IEP Present Levels (PLAAFP) in Iowa
What should present levels include in a Iowa IEP?
Iowa IEPs must include a statement of present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) consistent with 281 IAC 41.320(1) and federal law (34 CFR 300.320(a)(1)). The PLAAFP must describe how the disability affects the student's involvement and progress in the general curriculum, or for preschool students, participation in appropriate activities. Iowa uses a non-categorical, performance-domain-based eligibility framework — evaluations assess eight performance domains — and the PLAAFP must reflect performance across relevant domains. Iowa's evaluation standards require data from multiple sources including formal assessments, teacher observations, and curriculum-based measures; no single assessment may be used as the sole criterion (281 IAC 41.305). Present levels must be grounded in the comprehensive evaluation completed through the student's AEA-LEA team and must directly inform all annual goals. Parent concerns and input are required components of IEP development (281 IAC 41.321). For students evaluated for specific learning disabilities, Iowa uses a systematic problem-solving (RTI) model and the PLAAFP must document the student's responsiveness to evidence-based interventions (281 IAC 41.307; 281 IAC 41.313).
What Iowa Requires
PLAAFP must describe how the disability affects involvement and progress in the general curriculum, or for preschool students, participation in appropriate activities (281 IAC 41.320(1); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(1)).
PLAAFP must be based on data gathered through multiple methods including standardized assessments, curriculum-based measures, teacher observations, and parent input; no single assessment may be the sole criterion (281 IAC 41.305; 34 CFR 300.304(b)).
For SLD evaluations under Iowa's problem-solving model, PLAAFP must document baseline performance data and the student's response to evidence-based interventions delivered prior to referral (281 IAC 41.307; 281 IAC 41.313).
Parent input and concerns regarding the child's education must be solicited and documented as part of PLAAFP development (281 IAC 41.321; 34 CFR 300.324(a)(1)).
PLAAFP must address all eight performance domains identified as areas of disability: physical health, motor, communication, social-emotional, cognitive-academic, independence-adaptive, vocational/career, and sensory (281 IAC 41.306; Iowa DOE Eligibility Standards).
All annual goals must flow logically from documented deficits in the PLAAFP (281 IAC 41.320(1)).
Key Timelines
PLAAFP must be updated at each annual IEP review (281 IAC 41.324).
Reevaluation data refreshing the PLAAFP must be completed at least every three years (281 IAC 41.303; 34 CFR 300.303).
Evaluation reports from the AEA-LEA team must be completed within the 60-calendar-day evaluation timeline and must inform the initial PLAAFP (281 IAC 41.301).