Present Levels of Performance

Present levels are not your child’s scores from last year or the year before. Present levels are not your child’s evaluation from three years ago. Present levels are how your child is performing today, at the time at which the IEP meeting is being held.

IDEA requires a statement of the child’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, including how a child’s disability affects the child’s involvement and progress in the general education curriculum (i.e., the same curriculum as for nondisabled children). If the child is in preschool, it must include a statement of how the disability affects the child’s participation in appropriate activities. 34 CFR 300.320 and 20 U.S.C. 1414 (d)(1)(A) and (d)(6))

The present level section of the IEP document should let you and school staff know clearly how your child is doing academically, socially, developmentally, functionally, in the areas of motor skills, physical skills, and any other area that could be addressed within a school setting. For children with significant cognitive issues, this can include present levels and then goals in life skills such as toileting, teeth brushing, using a microwave, or using hand gestures or assistive technology to communicate. Any area in which your child is going to need assistance should be documented. We want your child’s IEP to present a clear picture of their current levels—so that we can track progress.