  help him understand what he is reading.
• Sources for these examples of present levels
  come fromAnderson, W., Chitwood, S., Hayden,
  D. (1997). Negotiating the special education
  maze A guide for parents and teachers. (3rd
  ed.). Bethesda, MD Woodbine House.Rebhorn, T.
  (2002). Developing your childs IEP. A Parents
  Guide, 12, 1-28. (Available online at
  http//www.nichcy.org/pubs/parent/pa12txt.htm)

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Examples statements one might write in a
preschool PLAAFP

• Dayton prefers to play in isolation and becomes
  upset (e.g., cries and hits others) when another
  child comes too close. As a result his peer
  interactions at playtime are limited.
• Damiens attention problems result in failure to
  follow the teachers directions, talking out of
  turn and responding inappropriately during group
  activities.
• New York State Education Department. (2005,
  December). Sample individualized education
  program (IEP) and guidance document. Retrieved
  December 11, 2007, from http//www.vesid.nysed.gov
  /specialed/publications/policy/iep/presentlevels.h
  tm

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Sources of information

• Want to create a well rounded picture of the
  whole child and so will need input from parents,
  current teachers, related service providers, and
  the student.
• Input from all members of the IEP team is
  critical.

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Possible data sources

• class work
• homework
• projects
• teacher-made tests
• teacher reports
• district assessments
• statewide assessments

• report cards
• attendance records
• discipline reports
• results of initial or most recent evaluation
• student surveys/interviews
• parent interviews

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Activity Exploring Example PLAAFPs

• Individually read through an example for the
  RECIX PLAAFP Example document.
• Consider,
• What do you notice?

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Practice Activities
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Activity Reviewing PLAAFPs

• Work individually, in a pair or in a small group.
• Using the provided criteria and the PLAAFP Review
  Worksheet, review a PLAAFP in an IEP from your
  school and document your findings and suggestions
  on the form.
• Be prepared to share your impressions with others
  and to turn in your worksheet.

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Activity Writing PLAAFPs

• Work in a pair or a small group.
• Using the provided criteria and the Writing a
  PLAAFP Worksheet, write a PLAAFP for a student
  you know well. Then use the criteria provided to
  assess the completeness of you PLAAFP.
• Be prepared to share your impressions with others
  and to turn in your worksheet.

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Next Steps
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The challenge

• Use new skills in future IEP meetings!
• Remember it is all about doing and documenting
• what is best for students, and
• what supports positive outcomes.

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What questions do you have?
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For additional support contact

• RECIX
• 575.257.2368

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Wrapping it up

• Please complete the evaluation form and return to
  the RECIX office.
• Thank you!