IEP Present Levels (PLAAFP) in Oregon
What should present levels include in a Oregon IEP?
The Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) is a foundational required section of every Oregon IEP, mandated by OAR 581-015-2200(1)(a) and 34 CFR 300.320(a)(1), and incorporated into state requirements through ORS 343.151. The PLAAFP must include a clear, objective statement of the child's current academic achievement and functional performance—describing how the disability affects the child's involvement and progress in the general education curriculum (or for preschool children, how the disability affects participation in appropriate activities). Oregon's Standard IEP form (OAR 581-015-2215) includes structured fields for documenting present levels across academic and functional domains. The IEP Team must consider: the child's strengths; parent concerns for enhancing the child's education; results of the most recent evaluation; and the child's academic, developmental, and functional needs (OAR 581-015-2225(2)(a)-(d); 34 CFR 300.324(a)(1)). PLAAFP data must come from multiple sources including evaluations, classroom performance, teacher observations, progress on previous IEP goals, and parent input. The ODE provides PLAAFP writing templates as part of its Standard IEP Toolkit to assist teams in crafting objective, measurable present levels statements. For transition-age students (beginning no later than age 16), the PLAAFP should incorporate results from age-appropriate transition assessments addressing postsecondary education or training, employment, and where appropriate, independent living (OAR 581-015-2200(2); 34 CFR 300.320(b)). The PLAAFP must flow logically into the annual goals and must establish a baseline against which progress can be measured. Functional performance includes nonacademic skills such as behavior, social skills, communication, daily living skills, and mobility. Present levels are revisited at each annual IEP review (OAR 581-015-2225(1)) and updated as part of every triennial reevaluation (OAR 581-015-2110).
What Oregon Requires
The IEP must include a PLAAFP statement describing how the child's disability affects involvement and progress in the general education curriculum, in objective, measurable terms (OAR 581-015-2200(1)(a); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(1)).
PLAAFP must be derived from multiple data sources including formal and informal assessments, classroom performance, teacher observations, progress on prior goals, and parent input (OAR 581-015-2225(2); 34 CFR 300.324(a)(1)).
The IEP Team must consider the child's strengths, parent concerns, most recent evaluation results, and academic, developmental, and functional needs when developing PLAAFP (OAR 581-015-2225(2)(a)-(d); 34 CFR 300.324(a)(1)(i)-(iv)).
For preschool children, PLAAFP must describe how the disability affects participation in appropriate activities rather than the general education curriculum (OAR 581-015-2200(1)(a); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(1)).
For transition-age students, present levels should include results of age-appropriate transition assessments in education/training, employment, and independent living (OAR 581-015-2200(2); 34 CFR 300.320(b)).
ODE provides PLAAFP writing templates in the Oregon Standard IEP Toolkit to support teams in documenting present levels effectively (OAR 581-015-2215).
Each annual goal must flow logically from the documented present levels; there must be a clear relationship between identified needs and goals (OAR 581-015-2200(1)(a)-(b)).
Key Timelines
PLAAFP must be reviewed and updated at least annually at each IEP meeting (OAR 581-015-2225(1); 34 CFR 300.324(b)(1)).
The initial PLAAFP is established as part of the initial IEP, which must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination (OAR 581-015-2220(2); 34 CFR 300.323(c)(1)).
Reevaluations providing updated present levels data must occur at least every three years unless the parent and district agree otherwise (OAR 581-015-2110; 34 CFR 300.303(b)).
Progress data informing PLAAFP updates must be reported to parents at least as frequently as report cards are issued to nondisabled students (OAR 581-015-2200(1)(c); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
Sources
Related IEP Guides
Present Levels (PLAAFP): The IEP Section That Drives Everything Else
The Present Levels section is the foundation of the IEP. Learn what it should include, red flags to watch for, and how to add your voice.
IEP Goals: How to Tell If They're Actually Good (With Examples)
Are your child's IEP goals actually good enough? Real examples of vague vs. strong goals, plus the exact questions to ask at your next meeting.