Lesson 1: The Anatomy of an IEP and Deciphering Goals

1. The Heartbeat: The PLAAFP

Before looking at any goals, flip to the section called the PLAAFP (Present Levels of Academic and Functional Performance).

• The Texas Way: Texas schools must use real data (like STAAR results, local reading assessments, and teacher tracking) to write this snapshot of exactly where your child is standing right now—both academically and socially/emotionally.

• Why it matters: If the PLAAFP is inaccurate, the goals will be built on quicksand. Everything in the IEP must flow from this section.

2. Spotting a Good Goal (The SMART Check)

You don't need to be an educator to spot a poorly written goal. A good goal tells you exactly what your child is working on and how everyone will know they achieved it.

⚠️ The Texas Rule of Thumb: If you can't picture what the goal looks like in a Texas classroom just by reading it, it’s not specific enough.

What a Vague Goal Looks Like What a Strong Goal Looks Like

"Johnny will improve his emotional regulation." "When overwhelmed, Johnny will independently use a designated coping strategy to . return to task within 5 minutes, in 4 out of 5 opportunities."

"Sarah will improve her reading skills." "Given a 3rd-grade reading passage, Sarah will read 90 words correctly per minute , with 90% accuracy”

3. Tracking Progress

Texas schools are required to send you progress reports at least as often as they send out general report cards (usually every 6 or 9 weeks). Look closely: if your child is hitting 100% of their goals by October, the goals were too easy. If they are making 0% progress, it's time to call a Revision ARD meeting to adjust the plan.