1. IEP PLOP, Goals, Considerations, Accommodations
EDEL 539
IEP
PLOP, Goals, Considerations, Accommodations

2. Individual Education Program
Cornerstone of IDEA
Establishes team concept
Focuses on action
Consolidates efforts
Documents progress - evaluation
Accountability tool

3. IEP Team members LEA representative Special ed teacher
Knowledgeable of general curriculum
Knowledgeable of availability of resources
Can supervise provision of services
Special ed teacher
General ed teacher
Parents
Person who can interpret test results
Child, if appropriate
Related service personnel
For transition – agency representatives
Other people designated by parents or LEA

4. IEP Process Collect information Schedule meeting Conduct meeting
Implement IEP
Report student progress
Review Progress (collect information)

5. Collecting information
Student history
Family expectations, concerns
Ask parents (can send a form home)
Ask the child
Strengths
Resources
Unique needs and challenges

6. Gathering the team Parent notification
Two weeks in advance
Find an acceptable time
Involving the general ed teacher
Don’t have too many people there
How to involved parents more?

7. When IEP meetings should be held
Within 30 days of initial eligibility
At least annually
Whenever there is a significant change in placement (long-term suspension, graduation, change in program)
Lack of student progress
Need for behavior plan
Manifestation Determination

8. IEP Meeting – Three Phases
Review present performance
Test results, etc.
Where are we now?
Develop instructional goals and objectives
Where are we going?
How will we know we’ve succeeded?
Determine placement and related services
How will we get there?
Must allow access to the general curriculum

9. Components of the IEP Present Level of Performance
Annual goals and short-term objectives
Special education and related services
Accommodations and supports needed in order for the child to participate in the general curriculum.
Dates to begin and end
How and when parents will be informed of progress
How students will participate in state assessment
Transition services age 14 and older.
Next: Sharon’s PLOP presentation

10. The PLOP is a description of the student’s current levels using data and information from various sources:
-initial eligibility and triennial evaluations
Formal testing data if current
Current informal testing by classroom teacher
Current performance in the classroom - work samples
Current reports by related service providers
Formal and informal observation of skill levels and behavior.

11. The Foundation of the Individual Education Plan (IEP)
PLOP
Schedule and Program
Goals & Objectives
The Foundation of the Individual Education Plan (IEP)

12. PLOP Different for every child Individually determined
Can be understood by all participants -
including parents
Does not require a knowledge of evaluation procedures for understanding
A SNAPSHOT of how the child is currently functioning
Addresses academic and nonacademic areas.
Identifies behavioral issues

13. PLOP (the foundation) All PLOPS should include:
Strengths and weaknesses (including related service needs)
Assessment information, both formal (if current) and informal
Instructional needs and style of learning
Transition issues (if applicable)
Areas of concern including behavior which may interfere with learning
The effect of the student’s disability on his/her involvement and progress in the general curriculum

14. Even More Points The child should be visible on paper
The PLOP should avoid statements of where, when, or how special education services will be provided.
The descriptive statements should be as complete and accurate as possible, for they are the foundation upon which everything else is determined.
The child should be visible on paper

15. The Good,
The Bad,
and the Ugly...
PLOPs
Samples of

16. Would you know what to do with this child if he walked into your
James is good at math. He is good with computation (addition and subtraction), reasoning and measuring. He is also good at asking for help when he needs it. Another strength is reading sight words.
James is having a hard time with reading, phonics & written work. He struggles in the language arts area.
James learns best w/ hands on and tactile activities.
Would you know what to do with
this child if he walked into your
classroom tomorrow?

17. Susan is a very hard worker in class
Susan is a very hard worker in class. She responds well to praise and likes to be pleasing to teachers. She is able to use context clues to figure out words she does not know and understand the material which she is reading. Susan’s strength is in math.
Susan quite often fails to complete homework. She has difficulty getting along with peers as well as fitting in. She has a weakness in word recognition.
Comply with all school regulation and rules as behavior is as area of weakness.
Answer the following questions:
Does the PLOP list the strengths of the student?
Does the PLOP list weaknesses of the student in each problem area?
Is the PLOP based on information gathered from a combination of diagnostic procedures?
Are the instruments or processes used in the evaluation identified?
Is the information instructionally relevant?

18. Jesse is an active participant in speech class
Jesse is an active participant in speech class. He has made progress with his speech sounds.
Jesse exhibits d/g & t/k substitution in conversation. Other erred sounds are th, v & r.
Now answer these questions:
Does the PLOP list strengths of the student?
Does the PLOP list weaknesses of the student?
Is the PLOP based on information gathered from a combination of diagnostic procedures?
Is the information instructionally relevant?
Is the weakness and justification for the related service in the PLOP?

19. How does this PLOP sound?
Katie has completed the 4th grade and is identified as OHI. In addition, she has been diagnosed with Terrette’s Disorder and ODD. Katie takes medication. Katie’s cognitive ability was measured last year in the low range, with a relative strength for spatial reasoning (DAS). Educational testing using the WJ- R measures Katie’s achievement in the average range for reading, written expression, and broad knowledge. She has low average range skills in all other areas.
Katie successfully completed grade level requirements in reading and written language. She requires special education support for attention, study skills, and behavior. Math is Katie’s weakest subject. She will require remediation in math and in writing skills. Katie passed the county math assessment test. She is only at level 3 on the spelling inventory.
Katie is a big behavior problem. She spends a lot of time in ISS. She enjoys playing and making things with her hands. When she doesn’t get her way, she is defiant and noncooperative. She is very lazy when it comes to classwork. When you can get her to do her work, she rushes through it and makes silly errors. Katie has no social skills but can work with a single partner.

20. Answer the following questions about Katie’s PLOP:
Does the PLOP list strengths of the student?
Does the PLOP list weaknesses of the student in each problem area?
Is the PLOP based on information gathered from a combination of diagnostic procedures?
Are the instruments or processes used in the evaluation identified without initials?
Is the information instructionally relevant?
Is the PLOP written in narrative form and in understandable language?
Is the PLOP written in a professional manner?

21. The Re-design of of Katie's PLOP
Or Making Katie Visible in a More Professional Way

22. Katie's Present Level of Performance
Paragraph 1
Katie has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, Tourette’s Syndrome and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Katie takes Clonidine and Adderall with good results to address her behavioral symptoms. In a full evaluation done in January, 2002, Katie’s cognitive ability was measured in the low range, with a relative strength for spatial reasoning (Differential Ability Scales). This means that visual presentation of instruction is the preferred learning style. Educational testing using the Woodcock-Johnson-Revised (1/02) measures Katie’s achievement in the average range for reading decoding and comprehension, written expression, and broad knowledge. She has low average range skills in math calculation, math reasoning, and writing skills.

23. Katies's PLOP Paragraph 2
Katie can progress in the general curriculum at grade level for reading and written language with accommodations for time, length of assignments, and support in the regular classroom. According to her classroom teacher, Katie requires support for study skills in the content areas, task planning and following directions, maintaining attention to task, working independently and checking her work. Katie needs assistance to maintain an organizational system for school assignments and supplies. Math is Katie’s weakest subject. She requires remediation in subtraction with regrouping, learning multiplication facts, algorithms of multiplication and long division, and understanding fractions. Katie is also weak in solving word problems. Work sample analysis indicates that she works more effectively when key words are highlighted. In writing skills, Katie needs extra support for spelling and mechanics.

24. Katie's PLOP
Paragraph 3
Behavioral issues impact Katie’s success in the regular education program. Her teacher reports that she has difficulty remaining focused on classwork. She tends to become sidetracked by handling items on her desk. Eye contact is not always conducive to maintaining attention. Katie rushes through her work and makes careless errors. Peer interactions are difficult for Katie. She does better when working with a compatible partner. Katie demonstrates flexibility and creativity in solving problems when she is interested in tasks, typically those with hands-on involvement. She can initiate and persist with preferred tasks, such as drawing, working puzzles, and hands-on construction activities. Katie is motivated by choices and opportunities to engage in enjoyable activities.

25. Katie's PLOP
New paragraph
Katie needs a structured classroom with a predictable routine, a supportive atmosphere, and consistent behavioral expectations. A behavioral plan that includes positive reinforcement/reward has proven successful for Katie.
Would you know what to do with this student if she walked into your classroom tomorrow?

26. Answer the following questions:
Does Katie’s PLOP list her strengths?
Does the PLOP list Katie’s weaknesses in each problem area?
Is the PLOP based on information gathered from a combination of diagnostic procedures?
Are the instruments or processes used in the evaluation identified? Without initials?
Is the information instructionally relevant?
Is Katie’s PLOP written in narrative form and in understandable language?
What kind of placement is justified by this PLOP?

27. Here’s an example of
A Speech PLOP

28. Josh’s expressive and receptive language skills, based on the Preschool Language Scale-3 (PLS-3) given 3/02, are within the average range. His expressive language standard scores on the PLS-3 are 95 compared to an average of His receptive language standard score in Per teacher report, his educational performance is judged to be above average in all areas except language arts. His behavior is appropriate for an educational setting.
Josh
Josh mispronounces (misarticulates) several sounds that are no longer age appropriate. Based on the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation (3/02), Josh exhibits the t/k (tup/cup) and d/g (doose/goose) substitution in all positions of the word. These substitutions impact his achievement in spelling and social interactions. Teachers and peers have great difficulty understanding his oral language. Josh is beginning to be self-conscious and reluctant to speak out loud in class and at play.

29. Writing Measurable Goals
What the child will do by the end of the year and how we will know he has done it.
Use information from the PLOP
Go from present level to something better
Be sure you plan to use the measurement system that you describe (teacher checklists, etc.)

30. Joe will have a better attitude toward school 80% of the time
Sara will make wise choices in her use of leisure time
Max will be 75% successful in the mainstream
Beth will show an appropriate level of upper body strength
Joe will have no more than 5 unexcused absences this year
Sara will participate weekly in a supervised extracurricular activity
Max will maintain at C+ average in his regular classes
Beth will pass upper body strength items on the ABC fitness test

31. Annual goals
John will follow appropriate adult directions within 5 seconds without negative comment or facial expression
John will copy or generate 40 letters per minute with 100% legibility
John will improve his on-task behavior from 37% to 80% as measure by a qualified observer
John will score above 3.5 grade equivalent on 2 standardized reading tests
John will correctly complete 85% of the multiplication and division problems on the district math test
Ones in book that are not measurable – p. 13, 17

32. Write 3 goals from this PLOP segment:
Alfred has a behavior problem. He is lazy. He reads at 6.2 and math is hard for him. He never does any homework and is too social in class.

33. Write 3 goals from this PLOP segment:
John has an oral reading fluency rate on grade level materials of 34 correct words per minute (CWPM). The average for his grade level is 90 CWPM. He correctly responds to 3 out or 10 comprehension questions on grade level material. He usually takes 5 minutes or more to begin tasks after they are presented to him.

34. Considerations
Behavioral strategies and interventions for a student whose behavior impedes his or her learning or that of others
Braille instruction for a student with visual impairment
Language needs for a student with limited English proficiency, has other communication needs, or is deaf
Assistive technology needs of the student

35. Supports, Modifications
What will give the student access to the general curriculum?
Behavior supports, plan
Individual assistant
Technology – keyboard, communication device
Training for teachers
Adapted materials
Monthly team meetings

36. Accommodations Time Schedule Setting Presentation Response
Daily communication with parents
Picture schedule