Assignment 1 Special educators must be proficient at more than simply teaching, planning, and addressing student concerns. A large portion of the special educator’s career will be spent creating, implementing, and reviewing IEPs in meetings with families and other professionals. Most educators find that the present level of academic and functional performance (PLAAFP) is the most essential part of the IEP because it paints a picture of the student and guides the goals, services, accommodations, and modifications within the rest of the IEP. Once a solid PLAAFP is written, then appropriate, measurable and observable goals for the student must be written.

Part 1: Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP)

For this benchmark assignment, you will use the “Ana Case Study” to write a 250- word PLAAFP.

Your PLAAFP should include:

• Student academic strengths
• Evaluations
• Performance in classes
• Potential influences of language, culture, and family background
• Strengths, preferences, and interests in non academic areas
• Any other relevant issues

Part 2: Annual Goals

Write two measurable academic goals and two measurable behavioral goals for Ana. Each goal should include:

• A specific, measurable skill/behavior to be achieved.
• A specific measurement tool or assessment strategy for measuring performance on the goal.

Part 3: Rationale

Provide a 500 word rationale that clearly defends how each annual goal, assessment tool or strategy, and action steps are appropriate for Ana, based on the information and data in the PLAAFP.

In addition, using the “College of Education Professional Dispositions of Learners,” identify a disposition that you, as a special education teacher, would want to especially demonstrate with Ana and her family. Explain how this disposition would assist you in incorporating Ana’s language, culture, and family background into planning and delivering instruction that meets Ana’s academic and social-emotional development needs. In addition, what steps would you recommend to Ana, her family, and the IEP team for Ana to accomplish her goals?

Assignment 2 All special educators who teach secondary students will be required to create transition plans that are meaningful and appropriate for the student. Transition plans go one step further than the IEP by adding specific goals and services that will help the student be successful after graduation in future education and training, in the community, and/or in the work force. Being able to write an effective transition plan is a legal requirement for high school special education teachers.

Create a 10 slide digital presentation for school faculty and staff that explains the components and legal requirements of transition planning under IDEA.

Address the following within your presentation:

• Describe each of the required components of a transition plan according to IDEA.
• Complete a transition plan for Alex using the data provided in the “Case Scenario: Alex,” sharing each transition plan component as an example.
• Describe 2-3 strategies that promote successful transitions for students with disabilities.
• Identify 2-3 collaboration strategies that are useful when working with students, families, and IEP teams to create transition plans for students with disabilities.
• Include a title slide, reference slide, and presenter notes.

The digital presentation should include graphics that are relevant to the content, visually appealing, and use space appropriately.

Support your findings with 3-5 scholarly resources.