SPED 501A - 
Instruction of Exceptional Pupils: 
Educational Assessment and Methods

October 27, 1999

IEP Components

Present Level of Educational Performance (PLEP)

The PLEP is a written statement which describes the 
student's strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles in:

* academic,
* vocational,
* social,
* behavioral,
* perceptual,
* physical,
* communication, and/or
* life skills, as appropriate.

Make sure a PLEP statement includes these elements:

1. A statement of how the disability affects the student's
   involvment and progress in the general curriculum.

2. A description of the student's performance levels in 
   the skill areas affected by the disability.

3. Logical cues for writing the accompanying goals for
   improvement.



Example #1:

JaShon is a 4th grade student whose disability inhibits 

his ability to read required material in his class. JaShon

can read orally 95/100 words correctly in 2 minutes 

from a 2.0 grade level paragraph and 40/100 in 2 

minutes from a 3.0 level paragraph.  JaShon can answer 

4/5 literal comprehension questions from passages read

to him at the 2.0 grade level and 0/5 literal comprehension

questions at the 3.0 level.



Example #2:

Matthew's communication skills limit his ability to interact 

with others as needed to progress in the general curriculum.

Matthew can ask/answer "who" and "what" questions;

however, he has difficulty with "where," "when," and "why" 

questions.  He speaks in full sentences but is unable to relate 

personal experiences without prompting.  He can follow 

simple directions, but he has difficulty expressing that he 

does not understand what others are telling him.



Annual Goals

An annual goal is a statement of what a student with a 
disability can reasonably be expected to accomplish in one
year in a specific area.

There must be a direct correlation between the 
annual goal(s) and the PLEP.

The annual goals in the IEP:

* must be measurable.

* must tell what the student can reasonably accomplish
   in a year.

* must relate to helping the student be successful in the
   general curriculum and/or address other educational
   needs resulting from the disability.

* must be accompanied by benchmarks or short-term
   objectives.



Example #1: Which is Better?

JaShon will increase reading fluency to 100 words per 

minute at the 3.0 grade level.

OR

JaShon will read for 15 minutes each day.



Example #2: Which is Better?

Matthew will make one new friend this year.

OR

Matthew will improve ability to answer "where," "when," and

"why" questions.



Short-Term Objectives

Use a three-step process:

1. List the behavior that will be measured.

2. Explain the conditions under which that 
   behavior occurs.

3. State the criterion for mastery which allows 
   you to measure when the behavior has occurred at the 
   desired level.



Example #1: Yes? or No?

JaShon will orally read a 100-word passage at the 2.5

grade level in 1 minute with 5 or fewer errors for 2

consecutive trials.

YES or NO		Behavior?

YES or NO		Conditions?

YES or NO		Criterion?



Example #2: Yes? or No?

JaShon will read 3 books each month.

YES or NO		Behavior?

YES or NO		Conditions?

YES or NO		Criterion?



Example #3: Yes? or No?

Matthew will answer "where" questions given a

simple conversation involving directions to a

destination, 4/5 answers correct.

YES or NO		Behavior?

YES or NO		Conditions?

YES or NO		Criterion?



click here to link to LD Online for more ideas




In-class Activity

Open a word processing program on your laptop.  Type 
the answers to each of the following items.

Below is a PLEP statement.  Please read the information 
and complete the goals and objectives exercises that 
follow.

Kim is a fourth-grade girl with good attendance and 
appropriate social skills who is having difficulty in math.  
She scored second grade, second month on a math test.  
She indicated a good understanding of how to tell time and 
of metric measurement, but does not understand money 
value or computations in addition or subtraction when 
problems yield answers greater than ten.  Through testing 
and teacher interview, it was determined that her skills in 
other academic areas are average or above.  Her vision, 
hearing, speech, and health are normal according to records.

Identify why the following statements are NOT 
appropriate goals or objectives.  Write the reason they are 
inappropriate after each.

Goal 1:  Kim will write answers to subtraction fact problems

10-20 with 75% accuracy.

Objective:  Kim will say answers to subtraction fact problems

when shown flashcards.



Goal 2:  Kim will draw geometric shapes (line, circle, square,

triangle, and rectangle) when the shape name is given.

Objective A:  Kim will recognize geometric shapes on paper

when the shape name is given.

Objective B:  Kim will point to geometric shapes in the

classroom when the shape names are given.



Goal 3:  Kim will understand the importance of doing 

homework.

Objective:  Kim will write down her homework assignments  

with 100% accuracy.



The following is an example of an appropriate goal for Kim.  
It is written for one area of need identified in the PLEP 
statement (addition with regrouping).

Goal:  Kim will improve her accuracy and rate at writing 
answers to addition problems.

Write 5 objectives that support this goal.

Write goals and objectives appropriate for Kim for the 
other areas of concern noted in the evaluation results.