Present Levels of Educational Performance (PLEP )

1. Present Levels of Educational Performance (PLEP) Foundations for IEP Planning & Enhancing Participation Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

2. IDEA ‘97 Regulation • Individualized Education Programs • §300.347 Content of IEP. • (a) General. The IEP for each child with a disability must include— • (1) A statement of the child's present levels of educational performance, including - • (i) How the child's disability affects the child's involvement and progress in the general curriculum (i.e., the same curriculum as for nondisabled children); or • (ii) For preschool children, as appropriate, how the disability affects the child's participation in appropriate activities; http://www.ideapractices.org/law/regulations/topicIndex.php Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

3. IDEA ‘97 Regulation Cont’d The IEP for each child with a disability must include— • CFR 300 Appendix C (1) A statement that accurately describes the effect of the child’s disability on the child’s performance in any area of education that is affected, including • Academic areas (reading, math, communication, etc.), and • Non-academic areas (daily life activities, mobility, etc.) (2) Written in objective measurable terms (understandable by all) (3) Have a direct relationship between the PLEP and the other components of the IEP Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

4. Purpose of the PLEP • to establish the foundation on which the rest of the IEP is developed. • to identify the impact of the disability on participation in the general curriculum. • Align student PLEP information with the following: content standards & benchmarks, annual goals, supplementary aids/services/ supports, and secondary transition services. Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

5. How the Disability Impacts…. • How does the student perform-independently and with support compared to other children in general education activities (i.e. Academics, Language/ Communication, Motor, Behavior, Health/Medical, and Transition/Career) Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

6. Baseline Data Examples • Charlie scored at the 2.8 level on the problem solving section of the Key Math test, 4.8 on the Computation section. He completes word problems with 50% accuracy. • Diagnostic assessment results from fall of ‘01 show Mary is significantly below average in reading comprehension • Star Reading assessment results show Johnny was able to answer 1 of 10 literal questions from ______ basal reader at the 3rd grade level. Standardized and Non-Standardized data should be stated so all participants understand how it relates to performance Discrepancies between the two should be considered when determining criteria for evaluating progress Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

7. Academic Examples • When given grade-level oral instruction, John can comprehend and use information when provided visual cues and questions for clarification.. auditory processing needs affect ability to take notes during lectures • When given written materials, Jenny can comprehend and use the information when provided assistance with technical or difficult vocabulary, extended time, and frequent questioning for comprehension. Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

8. Academic Examples Contd. • Charlie knows how to compute math problems, and is able to meet the 5th grade standards for understanding and applying problem solving strategies to story problems when provided assistance with determining the required math processes in relation to language used. • When performing grade level writing expectations, Patty can complete the assignment when provided assistance with organizing information, sentence structure and editing for spelling. Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

9. Language Examples • Stephen is able to follow 2 step directions in a variety of contexts with little or no difficulty. He occasionally needs prompts and repetitions to carry out the directions. • When orally presented material is broken down into small portions, Jo can recall the main idea, some details and some concepts. • Matt is able to formulate a 5 word sentence when provided with a target word, at the conversational levels he will use utterances of 3-5 words. Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

10. Motor Examples • Leslie was able to sit upright for 15-20 minutes before beginning to shift to laying on the desktop when provided a desk that offered a firm, solid back and seat • Fred is able to physically navigate the school campus and playground, however when galloping, jumping or hopping some loss of direction can occur which requires some arms-length spotting Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

11. Social/Emotional Examples • Maggie can cooperatively play with peers during recess with only minor supervision. One-to-one with familiar others she can demonstrate basic social skills that reflect a desire to interact with others and maintain a relationship. • When Jimmy is provided arms-length supervision and redirection every 15-20 minutes he is able to participate appropriately in small groups of 2-3 students Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

12. Employability/Career Examples • Joey talks about cars all the time. He learns things about cars from his father. Once he observes the task he can repeat it without any supervision. • Mary is on time for class 75% of the time. She is able to follow instructions by a supervisor when given in step-by-step format or modeled. She also takes constructive guidance well from adults and peers. She is appropriate with others in all situations. Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

13. Health/Medical Examples • When provided Ritalin at home, Bobby’s appropriate interactions increase by 30% • June is able to eat cafeteria food when staff process to an “oatmeal-like” consistency • Stanley is able to safely attend school when provided adult support to monitor his ventilator and facilitate his bathroom routine. Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

14. From Information to Goals and Short-Term Objectives • In unstructured settings and transitional times of the day, Joanne’s activity level increases and she more likely violates school rules, or becomes agitated and angry. Joanne does not de-escalate behavior and is not willing to discuss situations afterward. Disciplinary records indicate 8 disciplinary removals in the past 10 school days and 27 in 3 previous months, causing her to fall behind in her schoolwork. Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

15. Activity Building from BenchmarksSmall Groups will review student test and report information and grade level standards and benchmarks Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

16. Compliance vs. Best Practice Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

17. Compliance vs Best Practice Contd. Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

18. Test • Could the parent or other staff be able to describe how the student participates in class and what supports are provided to maximize performance. • If two people independently read a PLEP statement, would there be a common understanding of the student’s needs? Would these two people write reasonably similar goals and objectives? Laura Sullivan-Gallegos, Best Option Inc. Developed in collaboration with the NMPED Special Education Office

19. All-encompassing present levels set the baseline for Annual Goals. Placement (services + environment) determines what it takes to meet Annual Goals. Foreseeing the Goals Looking back on the Goals IEP Development & Content Services Corresponding to Annual Goals  Instructional  Related  Transition  Frequency  Duration  Nature  Special Factors Student Profile  Strengths  Concerns  Family’s Vision  Student’s Vision & Interests  Learning Style  Transition Needs Setting the Goals Educational Performance Environment Necessary to Achieve Annual Goals  Academic  Nonacademic  Impact of Exceptionality on Learning  Assessment & Evaluation Results  Other Reports The decision considers:  LRE Spot on the Continuum  Accommodations  Aids & Supports (for Teachers, AT, BIPs) Prior Written Notice of Actions Proposed—all options and proposals considered