IEP Present Levels (PLAAFP) in Minnesota
What should present levels include in a Minnesota IEP?
Minnesota requires that each IEP include a statement of the student's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP), consistent with Minn. R. 3525.2810, subp. 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 multi-disciplinary evaluation data required by Minn. R. 3525.2710, which mandates a variety of evaluation tools and strategies and prohibits reliance on any single assessment. For students being evaluated for specific learning disabilities, classroom observations and a statement regarding psychological processing deficits must be documented (Minn. R. 3525.1341, subp. 2). Evaluation reports must summarize present performance levels and educational needs (Minn. R. 3525.2710, subp. 6). Parent input and concerns are explicitly required components of the IEP development process (Minn. R. 3525.2810, subp. 2). Annual goals must flow directly from the documented present levels. Minnesota's requirement that all students have benchmarks or short-term objectives (Minn. R. 3525.2810, subp. 1(B)) creates additional intermediate data points that must be measurable from present levels.
What Minnesota Requires
Present levels must describe how the disability affects involvement and progress in the general curriculum, or in appropriate activities for preschool students (Minn. R. 3525.2810, subp. 1(A)).
Present levels must be based on evaluation data gathered through a variety of tools and strategies; no single measure may be used as the sole criterion (Minn. R. 3525.2710, subp. 3).
For students with specific learning disabilities, classroom observation data documenting performance and behavior in areas of difficulty must be included (Minn. R. 3525.1341, subp. 2).
Evaluation reports must document present performance levels and educational needs, forming the foundation for present levels in the IEP (Minn. R. 3525.2710, subp. 6).
Parent input and concerns regarding their child's education must be considered and documented during IEP development (Minn. R. 3525.2810, subp. 2).
Minnesota's requirement for benchmarks or short-term objectives for all students means present levels must be specific enough to anchor measurable intermediate milestones throughout the year (Minn. R. 3525.2810, subp. 1(B)).
Key Timelines
Present levels must be updated at each annual IEP review (Minn. R. 3525.3100).
Reevaluation data refreshing present levels must occur at least every three years (Minn. R. 3525.2710, subp. 2).
Evaluation reports providing the basis for present levels must be completed within 30 school days of consent for evaluation (Minn. R. 3525.2550; Minn. R. 3525.2710, subp. 6).