How to Read Present Levels Without Getting Lost

Present levels can feel like the part of the IEP everyone politely walks past to get to the goals. Do not skip them.

This section should help you understand what the student can do now, what is hard, where the difficulty shows up, and why the team is recommending specific goals, services, accommodations, or supports.

A simple way to read present levels is to ask: Can I picture the student’s school day from this description? Can I see the need? Can I see why the goal or service follows?