IEP Spotlight: Statement of PLAAFP and Why it’s so Important 

Katie Vestal,

January 13, 2023

in: IEPs, Uncategorized

Over the summer, we posted about the importance of and tips for successful IEP implementation and progress monitoring. Today, we continue a series of articles focused on the components of a great IEP. In this post, we will discuss the foundation of the IEP: the statement of present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP).

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that IEPs include a statement of PLAAFP. If you’ve ever attended an ARD, you know that this statement is one of the first things covered. And with good reason: the statement of PLAAFP provides an overview of the student’s current functioning and baseline for new goals. Without a clear, specific, and individualized statement of PLAAFP, the IEP may be deficient. Keep reading to learn steps to ensure that every IEP is built on a solid PLAAFP foundation.

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IEP Spotlight: Transportation as a Related Service

Katie Vestal,

October 25, 2022

in: IEPs

Over the summer, we posted about the importance of and tips for successful IEP implementation and progress monitoring. This school year, we will post a series of articles focusing on the components of a great IEP. Today, we want to discuss an often-misunderstood related service: transportation.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public schools to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to students with disabilities through the provision of special education and related services designed to meet qualifying students’ unique needs. The IDEA defines related services as “transportation, and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services … as may be required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.”  In practical terms, this means that the ARD committee must determine if a student with a disability requires transportation in order to benefit from special education, and if so, the IEP must include transportation and the district must provide that transportation at no cost to the parent

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Great IEP, Consistent Implementation. Now What? Progress Monitoring.

Kendra Yoch,

June 16, 2022

in: IEPs

Last week we talked about the importance of consistent IEP implementation. A strong IEP and consistent implementation are the basis for a free, appropriate public education (FAPE). Progress monitoring, while often underappreciated, can be a powerful tool to demonstrate implementation, provide evidence that the IEP is appropriate, and inform the development of the next IEP. Keep reading to see how progress monitoring fits into the IEP process and how teams can do it effectively.

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Great IEP, Now What? Implementation.

Dianna Bowen, Kendra Yoch,

June 10, 2022

in: IEPs

ARD Committees put a lot of time and effort into drafting clear, ambitious, and supportive IEPs. We attorneys spend a lot of time training teams on drafting legally compliant IEPs, reviewing IEPs, and negotiating IEPs. But what happens next? Implementation is where the magic happens. And implementation lapses are frequently where due process and state complaints happen. Here are five tips to support consistent implementation and avoid trouble.

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