IEP Present Levels (PLAAFP) in Delaware
What should present levels include in a Delaware IEP?
Delaware requires that each IEP include a statement of the student's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP), consistent with 14 Del. Admin. Code 925 § 9.1(a) and federal law. The PLAAFP must describe how the disability affects the student's involvement and progress in the general curriculum, or for preschool students, how the disability affects participation in appropriate activities. Present levels must be grounded in the comprehensive evaluation data required by 14 Del. Admin. Code 925 § 8.0, which requires a variety of evaluation tools and strategies and prohibits reliance on any single assessment or procedure. Parent input is an explicit component of IEP development under Delaware regulations. For students being evaluated for specific learning disabilities, the PLAAFP must reflect data gathered through the response-to-intervention (RtI) process as well as any additional evaluations (14 Del. Admin. Code 925 § 16.0). Annual goals must flow directly from the documented present levels, ensuring alignment between identified needs and services.
What Delaware Requires
Present levels must describe how the disability affects involvement and progress in the general curriculum, or for preschool students, participation in appropriate activities (14 Del. Admin. Code 925 § 9.1(a); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(1)).
Present levels must be based on data gathered through a variety of evaluation tools and strategies; no single measure may be sole criterion (14 Del. Admin. Code 925 § 8.1(a)).
Parent input and concerns for their child's education must be considered and documented as part of the IEP development process (14 Del. Admin. Code 925 § 9.3).
For students with specific learning disabilities, present levels must incorporate RtI data documenting the student's response to scientific, research-based interventions (14 Del. Admin. Code 925 § 16.0).
Reevaluation data refreshing present levels must be conducted at least every three years unless the parent and school agree it is unnecessary (14 Del. Admin. Code 925 § 8.3(a)).
Key Timelines
Present levels must be updated at each annual IEP review (14 Del. Admin. Code 925 § 11.0).
Reevaluation providing the data basis for present levels must occur at least every three years (14 Del. Admin. Code 925 § 8.3(a)).
Evaluation reports providing the foundation for present levels must be completed within 60 calendar days of parental consent (14 Del. Admin. Code 925 § 8.2(c)).