FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
F. PHILIP HANDY,
Chairman
John L. Winn
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Vice Chairman
Commissioner of Education
Members
DONNA G. CALLAWAY
ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
PHOEBE RAULERSON
KATHLEEN SHANAHAN
LINDA K. TAYLOR
Contact Information:
MEMORANDUM
Elise Lynch
(850) 245-0478
TO:
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Exceptional Student Education Directors
Elise.Lynch@fldoe.org
District Personnel Directors
David Wheeler
(850) 922-3727
FROM:
Bambi J. Lockman
wheeler@coedu.usf.edu
DATE:
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September 11, 2006
K12: 2006-133
SUBJECT:
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HOUSE BILL 7087: CHANGES REGARDING ACADEMIC IMPROVEMENT
PLANS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Existing Florida State Board of Education Rule 6A-6.0331, addressing identification and determination of
eligibility of exceptional students for specially designed instruction, contains reference to an academic
improvement plan as follows:
For students with academic learning problems, the general education interventions must include the use of an
academic improvement plan, as required by Section 1008.25(4) (a)(c), Florida Statutes, and the provision of
remedial instruction for a reasonable period of time.
However, the 2006 Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 7087, also referred to as the A++ Bill, which
amended several sections of Section 1008.25(4), Florida Statutes (F.S.). The reference to an academic
improvement plan (AIP) was
replaced
with the progress monitoring plan (PMP). The legislation now
requires the school in which the student is enrolled to develop and implement, in consultation with the
student’s parent, a PMP. A PMP is intended to provide the district and the school flexibility in meeting the
academic needs of the student and to reduce paperwork. The frequency of progress monitoring and the
monitoring tools for reading are established in the district K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan. Progress
monitoring in the area of mathematics should occur with similar frequency as is required for reading.
Section 1008.25(4)(b), F.S., states that:
A student who is not meeting the school district or state requirements for proficiency in reading and
mathematics shall be covered by one of the following plans to target instruction and identify ways to
improve his or her academic achievement:
1. a federally required student plan such as an individual education plan
2. a school-wide system of progress monitoring for all
3. an individualized progress monitoring plan
BAMBI J. LOCKMAN
Chief
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Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services
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325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 614 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0475 • www.fldoe.org
HB 7087: Changes Regarding Academic Improvement
Plans for Students with Disabilities
September 11, 2006
Page Two
The plan chosen must be designed to assist the student or the school in meeting state and district
expectations for proficiency.
The legislation requires that each student must participate in the statewide assessment tests required by
Section 1008.22, F.S. Each student who does not meet specific levels of performance as determined by the
district school board in reading, writing, science, and mathematics or who scores below level 3 in reading or
mathematics must be provided with additional diagnostic assessments that will determine the nature of the
student’s difficulty, the areas of academic need, and the strategies for appropriate intervention and
instruction.
Federally required student plans for students with disabilities include:
Individual Educational Plan
An individual educational plan (IEP) is defined as a written statement for each child with a disability
that is developed, reviewed, and revised in accordance with Section 614(d) of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act.
Section 504 Plan
A Section 504 plan provides students with disabilities equal opportunity to benefit from educational
programs, services, or activities as is provided to non-disabled peers by the provision of necessary
accommodations based on the individual needs of the student.
If the student’s federally required plan does not address the student’s deficiency in reading or mathematics as
required by Florida law, then the school must address these deficits in either a school-wide progress-
monitoring system or an individual progress-monitoring plan. Due to legal ramifications, the federally
required plans may not lend themselves for inclusion of all of the components of the progress monitoring
plan. Regardless of which plan or plans the district chooses to use, student progress must be monitored as
often as possible to provide necessary data to differentiate instruction and measure intervention effectiveness.
Student progress data should be collected, analyzed, and reported to the parent, teacher, principal, and district
a minimum of three times per year.
Districts and schools implementing the Response to Intervention (RtI) Model are encouraged to use progress
monitoring data as documented by the Progress Monitoring Plans (PMP) during all three intervention tiers to
assist in data-based decision-making by the problem-solving team. For additional information about RtI,
please access the technical assistance paper at http://www.firn.edu/doe/commhome/pdf/y2006-8.pdf.
If you have questions regarding the use of the PMP for students with disabilities who have an IEP, please
contact Ms. Elise Lynch, Program Specialist, by telephone at (850) 245-0478 or via electronic mail at
elise.lynch@fldoe.org. If you have questions regarding the use of the PMP for students with disabilities who
have a Section 504 Plan, please contact Dr. David Wheeler, School Psychology Consultant, by telephone at
(850) 922-3727 or via electronic mail at wheeler@coedu.usf.edu.
BJL/dw/elt
cc:
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Student Support Services Directors
Elise Lynch, Florida Department of Education
David Wheeler, Florida Department of Education
