IEP Present Levels (PLAAFP) in Vermont
What should present levels include in a Vermont IEP?
Vermont requires that each IEP include a statement of the student's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP), consistent with VT AOE Rule 2360.7.1 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 multidisciplinary evaluation data required by VT AOE Rule 2360.5, which mandates a variety of evaluation tools and prohibits reliance on any single assessment. Vermont's Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, promoted by the AOE, influences how present levels document student strengths alongside areas of need. Parent input and concerns are explicitly required components of the IEP development process. Annual goals must flow directly from the documented present levels.
What Vermont Requires
Present levels must describe how the disability affects involvement and progress in the general curriculum, or in appropriate activities for preschool students (VT AOE Rule 2360.7.1; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(1)).
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 (VT AOE Rule 2360.5.3).
For students with specific learning disabilities, classroom observation data documenting performance and behavior in areas of difficulty must be included in the evaluation and reflected in present levels (VT AOE Rule 2360.5.4).
Parent input and concerns regarding their child's education must be considered and documented during IEP development (VT AOE Rule 2360.7.1; 34 CFR 300.324(a)(1)).
Vermont's multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) data, when available, informs present levels — particularly for students evaluated via RTI pathways (VT AOE Rule 2360.5.4).
Key Timelines
Present levels must be updated at each annual IEP review (VT AOE Rule 2360.7.2).
Reevaluation data refreshing present levels must occur at least every three years (VT AOE Rule 2360.5.2; 34 CFR 300.303).
Evaluation reports providing the basis for present levels must be completed within 60 calendar days of parental consent for the initial evaluation (VT AOE Rule 2360.5.1).