This entry explains how a student's challenges with executive functioning can be described and addressed in an Individualized Education Program (IEP), including in the present levels, annual goals, and supports.
This entry explains how a student's challenges with executive functioning can be described and addressed in an Individualized Education Program (IEP), including in the present levels, annual goals, and supports.
Executive Functioning in the IEP
This entry explains how a student's challenges with executive functioning can be described and addressed in an Individualized Education Program (IEP), including in the present levels, annual goals, and supports.
Executive Functioning (EF) is not one of the 13 disability categories listed in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). However, difficulties with EF skills like planning, organization, starting tasks, working memory, and self-control are often a key part of why a student qualifies for special education under an existing category, such as Specific Learning Disability (SLD) or Other Health Impairment (OHI).
When EF challenges impact a student's ability to learn and participate in school, they can be addressed in the IEP. The team documents these needs and creates a plan to support them. This plan is described across several key sections of the IEP, including the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP), Annual Goals, and the statement of services and supports.
By articulating how executive functioning needs affect the child's ability to access and progress in the general curriculum, the IEP lays the foundation for setting realistic EF-related goals and determining appropriate supports.
The Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) section is the foundation of the IEP. It explains how a student's disability affects their involvement in the general education curriculum. For EF, this section uses specific, observable data from evaluations, teacher observations, and student work to describe the challenges.
Instead of a general statement like "the student is disorganized," a PLAAFP provides concrete details. For example, it might say: "Based on a review of work samples from the past month, the student turns in multi-step assignments incomplete 80% of the time. Classroom observation shows they frequently cannot locate necessary materials (e.g., textbook, folder) in their backpack, taking an average of four minutes to get ready for instruction after the bell rings."
This level of detail helps the team pinpoint the exact skill deficit that needs support and provides a baseline for measuring future progress.
Once a need is identified in the PLAAFP, the IEP team writes a measurable annual goal to address it. Under IDEA, goals must be written in a way that allows progress to be measured. An EF goal describes what the student is expected to learn to do within one year.
Effective EF goals are specific. They name the skill, the conditions under which the student will perform it, the level of performance expected (the criteria), and how it will be measured. For example, a goal for task initiation might read: "By the end of the IEP period, when given a familiar classroom routine with 3 or more steps (e.g., morning arrival, packing up), the student will begin the first step independently within 30 seconds of the group instruction in 4 out of 5 observed opportunities."
A goal related to organization might be: "The student will use a planner to organize daily assignments with 80% accuracy over four consecutive weeks." These goals are accompanied by supports and services to help the student work toward meeting them.
Supports, Services, and Accommodations
To help a student meet their EF goals and access their education, the IEP lists specific supports. These are individualized based on the needs described in the PLAAFP.
Examples of supports for EF can include:
**Specially Designed Instruction (SDI):** Direct, explicit teaching of an EF skill by a special education professional. This could be a mini-lesson on how to use a planner or a strategy for checking work for errors.
**Supplementary Aids and Services:** These are accommodations and tools that help the student use their skills in the classroom. Common examples include checklists for routines, visual timers, graphic organizers, color-coded folders, extended time on tests, or an extra set of textbooks to keep at home.
**Related Services:** In some cases, a related service provider like a speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist may work on skills that underlie executive functions, such as working memory or sequencing.
When it helps most
Integrating EF supports into the IEP is most beneficial when a student's executive functioning needs are significantly impacting their academic performance, functional skills, or social interactions. This often applies to students with ADHD, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, or other conditions affecting cognitive processes.
The IEP can be tailored to provide accommodations while explicitly teaching EF skills alongside academic content and offering repeated practice to build proficiency. Students who struggle with task initiation, organization, time management, or impulse control often benefit from having these areas specifically addressed in their educational plans.
When it may not help
Emphasizing EF in the IEP may be less effective if a student's primary challenges do not stem from executive functioning issues. In such cases, the focus might need to be on other areas like language development, sensory processing, or academic skill deficits.
Additionally, if EF skills are addressed without considering the child's broader educational needs and context, the intervention may be less effective. The IEP team considers the whole child and their unique circumstances when determining which areas to prioritize. Whether EF is a primary focus depends on evaluation data and how significantly these challenges impact educational access and progress.
How progress is measured
The IEP explains how the school will track the student's progress toward each goal. For EF goals, this requires collecting specific data, not just relying on grades. The method of measurement is chosen to match the goal.
Data collection methods for EF skills can include:
**Checklists or charts:** A teacher might use a simple chart to track how many times a student remembered to bring the correct materials to class each day.
**Observation logs:** An educator observes and records how long it takes a student to start an assignment after directions are given.
**Work sample reviews:** The team might review a student's completed planners or graphic organizers to see if they are using a strategy correctly and consistently.
The IEP also states how often parents will receive a report on this progress (for example, quarterly, at the same time as report cards). Regular reviews allow the team to determine if supports are meeting the student's evolving needs.
What to watch for
Signs of progress or difficulty in meeting EF-related goals can indicate whether supports are appropriately matched to a student's needs. If a child is consistently struggling to meet their goals, it may indicate a need to review and potentially adjust the IEP. Similarly, if goals are being met quickly, more challenging objectives might be appropriate.
Alignment between goals, supports, and the child's actual classroom performance is important to consider. Progress monitoring data, teacher observations, and work samples can all provide information about whether the current plan is effective. The IEP team reviews this information at least annually, though reviews can occur more frequently if needed.
Questions to ask the team
- Where does the evaluation data describe my child's executive functioning skills?
- How do the present levels connect my child's EF challenges to their access to the curriculum?
- What specific goals related to executive functioning are included in my child's IEP?
- What data will be collected to measure progress on these goals, and how often?
- What does the specially designed instruction for EF skills look like in practice?
- What supports and accommodations are in place to assist with executive functioning?
- How will changes in EF-related skills be reported, and how often will I receive updates?
Research basis
The inclusion of executive functioning in IEPs is supported by research emphasizing the importance of cognitive processes in academic success. Executive functioning skills have been shown to predict academic achievement across subject areas, and deficits in these skills are commonly associated with several disability categories recognized under IDEA.
Research supports explicit instruction in executive functioning strategies, combined with environmental supports and accommodations, as an approach for helping students develop these skills. Data-based individualization, which involves systematically collecting and analyzing student data to adjust instruction, is recognized as an evidence-based practice for addressing learning challenges including those related to executive functioning.