Solving the IEP Mystery: How to Connect the Dots for Student Success

Welcome back to Special Education for Beginners! In today’s episode, Jennifer draws a fun and insightful parallel between writing an Individualized Education Plan and solving a detective case. Just like detectives use boards with pushpins and strings to connect clues and evidence, special education teachers need to ensure that every part of an IEP is linked seamlessly to the next. From present levels of academic and functional performance (PLAAFP) to services, goals, and accommodations—each piece must flow together to create a solid plan for student success.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to treat the PLAAFP statement like the foundation of a detective's investigation
• Why it’s crucial that every service and goal directly connect to the needs outlined in the PLAAFP
• Tips for writing goals that serve as stepping stones to the student’s progress
• The importance of aligning accommodations and modifications to support student achievement
• How failing to connect these parts of the IEP can lead to a plan that lacks cohesion and effectiveness

Plus, Jennifer introduces her resource, Write Better PLAAF Statements, which offers 179 professionally written examples across 20 areas of need to help you craft clear, professional PLAAF statements. You can grab it by clicking the link in the show notes.

Resource Mentioned:

• Write Better PLAAF Statements – Get access to 179 sample PLAAF statements to strengthen your IEPs.

Tune in and discover how connecting all the dots in your IEP will ensure your students get the most from their plans.

Writing individual impact statements based on a student’s unique disability  and needs can be a big struggle AND a big time suck.! And in case you haven't noticed...extra time is not something you have a lot of.

My IEP Impact Statements Growing Bundle will give you  the resources you need to make writing impact statements a breeze.  

Sign up to be notified each time a new episode airs and get access to all the discounts!

Don't forget to leave a review of the show!

Follow Jennifer
Instagram
TPT

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:59

Well, hey there, welcome back to Special Education for Beginners. I'm your host, jennifer, and today we're going to draw a really fun parallel between a detective's case and an IEP, because when you really think about it, they have quite a few things in common. So you know how in crime dramas you often see detectives working with a big board covered in pictures, strings and pushpins. They're trying to piece together how everything fits. They are linking evidence, showing how one clue leads to another and ultimately solving the case by connecting all the dots. Now, I'm assuming that's how it is in real life as well, although I've never been inside a detective's office myself. But here's the thing this same theory needs to be used in our IEPs. Every piece of the IEP should be connected to something else, just like those strings and pushpins on the detective's board. The present levels of performance is where we start, and from there we build connections that lead us to the goals. Accommodations, services and supports. Everything should flow together seamlessly, and when it does, we can be confident that the plan we are putting into place truly addresses the needs of our students. So today we're going to talk about how to make those connections in the IEP so that nothing is left floating out on its own, and I'm going to share a resource that can help you easily improve your IEPs and write stronger, more connected PLAAF statements. So let's get to it. Hey, special educator, are you overwhelmed by the absurd amount of paperwork on your to-do list? Do you wish you had the skills to build a rock solid team with your staff? Do you find yourself scouring the internet for how to meet the needs of each student on your caseload? Well, hey there. I'm Jennifer Hopperberg, an award-winning veteran special education teacher and current instructional coach, who has walked in your shoes through each of these challenges and, yes, I have the metaphorical blisters to prove it. I have cried your tears and felt your pain, and now I'm here to support you in the way I wish someone would have been there to support me. Listen in each week as my guests and I dish out practical wisdom to help you handle all the classroom curveballs that are thrown at you and learn how to laugh in spite of the chaos, to celebrate those small yet significant victories that only a special educator can understand. So are you ready? Wipe your tears and put on your superhero cape, because together we are going to learn how to survive and thrive in the ever crazy, completely overwhelming laugh so you don't cry profession of being a special education teacher.

Speaker 1: 3:12

So when we are writing our IEPs we are not trying to solve crimes, but we are kind of trying to solve a mystery and that mystery is what is best for this child. And, just like detectives, we make our decisions based on evidence and facts. The key here is that everything we include in the IEP should be connected to the evidence we have. So let's break it down First. Think of the PLAAF section. Your district might call it the PLOPs present levels of performance or PLEPS present levels of educational performance. My district calls it the PLAF statement present levels of academic and functional performance section. Same thing, they all mean the same thing.

Speaker 1: 3:55

But this is the first step in our investigation. It's where we lay out all the evidence. This is where we describe in detail where the student is right now academically, behaviorally, socially. It will also include information about the health of the student, any transition needs, any motor concerns or sensory issues. Just like a detective can't solve a case without knowing the background of a suspect, we can't write an effective IEP without solid, clear PLAAF statements. And this is where the clues all start coming together the information in the PLAAF guides the rest of the IEP.

Speaker 1: 4:32

So let's go back to my analogy. This is where your pushpins would originate, for example, if the data shows the student struggles with reading comprehension. You know your goals and your services and your accommodations should all link back to that. And if you are ever stuck trying to find the right wording for your PLAAFs, I've got you covered. I have a resource that includes 179 well-written statements across 20 areas of need, from reading and math to emotional regulation and communication. You can grab my Write Better PLAAF Statements resource by clicking the link in the show notes. It is packed with examples that will help you write clear, professional and actionable PLAAF statements that will set the stage for a strong IEP. Again, that link will be in the show notes. Trust me, this tool is a game changer.

Speaker 1: 5:19

Now, once you have your PLAAF statements in place, the next step is to figure out what services the student will need. This is like adding more pins and strings to the detective board. The services should directly address the needs identified in the PLAAF. If the student needs speech therapy or specialized reading instruction, this is where you will specify that. What's crucial here is making sure that the services are tied directly to the needs that are outlined in the PLAAF. If there's a gap between the needs and the services, it's like leaving out a vital piece of evidence. It just won't work. It's not correct. On the other hand, if you have a service and have not indicated a need, you're also missing a link. Think of it as building a bridge between where the student is and where you want them to go.

Speaker 1: 6:06

Next, we want to start thinking about the goals, and the goals is where we start to put our plans into action. These are the benchmarks that we aim to hit by the end of the IEP year. The goals should be like stepping stones that help a student move forward from their current levels, which are outlined in the PLAAF. For example, if the student's PLAAF indicates they're having trouble with reading comprehension, a goal might be by the end of the IEP year. Given a grade level text and a graphic organizer, the student will accurately identify the main idea and at least two supporting details from a passage in four out of five trials.

Speaker 1: 6:41

The connection between the PLAAF and the goals must be seamless. If they aren't linked, it's like trying to jump from one side of a cliff to another without a bridge. Finally, we have the accommodations and modifications. These are the tools and strategies we use to help the student achieve their goals. Accommodations are the adjustments we make to help the student access the curriculum, while modifications might change the actual expectations or outcomes. For example, if a student struggles with attention, you might provide an accommodation like allowing breaks or using visual schedules. These tools are essential for bridging that gap between what the student can do now and what they're aiming to do through the goals.

Speaker 1: 7:23

So, as you can see, just like a detective has to connect all the pieces of evidence with string and push pins to solve a case, we, as special education teachers, have to connect the different parts of the IEP. The PLAAF tells us where the student is now, and the services and goals tell us how to get them where they need to be, and the accommodations and modifications ensure we give them the tools they need to succeed. But here's the important part If these pieces are not connected, if you don't draw those lines between the PLAAF, the goals, the services and the accommodations and modifications, you will not have a well-written IEP. It's like leaving out key evidence in an investigation. The case would fall apart.

Speaker 1: 8:02

And the same goes for an IEP. Every section needs to flow from one to the other and the connections need to be crystal clear. When all of the pieces are tied together seamlessly, you have a plan that supports the student's progress and assures everyone teachers, administrators, parents and the student themselves are working to achieve the best outcomes. So before you finalize that IEP, take a step back and make sure everything is connected. Check that your PLAAF leads into your goals. Your services directly address those needs and your accommodations give the student the tools to reach their goals. And again, if you ever need help with fine-tuning your PLAAF statements, don't forget about the Write Better PLAAF Statements resource linked in the show notes. It's designed to help you craft the kind of PLAAFs that set the foundation for a strong IEP, one that truly connects all the dots. Thanks for joining me today. I hope you found this little detective analogy helpful in understanding how important those connections are. See you next week.