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Aligning Services and Accommodations to Student Needs

In this week’s episode of Special Education for Beginners, we’re continuing our October series all about writing IEPs that are clear, meaningful, and truly connected.

So far this month, we’ve talked about how your Present Levels (PLAAFPs) act as the blueprint of the IEP and how to use that information to write strong, measurable goals.

Now we’re moving one step further — connecting those goals to the services, accommodations, and supports that make them work in practice.

If you can’t find evidence of the need in the Present Levels, it doesn’t belong in the goal section.

If you’ve ever caught yourself copying last year’s IEP just to “save time,” you’re not alone. But today, we’re hitting reset and walking through five simple steps to make sure every service and accommodation in your IEP is backed by data and directly connected to your student’s current needs.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

✅ How to use data from the Present Levels to guide your decisions
✅ What questions to ask yourself before adding or adjusting services
✅ How to ensure every support ties back to an IEP goal
✅ Why alignment matters for both compliance and student success
✅ Tips for knowing when it’s time to remove outdated accommodations or services

Plus, I’m sharing how AI tools can actually help you pull out student strengths and needs more efficiently — without replacing your professional judgment.
If you want to try this for yourself, check out my resource Using AI to Write IEPs: Identifying Strengths and Needs, which walks you step-by-step through how to use AI responsibly to analyze data and identify key areas for growth.
And if you’re looking for more support with goal writing, my IEP Goal and PLAAFP Forms are designed to simplify the process while keeping your writing precise, professional, and personalized.

📎 Resource Mentioned:

• Using AI to Write IEPs: Identifying Strengths and Needs

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