The IEP section parents skip — but it decides everything

When parents open an IEP, they usually flip straight to the goals. But the section that actually holds the document together comes first: the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance — often shortened to PLAAFP or just "present levels." It's a plain-language snapshot of what your child can do right now in academics, communication, social skills, motor skills, and daily living.

Why does this dry-sounding paragraph matter so much? Because every other part of the IEP legally flows from it. The goals measure progress from this baseline, the services are chosen to close the gap it describes, and next year's team judges success by comparing new data to it.

So when present levels are vague — "reads below grade level" instead of "reads 40 words per minute; grade target is 90" — the goals have nothing solid to grow from, and you can't tell later whether your child truly progressed. As a parent, you have every right to insist this section include specific, current data and your own observations from home. Getting the starting line right is what makes the whole race measurable.