PLAAFP
Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance
The PLAAFP statement is a federally required section of every Individualized Education Program (IEP) under 34 CFR §300.320(a)(1) that describes a student's current academic and functional skill levels. It must be written in measurable, data-grounded language drawn from recent evaluations, curriculum-based measurement, and classroom observation, and it establishes the baseline from which all annual goals are derived.
Regulatory Citation
Example in Practice
Based on fall 2026 curriculum-based measurement (AIMSweb R-CBM), the student reads 42 words correct per minute on grade-level passages, below the 25th percentile for fourth grade (Hasbrouck & Tindal 2017, Tech Rep. #1702, Univ. of Oregon).
Key Research Citations
- ·Deno (1985, Exceptional Children 52(3):219-232) — Curriculum-based measurement foundations
- ·Fuchs & Fuchs (2006, J Special Education 41(2):85-95) — Progress-monitoring reliability for PLAAFP baselines
- ·Bateman & Linden (2012) — Better IEPs, 5th ed., Attainment Co.
Full bibliography available on the Research page.
This glossary entry is educational. It is not legal or clinical advice. Consult a qualified attorney or licensed clinician before making decisions that rely on this summary.