IEP Present Levels (PLAAFP) in South Dakota
What should present levels include in a South Dakota IEP?
South Dakota requires that every IEP include a statement of the child's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) in compliance with ARSD 24:05:27:01.03 and 34 CFR 300.320(a)(1). The PLAAFP must describe how the child's disability affects involvement and progress in the general education curriculum (for school-age children) or, for preschool children, how the disability affects participation in appropriate activities. The statement must be based on current evaluation data, teacher input, parent input, and other relevant information, and must be specific enough to serve as a baseline for measuring annual goal progress. South Dakota guidance emphasizes that the PLAAFP should address both academic and functional areas, including academic skills, communication skills, motor development, social-emotional functioning, and behavior as applicable. The IEP team, which includes parents, educators, and evaluation interpreters under ARSD 24:05:25:16, collaboratively develops the present levels statement. South Dakota's IEP Technical Assistance Guide clarifies that the PLAAFP should use objective, measurable language to enable meaningful annual goal development and progress monitoring, and should not simply restate evaluation scores without educational context.
What South Dakota Requires
The IEP must include a statement of the child's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance that describes the impact of the disability on involvement in the general curriculum (ARSD 24:05:27:01.03; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(1)).
The PLAAFP must be based on current, relevant evaluation data including formal assessments, observations, and input from parents and teachers (ARSD 24:05:25:04; 34 CFR 300.304).
For preschool children (ages 3–5), the PLAAFP must describe how the disability affects participation in appropriate activities rather than general curriculum progress (34 CFR 300.320(a)(1)(ii)).
The present levels statement must be written in objective terms that can serve as a measurable baseline against which annual goal progress is measured (ARSD 24:05:27:01.03).
Parent input regarding current educational performance must be considered and incorporated into the PLAAFP as part of the IEP team process (ARSD 24:05:25:16; 34 CFR 300.321).
Key Timelines
Present levels must be updated at each annual IEP review based on current performance data (ARSD 24:05:27:01.03; 34 CFR 300.324).
When reevaluation data is collected (at least every three years per 34 CFR 300.303), updated assessment information must be reflected in the PLAAFP at the next IEP development.
Progress reports provided at least as frequently as report cards must reference goal progress connected to baseline present levels (34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).