Present levels (PLAAFP) examples that lead to measurable goals
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
A strong present levels statement says what the student does now, measured the same way the goal will be measured. It names the task and conditions, gives a number from recent data, says how the gap affects class work, and states what the student needs next. Each example below pairs a weak statement with a rewrite you can adapt.
The present levels section is where a goal starts. If it says "struggles with reading," the goal has nothing to measure from. If it says what the student read, under what conditions, and how well, the goal almost writes itself.
The federal rule asks for 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.[1] That is the legal floor. The working test is simpler: could a new teacher read it and pick up instruction on Monday?
The four parts every example has
Each rewrite below uses the same four parts. Check your own statements against them.
- Current performance with a number. Use the same unit the goal will use: words correct per minute, seconds, rubric points, or opportunities.
- Conditions. Name the task, the materials, and the setting. A score means little without them.
- Impact. Say what the gap stops the student from doing in class. Keep it specific to this student.
- Need. Name the skill the goal will target. This is the bridge to the measurable annual goal.
The numbers in these examples are made up to show the format. They are not benchmarks or targets.
Reading fluency
Weak: "Maya is a slow reader and has trouble with fluency. She does not like to read aloud."
Rewrite: "On three unpracticed grade 3 passages in October, Maya read a median of 58 words correct per minute, with 93% accuracy. Her errors were mostly long vowel patterns and multisyllable words. She skips or guesses at these words. In class, she does not finish the reading in science and social studies in the time given, so she misses content she needs for the discussion. Maya needs to decode vowel teams and two-syllable words with accuracy and speed."
The rewrite gives a baseline in the same unit as a fluency goal. It says how it was measured, so the next probe can match it. See reading fluency goal examples and how oral reading fluency is scored.
Written expression
Weak: "Jordan's writing is below grade level. He needs to work on organization."
Rewrite: "Given a picture prompt and 15 minutes, Jordan wrote a median of 3 sentences across four samples in September. He scored 4 of 12 points on the class paragraph rubric. He states a topic but gives no supporting details and no closing. He writes more when an adult gives him a sentence starter. In class, he turns in short responses that do not answer the question, which lowers his grades in every subject that uses written answers. Jordan needs to plan and write a paragraph with a topic sentence, three details, and a closing."
Rubric points make the goal easy to write and easy to score. The rubric scoring page shows how to set up the rubric so two people score it the same.
Math problem solving
Weak: "Ava has difficulty with word problems and gets frustrated."
Rewrite: "On four sets of 10 one-step word problems with whole numbers, Ava solved a median of 4 correctly. She computes well when the operation is given. She chooses the wrong operation on most problems that use the words 'left' or 'fewer.' She asks to skip word problems during independent work. Ava needs a routine to identify what the problem asks and choose the operation before she computes."
The rewrite separates what Ava can do from what she cannot. That tells the team where to aim the goal, and it keeps the goal from targeting computation she already has.
Task initiation
Weak: "Leo is off task and does not start his work."
Rewrite: "During five observed independent work periods in math, Leo took a median of 6 minutes to start writing after the direction was given. His range was 3 to 11 minutes. He started within 1 minute when an adult stood beside his desk. He finishes about half of his independent work, so he often takes it home unfinished. Leo needs a way to begin a task on his own after a direction, such as a first-step card."
"Off task" is not a measure. Time to start is. This baseline uses latency recording, and it fits the task initiation goals in the library.
Asking for help
Weak: "Priya does not advocate for herself."
Rewrite: "Across 10 observed times in two weeks when Priya was stuck on a reading or math task, she asked an adult or peer for help 2 times. The other 8 times she sat quietly until an adult noticed. She asks for help at home and with her speech therapist. In class, she falls behind on tasks she could finish with a short answer to her question. Priya needs to ask for help using a phrase or a help card when she is stuck."
Counting opportunities works well when the behavior depends on a situation, like being stuck. For goal wording, see requesting help goals.
Weak phrases and what to write instead
| Weak phrase | Why it fails | Write instead |
|---|---|---|
| "Below grade level" | No number and no task | The score, the task, and the date |
| "Struggles with" | Says nothing about what you saw | What the student did, and how often |
| "Is unmotivated" | A guess about feelings | What the student does when given the task |
| "Grade equivalent 2.4" | Hard to read and easy to misuse | Words correct per minute, or a rubric score |
| "Is making progress" | Progress compared to what? | Last year's baseline next to this year's |
Mistakes to avoid
- A test score with no meaning attached. A standard score of 78 tells a parent nothing on its own. Say what it means for class work.
- Last year's statement copied forward. If the numbers are a year old, the goal is built on a student who no longer exists.
- A different unit than the goal. If present levels give percent correct and the goal uses minutes, there is no baseline.
- Strengths left out. Note what works, such as a sentence starter or an adult nearby. These become the supports in the goal.
- One data point. A single bad day is not a present level. Use at least three probes and report the median.
From present levels to the goal
The number in the present levels becomes the baseline of the goal. The need becomes the skill the goal targets. The conditions carry over, so the goal measures the same task. When those three line up, anyone can compare the next probe to the baseline and see if the student is moving.
Before you finalize, read the statement next to the draft goal. Then run the goal through the goal checker to catch vague wording. For the goal itself, the guide on writing measurable IEP goals covers each part in order. If you still need a number to start from, read how to collect baseline data before the meeting.
Frequently asked questions
What does PLAAFP stand for?
Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance. Some states call it PLOP or PLEP. The name changes, but the job is the same: describe what the student does now so the team can write goals from it.
How long should a present levels statement be?
Long enough to give a number, the conditions, the impact on class work, and the need for each area a goal will address. For most areas that is four to six sentences. Length matters less than whether a new teacher could act on it.
Can I use standardized test scores in present levels?
Yes, but pair them with classroom data and say what they mean. A standard score shows how a student compares to peers. A curriculum-based probe shows the baseline your goal will measure against, which is what the goal needs.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- PLAAFP in the IEP glossary
- Reading fluency goal examples
- Task initiation goal examples
- Check a goal you wrote
- Free progress-monitoring data sheets
Related guides
- How to write IEP goals: a step-by-step method with examples
- How to collect baseline data for an IEP goal
- IEP goal examples: measurable goals for every area
- Observable verbs for IEP goals
- Non-measurable IEP goals: 24 examples and rewrites
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- Progress Monitoring: Data & Goal Setting, National Center on Intensive Intervention
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.