What this means
The IEP must include a statement of the child's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance. Academic achievement refers to learning in the curriculum; functional performance refers to skills used in daily school life, such as communication, organization, mobility, attention or social interaction.
For a school-age child, this statement includes how the disability affects the child's involvement and progress in the general education curriculum. For a preschool child, when appropriate, it includes how the disability affects participation in appropriate activities.
Present levels establish the starting point the team uses to identify needs, write annual goals and consider services and supports.
Information may come from parents, teachers, providers, evaluations, observations, assessments and other relevant sources. Districts use their own forms, so there is no single required layout or section name.
What you may see
- A description of current academic performance, sometimes with scores or curriculum references
- A description of functional performance in everyday school activities
- Recent data, work samples, observations and specific current examples
- An explanation of how the disability affects involvement and progress in the general education curriculum
- Information contributed by parents, described in the school's own format
Questions to consider
- Can I tell what my child can currently do from this section?
- How does this information connect to the proposed annual goals?
- How recent is the information used here?
- Are my child's strengths reflected?
- Is there anything important that is missing?
What you may want to write down
- Specific current examples from home that relate to what is described
- Anything you see differently, described concretely
- Strengths you would like reflected in the document
Sources and review
Last reviewed: September 10, 2026. This page was reviewed by IEP Pathway against the sources below. State, district and school practices can differ from the federal baseline, so confirm local procedures with your school or state education agency.
Sources
Important note
This site provides educational information, organizational tools and printable resources. It is not legal advice, and it is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education, any school district, government agency, attorney, law firm or advocacy organization. For advice about your specific situation, consider consulting a qualified professional.
Next: Annual goals