IEP Present Levels (PLAAFP) in Texas
What should present levels include in a Texas IEP?
The Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) is a foundational component of every Texas IEP, required by 34 CFR §300.320(a)(1) and incorporated into state requirements through 19 TAC §89.1055(a). The PLAAFP must include a statement of the child's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, specifically addressing how the child's 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 (34 CFR §300.320(a)(1)). In Texas, the PLAAFP is developed from multiple data sources: the Full Individual and Initial Evaluation (FIIE) or reevaluation, progress made on previous IEP goals, information provided by parents, classroom-based and state assessment data, and other relevant data sources. The ARD committee must consider the child's strengths, parental concerns for enhancing the child's education, the results of the initial or most recent evaluation, and the academic, developmental, and functional needs of the child when developing the IEP, beginning with present levels (34 CFR §300.324(a)(1)). The PLAAFP establishes baseline data against which progress on annual goals will be measured, and it drives the identification of the student's unique needs arising from the disability. For students with visual impairments, the PLAAFP must also address the nine areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum, including Braille and compensatory skills, orientation and mobility, social interaction skills, career planning, assistive technology, independent living skills, recreation and leisure, self-determination, and sensory efficiency (TEC §30.002(c)(4)(B)). For students with autism, present levels must reflect data across the 11 strategy areas addressed in 19 TAC §89.1055(g), including extended programming, daily schedules, in-home and community training, positive behavior support, communication interventions, and social skills. For emergent bilingual students who receive special education services, the PLAAFP must differentiate between language proficiency and disability, and the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) professional serves on the ARD committee to ensure language needs are appropriately addressed (19 TAC §89.1050(c)(1)(J); 19 TAC §89.1226). The PLAAFP must be updated at least annually as part of the ARD committee's annual review of the IEP (34 CFR §300.324(b)).
What Texas Requires
The IEP must include a statement of the child's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, including how the disability affects involvement and progress in the general education curriculum (34 CFR §300.320(a)(1))
The ARD committee must consider the child's strengths, parent concerns, evaluation results, and academic, developmental, and functional needs when developing the PLAAFP (34 CFR §300.324(a)(1)(i)-(iv))
The PLAAFP is developed from the Full Individual and Initial Evaluation (FIIE), progress on previous IEP goals, parent-provided information, and other relevant data sources (19 TAC §89.1055)
For students with visual impairments, present levels must address nine areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum including Braille, orientation and mobility, social skills, assistive technology, and independent living (TEC §30.002(c)(4)(B))
For emergent bilingual students, the LPAC professional must participate on the ARD committee to help differentiate between language proficiency needs and disability-related needs (19 TAC §89.1050(c)(1)(J); 19 TAC §89.1226)
For preschool children, the PLAAFP must describe how the disability affects participation in appropriate activities rather than general education curriculum involvement (34 CFR §300.320(a)(1))
Key Timelines
The PLAAFP must be reviewed and updated at least annually as part of the ARD committee's annual IEP review (34 CFR §300.324(b)(1))
The initial PLAAFP is established within 30 calendar days of completing the FIIE as part of the initial IEP development (19 TAC §89.1011(g))
Reevaluations that provide updated present levels data must be conducted at least every 3 years unless the parent and district agree otherwise (34 CFR §300.303(b))
Progress data informing present levels updates must be reported periodically, such as quarterly or concurrent with report card issuance (34 CFR §300.320(a)(3))