PLAAFP examples for reading

Present levels must describe how the disability affects progress in the general curriculum.^[1] Reading present levels often miss that in a predictable way. They report a grade equivalent or a test score, add "struggles with comprehension," and stop. The goal that follows has nothing to measure from.

The 16 examples below cover reading from kindergarten sound work to high school content reading and functional reading. Each shows the weak version, the strong rewrite, the data behind it, and what makes it work. All students and numbers are invented to show the format. They are not norms or targets.

For the four parts every present levels statement needs, see the guide to present levels of performance. These examples do not repeat the grade 3 fluency example in the general present levels examples.

Choosing the right reading data

Match the measure to the reading skill the goal will target. A comprehension score cannot serve as the baseline for a decoding goal.

Short, repeated probes on the same kind of material are the basis of progress monitoring.^[2] Take at least three before you write the statement and report the median.

Phonological awareness and letter sounds

Example 1: Segmenting sounds, kindergarten

Weak: "Eli has poor phonemic awareness."

Strong: "On three 1-minute segmenting probes in January, Eli said a median of 9 correct sounds per minute. He splits words into onset and rime (/m/ /at/) but does not yet separate every sound. He rhymes and claps syllables accurately. During small-group phonics, he cannot spell CVC words because he does not hear the middle sound. Eli needs to segment three-sound words into each sound."

Data behind it: probes of 7, 9 and 12 correct sounds; median 9.

Why it works: It reports the unit a phoneme segmenting goal uses. It says exactly where his skill stops (onset and rime) so the teacher knows where to start.

Example 2: Letter-sound fluency, grade 1

Weak: "Sofia knows some of her letters."

Strong: "In September, Sofia named the sounds of 18 of 26 letters correctly when shown in random order. On three 1-minute letter-sound probes, she read a median of 21 correct sounds. She confuses b and d, and she gives letter names instead of sounds for vowels. She reads 12 taught sight words in the class reader. Sofia needs accurate, quick sounds for all letters, especially short vowels."

Data behind it: 18 of 26 known untimed; timed probes of 19, 21 and 24.

Why it works: It gives both accuracy (which letters) and rate (how fast). A teacher can plan from the list of missing sounds. See say letter sounds on a timed probe.

Example 3: Blending, grade 1

Weak: "Malik has trouble sounding out words."

Strong: "On three grade 1 nonsense word probes in October, Malik read a median of 14 correct letter sounds per minute and blended no whole words. He says each sound correctly but cannot hold the sounds and join them. When an adult blends two sounds and he adds the third, he reads 6 of 10 CVC words. In class, he guesses words from pictures in the reader. Malik needs to blend three sounds into a word without adult help."

Data behind it: 12, 14 and 17 correct letter sounds; 0 whole words read on each probe.

Why it works: Correct letter sounds and whole words read are reported separately. That split shows the gap is blending, not letter knowledge.

Decoding and word reading

Example 4: Short vowels and digraphs, grade 2

Weak: "Grace is reading at a mid-first-grade level."

Strong: "On three lists of 20 decodable words with short vowels and digraphs in September, Grace read a median of 13 correctly (65%). She reads CVC words with 95% accuracy. Most errors are on sh, ch and th words, where she reads the two letters as separate sounds. She avoids reading aloud in her grade 2 group. Grace needs to read digraphs as one sound in words and decodable text."

Data behind it: 12, 13 and 15 of 20.

Why it works: "Mid-first-grade level" is replaced by a named pattern and a score. The digraph template can use 13 of 20 as its baseline.

Example 5: Silent e and vowel teams, grade 3

Weak: "Omar can decode simple words but not harder ones."

Strong: "On a phonics inventory in October, Omar read 18 of 20 closed-syllable words and 9 of 20 vowel-team words. On three timed vowel-team lists, he read a median of 11 words correctly in 1 minute. He reads silent-e words correctly about half the time. In grade 3 science text, he reads 'boat' as 'bot' and 'rain' as 'ran,' which changes the meaning. Omar needs to read vowel teams and silent-e words accurately."

Data behind it: inventory subtests plus timed lists of 10, 11 and 14.

Why it works: The phonics inventory shows where the gap is. The timed list gives a number a goal can grow from. See read vowel-team words on a timed list.

Example 6: Multisyllable words, grade 6

Weak: "Hana's decoding skills are weak for her age."

Strong: "On three lists of 20 multisyllable words with common prefixes and suffixes in November, Hana read a median of 11 correctly. She reads one-syllable words accurately and quickly. She reads the first syllable and guesses the rest, so 'unpredictable' becomes 'unpredicted.' In grade 6 science and history, she skips long words, then cannot answer questions about the passage. Hana needs to break long words into parts and read each part."

Data behind it: 10, 11 and 13 of 20.

Why it works: The error pattern points straight to the instruction. Decoding of complex multisyllable words is the first recommendation in the federal practice guide for older struggling readers.^[4]

Example 7: High-frequency words, grade 1

Weak: "Caleb doesn't know his sight words."

Strong: "In October, Caleb read 22 of the first 50 words on the school's high-frequency list within 3 seconds each. He reads 15 of them correctly in connected text. He reads the words he knows quickly, but stops for 5 seconds or more on words like 'said' and 'where.' Caleb needs to read the remaining 28 words on sight and use them in text."

Data behind it: one untimed check of all 50 words, repeated twice more on the unknown set.

Why it works: It names the list, the number known, and a time rule for "knows." The high-frequency word template needs exactly this baseline.

Reading fluency

Example 8: Slow but accurate, grade 7

Weak: "Zoe is a slow reader."

Strong: "On three unpracticed grade 7 passages in October, Zoe read a median of 88 words correct per minute with 98% accuracy. She decodes almost every word but reads word by word and rereads lines. Her teachers report she finishes about half of in-class reading assignments in the time given. Zoe needs to read grade-level text faster while keeping her accuracy."

Data behind it: 82, 88 and 95 words correct per minute.

Why it works: The accuracy figure rules out a decoding problem. The goal can target rate alone. See read an unpracticed passage aloud.

Example 9: Phrasing and expression, grade 4

Weak: "Mateo reads in a robotic voice." (Weak because it judges rather than measures.)

Strong: "On a 4-point phrasing rubric used on three grade 4 passages in September, Mateo scored a median of 1. He reads at 104 words correct per minute with 96% accuracy, but pauses after every word and ignores commas and periods. His class discussion answers show he often misses who is speaking in dialogue. Mateo needs to read in phrases and use punctuation to guide his pauses."

Data behind it: rubric scores of 1, 1 and 2.

Why it works: Phrasing is scored with a rubric, so the goal can use the same rubric. The link to dialogue shows the impact. See read aloud with phrasing and expression.

Example 10: Content-area fluency, grade 10

Weak: "Ruby has difficulty keeping up with reading in her classes."

Strong: "On three passages from her grade 10 biology textbook in October, Ruby read a median of 96 words correct per minute with 94% accuracy. Most errors are on science terms such as 'photosynthesis.' A 10-page chapter assigned for homework takes her about 90 minutes, and she often stops partway. Ruby needs to read content vocabulary accurately and build reading rate in textbook passages."

Data behind it: 91, 96 and 101 words correct per minute.

Why it works: For a high school student, textbook passages are a fairer measure than leveled readers. The content-area fluency template uses this condition.

Reading comprehension

Example 11: Story retell, grade 2

Weak: "Isaac does not understand what he reads."

Strong: "After reading three grade 2 stories in October, Isaac scored a median of 3 of 10 on the class retell rubric. He names the main character and one event. He leaves out the problem and the ending. When the teacher asks about each part, he answers correctly, so he understood more than he retold. Isaac needs to retell a story with the character, setting, problem, events and ending."

Data behind it: rubric scores of 2, 3 and 4.

Why it works: It separates what he understood from what he can tell back. The retell template uses the same rubric idea.

Example 12: Main idea, grade 5

Weak: "Amara can't find the main idea."

Strong: "On three grade 5 informational passages in November, Amara chose or wrote the main idea correctly for 4 of 12 paragraphs. She picks the first sentence or the most interesting detail. She answers detail questions correctly at 85% accuracy. In social studies, her summaries list details without saying what they add up to. Amara needs to find the main idea of a paragraph and tell it in her own words."

Data behind it: 1, 2 and 1 of 4 paragraphs per passage.

Why it works: The error pattern tells the teacher what to correct. See identify the main idea of informational text.

Example 13: Citing text evidence, grade 8

Weak: "Diego needs to work on reading comprehension skills."

Strong: "On three grade 8 short-answer reading tasks in October, Diego scored a median of 1 of 4 on the department's evidence rubric. He states an answer but does not quote or point to the text. When told to find the sentence that proves it, he finds a fitting one 5 of 8 times. In English and history, written responses carry most of the grade, and his average in both is below passing. Diego needs to support answers with a quoted or paraphrased detail."

Data behind it: rubric scores of 1, 1 and 2.

Why it works: It uses the department's own rubric, so the goal fits class grading. It also shows a related strength (he can find evidence when asked).

Example 14: Answering questions with picture support, grade 4

Weak: "June reads at a pre-primer level and has limited comprehension."

Strong: "When an adult reads a short adapted story aloud with pictures, June answers who and what questions by pointing to a picture on her choice board. Across three stories in September, she answered 5 of 12 questions correctly. She answers who questions more often than what or where questions. She attends to stories for about 8 minutes. June needs to answer who, what and where questions about a story using pictures."

Data behind it: 1, 2 and 2 of 4 questions per story.

Why it works: It describes how June shows comprehension, not what she cannot do. See point to pictures to answer questions about a story.

Vocabulary and functional reading

Example 15: Context clues, grade 6

Weak: "Noah has a low vocabulary."

Strong: "On three sets of 8 unfamiliar words in grade 6 passages in October, Noah gave a correct meaning from context for a median of 2. He knows most everyday words and uses them well in speech. He skips unknown words instead of rereading the sentence around them. In science, he misreads directions that use words like 'estimate' and 'compare.' Noah needs to use context clues to figure out a word's meaning."

Data behind it: 2, 2 and 3 of 8.

Why it works: "Low vocabulary" is replaced by one teachable strategy and a score. See determine word meaning from context clues.

Example 16: Signs and labels, high school life skills

Weak: "Tess reads very few words."

Strong: "During community instruction in October, Tess read and responded correctly to 9 of 20 common safety and community signs, including STOP, EXIT and RESTROOM. She reads her name, address and 30 food words. She does not yet read DANGER, POISON or DO NOT ENTER. At her job site, she needs an adult to tell her which doors and areas are off limits. Tess needs to read and act on safety signs at school, at work and in the community."

Data behind it: 20-sign checklist across two community trips and one classroom probe.

Why it works: Reading is measured in the places Tess uses it. See read functional and safety words.

How to measure progress on reading goals

Keep the probe from present levels as the progress measure. If the present level is a nonsense word probe, the goal uses the same probe each time. If it is three passages and a median, each progress check is three passages and a median.

• Early reading and decoding: probe every week or two with lists at the same level.
• Fluency: one unpracticed passage a week, or three at each check and use the median.
• Comprehension: a passage and question set every two weeks, scored the same way each time.

Record probes on the reading fluency data sheet or the accuracy data sheet. Both start the graph at the baseline. For decoding instruction in grades K to 3, the federal practice guide recommends teaching students to decode words and analyze word parts.^[3]

Adapting reading present levels by grade

Printable quick reference

Everything here is free to copy and print, with no sign-up or email. This table holds the 16 examples in one place for a meeting folder.

Draft the goal from the statement, then paste it into the goal checker. For the steps behind a statement like these, read how to write a PLAAFP, or start from the PLAAFP template. More goal wording lives on the reading goals hub.

Frequently asked questions

Use it in IEP Atlas

• Reading IEP goals
• Phonics and decoding goals
• Reading comprehension goals
• Reading fluency data sheet
• PLAAFP in the IEP glossary
• IEP goal checker

Related guides

• Present levels of performance (PLAAFP): what to include, with examples
• How to write a PLAAFP, step by step
• PLAAFP template with sentence starters
• Present levels examples for writing
• Present levels (PLAAFP) examples that lead to measurable goals
• PLAAFP data sources checklist

Sources

1. 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
2. Progress Monitoring: Data & Goal Setting, National Center on Intensive Intervention
3. Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade, What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences
4. Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Grades 4–9, What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.