This statement of IEP contains a description of the child's current academic and developmental strengths and needs. This section contains district and statewide test results, an explanation of how the disability affects the child's participation in the general education classroom, parent concerns, and for school aged children the impact of the disability on participation in age group activities. Also known as the present levels statement, the statement is created by,” considering the areas of development in which a child with a disability may need support”. (NICHCY, 2014) Academic achievement focuses on how well the student performs in content areas as well as how well they master new skills. This section of the IEP must answer the questions, “where does the child stand? And the most critical question,” how does the child’s disability affect his or her involvement and progress in the general education curriculum?” All of the above mentioned items must be represented in the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance section. This section must also include functional performance, which is defined as,” referring to “skills or activities that are not considered academic or related to a child’s academic achievement”. (NICHCY, 2014)
Functional performance can also mean a student’s routine of activities on a daily basis. Some of these daily activities include: “dressing, eating, going to the bathroom; social skills such as making friends and communicating with others; behavior skills, such as knowing how to behave across a range of settings; and mobility skills, such as walking, getting around, and going up and down stairs”. These activities are significant to the IEP because within the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance statement the team must assess,” where does the child stand in terms of functional performance? And how does the child’s disability affect functional performance and, from there, his or her involvement and progress in the general education curriculum?” (NICHCY, 2014) There is no formal definition within IDEA that states how functional performance is measured, however; IDEA rules state, “[T]he evaluation procedures used to measure a child’s functional skills must meet the same standards as all other evaluation procedures [described in IDEA at §300.304(c) (1)]. (NICHCY, 2014) The information that is included within the statement comes from test and observations done during the child’s eligibility review.
However; the Present levels of Academic Achievement statement is the base for which the rest of the IEP will be developed to help fully develop goals, accommodations, services, supports, and placements for exceptional students.
An example of a present levels statement is: “ Maria is in the fourth grade and can orally read 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. She 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.” (Nancy Foley, 2008)
Functional performance can also mean a student’s routine of activities on a daily basis. Some of these daily activities include: “dressing, eating, going to the bathroom; social skills such as making friends and communicating with others; behavior skills, such as knowing how to behave across a range of settings; and mobility skills, such as walking, getting around, and going up and down stairs”. These activities are significant to the IEP because within the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance statement the team must assess,” where does the child stand in terms of functional performance? And how does the child’s disability affect functional performance and, from there, his or her involvement and progress in the general education curriculum?” (NICHCY, 2014) There is no formal definition within IDEA that states how functional performance is measured, however; IDEA rules state, “[T]he evaluation procedures used to measure a child’s functional skills must meet the same standards as all other evaluation procedures [described in IDEA at §300.304(c) (1)]. (NICHCY, 2014) The information that is included within the statement comes from test and observations done during the child’s eligibility review.
However; the Present levels of Academic Achievement statement is the base for which the rest of the IEP will be developed to help fully develop goals, accommodations, services, supports, and placements for exceptional students.
An example of a present levels statement is: “ Maria is in the fourth grade and can orally read 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. She 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.” (Nancy Foley, 2008)