The Individualized Education Program (IEP) Development

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The Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Development
EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN DIVISION

• Present Levels of Academic Achievement and
  Functional Performance (PLAAFP)
• and
• Measurable Annual Goals

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Common Errors in Writing Present Levels and
Annual Goals

• Overreliance on test scores from the initial and
  three-year special education evaluation.
• Vague descriptions on how the disability affects
  involvement and progress in the general education
  curriculum.
• Absence of appropriate baseline data for
  developing the PLAAFP and Annual Goal/s.

Adapted from Delivering IEPs that Stand Up to the
Law and Serve Students Better by Carol Kosnitsky,
Jose Martin, Jan Tomsky.
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Individualized Education Program (IEP)

• 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, and must include

NC 1503-4.1
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Present Levels of Academic Achievement and
Functional Performance (PLAAFP)

• (1) A statement of the childs present
  levels of academic achievement and functional
  performance
• (i) How the childs disability affects
  the childs involvement and progress in the
  general education curriculum or
• (ii) For preschool children, as
  appropriate, how the disability affects the
  childs participation in appropriate activities

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Academic Achievement

• Academic achievement generally refers to a
  childs performance in academic areas (e.g.
  reading, language arts, and math) or
• For preschool children, age appropriate
  developmental levels.

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Functional Performance

• Functional performance generally refers to skills
  or activities that may not be considered academic
  or related to a childs academic achievement.
• Functional is often used in the context of
  routine activities of everyday living and are
  varied depending on the individual needs of the
  child.
• Functional performance can impact educational
  achievement.

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The PLAAFP Must be

• Current
• Relevant
• Objective
• Measurable
• Understandable

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Major Components of PLAAFP

• Data-based student specific information related
  to current academic achievement and functional
  performance.
• Strengths of the student.
• Needs resulting from the disability.
• Effects of the disability on involvement and
  progress in the general education curriculum.

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Data-Based Student Specific Information

• Use objective measurable terms when writing the
  PLAAFP.
• Data from the childs evaluation is one source of
  such information.
• Test scores that are pertinent to the childs
  diagnosis might be included, if appropriate.
• Scores should be self-explanatory. If not, an
  explanation must be included.

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Data-Based Student Specific Information

• Note
• A variety of sources must be documented.
• Current and relevant formal evaluation data
  and/or
• Classroom and curriculum-based assessments
• Observations and supporting anecdotal records,
• Work samples,
• Progress toward last years goals,
• Concerns of parents,
• Students desired school/post-school outcome
  goals, and
• Input from related services providers.

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Strengths of the Student

• Reflect specific skills or behaviors the student
  has mastered.
• Reflect specific skills in which the student
  performs well for the domain or area targeted.

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Needs Resulting from the Disability

• Needs are determined by consideration of
• The important skills and behaviors that are
  critical for the student to learn in order to be
  able to participate and make progress in the
  general curriculum.

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Needs Resulting from the Disability

• Special factors
• Needs are addressed through goals, supports and
  services, and/or accommodations.

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Effects of the Disability

• The PLAAFP
• Describe how the disability impacts the students
  involvement in the general curriculum.
• Convey the unique challenges or barriers that
  exist for the student as a result of the
  disability.
• Describe the current levels of independence and
  any need for assistance.

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The PLAAFP answers

• Where does the child stand in terms of academic
  and functional performance?
• How does the childs disability affect his/her
  involvement and progress in the general
  education curriculum ?

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General Curriculum Expectations/Considerations

• What do I want to know
• state/district standards expectations?
• regular classroom and grade level expectations?
• instructional strategies or approaches used or
  being used in the general classroom?
• social/emotional expectations at this grade
  level?
• extracurricular activities or events a part of
  school life for students at this grade level?

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Connecting IEPs to State/District Standards Means

• Referring to standards to determine expectations
  at grade level
• Using the standards as a guide to determine what
  is important for the student to learn or be able
  to do
• Conducting an analysis to determine the gap
  between grade expectations and students current
  skills/knowledge

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Present Levels of Academic Achievement and
Functional Performance

• Case Study of Kara

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Kara

• Present Levels of Academic Achievement and
  Functional Performance
• Based on a review of curriculum-based
  measures and data collected from teacher
  observations, given one minute to read a 4th
  grade passage, Kara reads 48 words correctly (70
  accuracy). Given a 3rd grade passage, Kara reads
  50 words correctly (80 accuracy).
• She is able to read basic sight words and
  uses picture clues to identify words in a text.
  She decodes simple one syllable words with short
  vowels but has difficulty reading words with
  multiple syllables. She fails to use word attack
  strategies to read unknown words in a passage.
• Karas oral reading is below beginning 4th
  grade reading level. Therefore, she has
  difficulty reading 4th grade level material
  independently. Due to these reading deficits,
  Kara has difficulty completing assignments
  independently in reading, math, science, and
  social studies. Her independent work is often
  incomplete and inaccurate.

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PLAAFP Component PLAAFP Statement
1. Data-based student specific information about the students current academic achievement and functional performance Teacher observation and Curriculum based measures
2. Strengths of the student
3. Needs resulting from the disability
4. How the disability affects involvement and progress in the general education curriculum
Reads sight words, one syllable words and uses
clues from pictures
Kara needs to use word identification strategies
to decode multi-syllabic words
She has difficulty completing assignments
independently in all content areas. Her work is
often incomplete and inaccurate.
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Activity 1Writing Present Levels of Academic
Achievement and Functional Performance for Kara
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PLAAFP Component PLAAFP Statement
1. Data-based student specific information about the students current academic achievement and functional performance
2. Strengths of the student
3. Needs resulting from the disability
4. How the disability affects involvement and progress in the general education curriculum
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Present Levels of Academic Achievement and
Functional Performance

• Critical Point
• The present levels of academic achievement and
  functional performance are the cornerstone of the
  IEP. It is the source that drives other IEP
  components. It is the statement that links all
  components of the IEP together.

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Measurable Annual Goals
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• The measurable annual goal is a statement that
  links directly to the areas of need identified in
  the present levels of academic achievement and
  functional performance.

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Measurable Annual Goals

• The Individualized Education Program must
  include
• A statement of measurable annual goals,
  including academic and functional goals designed
  to-
• Meet the childs needs that result from the
  childs disability to enable the child to be
  involved in and make progress in the general
  education curriculum and

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Annual Goals

• (B) Meet each of the childs other educational
  needs that result from the childs disability
• (ii) For children with disabilities who
  take alternate assessments aligned to alternate
  achievement standards, a description of
  benchmarks or short-term objectives.
• 
  
• NC 1503-4.1

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Measurable Annual GoalsCreating Standards-based
IEP Goals

• Students with disabilities assessed through
  modified achievement standards must have annual
  goals aligned to grade level content standards.
• In NC, students in grades 3-8 who are assessed
  via the Extend 2 are subject to this requirement.
• 
  NC 1503-4.1(a) (2)(iii)
  

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Measurable Annual Goals

• The annual goals in the IEP are
  statements that describe what a child with a
  disability can reasonably be expected to
  accomplish within the duration of the IEP.

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Measurable Annual Goals

• For each area needing specially designed
  instruction, determine the desired level of
  achievement or outcome for each goal for a
  student by considering the following
• Primary concerns stated in the present levels of
  academic
• achievement/functional performance.
• Amount of time the student has left in school and
  the age of the student.
• Skills needed to progress to the next level of
  performance.
• Skills needed to achieve transition.
• Behavior / skills that will improve with
  modifications.

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Definition of Measurable

• When compared to the data in the present level of
  academic achievement and functional performances,
  the goal contains specific expectations of
  attainment.

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Characteristics of Measurability ?

• Reveals what to do to measure whether the Goal
  has been accomplished. To measure something is to
  do something.
• Yields the same conclusion if measured by several
  people.
• A measurable goal allows us to know how much
  progress has been made since the last measured
  performance.
• A measurable goal can be measured as written,
  without additional information.
• Measurable goals contain givens (if necessary),
  the learner performance, and the criterion (level
  of performance to be reached).

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Major Components of Measurable Annual Goals

• Any important givens/conditions (when, with what,
  where)as applicable.
• A skill/domain area (academic, behavioral,
  functional).
• An observable learner performance (what the
  learner will be doing, an action).
• Measurable criteria which specify the level at
  which the students performance will be
  acceptable (e.g., speed, accuracy, frequency).

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Measurable Annual Goals

• Criterion or Level of Performance
• (How well the learner must do)
• Frequently used examples of criteria
• 4 of 5 trials
• 3 consecutive days
• accuracy

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Measurable Annual Goals

• Observable means
• Clearly defined
• Visible
• Countable behavior

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Measurable Annual Goals

• Examples of observable behavior
• Reading orally
• Dressing ones self
• Speaking to adults without vulgarities
• Pointing, drawing, identifying, writing, etc.

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Measurable Annual Goals

• Non-Examples of observable behavior
• Becoming independent
• Respecting authority
• Enjoying literature
• Improving, feeling, knowing, etc.

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Kara

• Measurable Annual Goal Statements
• Goal 1
• Given a 4th grade reading passage, Kara will
  accurately read 105 words or more per minute in 4
  out of five trials.
• Goal 2
• Given a 4th grade reading passage, Kara will
  independently read 4 5 syllable words with 95
  accuracy.

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Measurable Annual Goals

• Case Study of Kara

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What do we Know about Karas Performance in
Reading?

• Deficits

• Strengths

• Fluency rate is below level as compared to her
  grade level peers
• Has difficulty reading words of multiple
  syllables
• Fails to use word identification strategies to
  read unknown words
• Struggles with comprehension when reading text
  independently

• Reads some basic sight words with success
• Sometimes uses picture clues within the text to
  identify unknown words
• Reads

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Annual Goal Components Annual Goal Statement
Givens and Conditions (when or under what conditions), if applicable When reading a 4th grade level passage
2. Skill/Curriculum/Behavior Area or domain (Academic/Functional) Reading
3. Observable Learner Performance (action) Oral Reading
4. Desired level of Achievement/Outcome Read 105 words per minute in 4 out of 5 trials.
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Annual Goal Components Annual Goal Statement
Givens and Conditions (when or under what conditions), if applicable Given a 4th grade level passage
2. Skill/Curriculum/Behavior Area or domain (Academic/Functional) Reading
3. Observable Learner Performance (action) Oral Reading
4. Desired level of Achievement/Outcome Read multisyllabic words with 95 accuracy
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Activity 2Writing a measurable Annual Goal for
Kara
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Kara

• Present Levels of Academic Achievement and
  Functional Performance
• Based on a review of curriculum-based
  measures and data collected from teacher
  observations, given one minute to read a 4th
  grade passage, Kara reads 48 words correctly (70
  accuracy). Given a 3rd grade passage, Kara reads
  50 words correctly (80 accuracy).
• She is able to read basic sight words and
  uses picture clues to identify words in a text.
  She decodes simple one syllable words with short
  vowels but has difficulty reading words with
  multiple syllables. She fails to use word attack
  strategies to read unknown words in a passage.
• Karas oral reading is below beginning 4th
  grade reading level. Therefore, she has
  difficulty reading 4th grade level material
  independently. Due to these reading deficits,
  Kara has difficulty completing assignments
  independently in reading, math, science, and
  social studies. Her independent work is often
  incomplete and inaccurate.

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Annual Goal Components Annual Goal Statement
Givens and Conditions (when or under what conditions), if applicable
2. Skill/Curriculum/Behavior Area or domain (Academic/Functional)
3. Observable Learner Performance (action)
4. Desired level of Achievement/Outcome
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Measurable Annual Goals

• The IEP is the heart of the Individuals with
  Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and measurable
  goals developed from appropriate present levels
  of academic achievement and functional
  performance, are the heart of each IEP
• Bateman Herr

IEP
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Benchmarks/Short-term Objectives

• For children with disabilities who take
  alternate assessments aligned to alternate
  achievement standards, the IEP must include a
  description of benchmarks or short-term
  objectives
• NC 1503-4.1(2)(ii)

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Benchmarks and Short Term Objectives

• Once the IEP team has developed measurable
  annual goals for a child, the team can develop
  strategies that will be most effective in
  realizing those goals and must develop
• either measurable, intermediate steps (short-term
  objectives), or
• major milestones (benchmarks) to monitor
  progress during the year, and, if appropriate, to
  revise the IEP consistent with the students
  instructional needs.

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Short-Term Objectives

• Short term objectives (also called IEP
  objectives) are
• measurable, intermediate steps between the
  present levels of educational performance of a
  child with a disability and the annual goals
  that are established for the child, and
• developed based on a logical breakdown of the
  major components of the annual goals and can
  serve as milestones for measuring progress
  toward meeting the goals.

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Short Term Objective Components Short Term Objective Statement
Givens and Conditions (when or under what conditions), if applicable
2. Skill/Curriculum/Behavior Area or domain (Academic/Functional)
3. Observable Learner Performance (action)
4. Desired level of Achievement/Outcome
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Short-Term Objectives(Components)

• WHO (Student)
• WHAT (Target Behavior)
• CONDITIONS/CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN NEEDED
• CRITERIA (Level To Indicate Attainment)

ON TARGET
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Benchmarks

• , IEP teams may develop benchmarks,
  describing the amount of progress the child is
  expected to make within specified segments of the
  year. benchmarks
• establish expected performance levels that allow
  for regular checks of progress that may coincide
  with the reporting periods for informing parents
  of their childs progress toward achieving the
  annual goals, and
• are the major milestones that the student will
  demonstrate that will lead to the annual goal.
  Benchmarks usually designate a target time
• period for a behavior to occur.

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Benchmark Components Benchmark Statement
Who
2. Will do what
3. By When
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BENCHMARKS(Components)

• WHO (Student)
• WHAT (Target Behavior)
• WHEN

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BENCHMARKS(Components)

• WHO (Student)
• WHAT (Target Behavior)
• WHEN

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Q A