Georgia Summary of Performance: What It Must Include and How to Use It

When the Summary of Performance Is Required

Georgia schools must compile and deliver a Summary of Performance (SOP) when a student exits special education in one of two ways: graduation with a standard regular high school diploma, or aging out of eligibility (reaching the maximum age under the district's local exit policy, typically 22).

The SOP is not required when a student simply moves between schools, changes placement within the district, or receives an alternative credential while remaining eligible for continued services. It's specifically tied to the termination of FAPE — the point where the school's obligation to provide special education ends permanently.

Georgia uses the GO-IEP system to document transition data, including SOP information. The system has default formats for how the SOP should be structured, but the quality of the final document depends entirely on how thoroughly the IEP team completes it.

What the SOP Must Contain

Under IDEA, the SOP must summarize the student's academic achievement and functional performance and include recommendations on how to assist the student in meeting their postsecondary goals. In practice, a useful SOP goes well beyond that minimum.

Academic achievement. Current performance levels in reading, writing, mathematics, and any other academic areas where the student received specialized instruction. This section should include the most recent assessment data, not just grade-level statements.

Functional performance. The student's abilities in daily living, communication, social interaction, self-management, health and safety, and any areas where they've received related services (speech, OT, PT). This is often the most valuable section for adult service providers, who need to understand what the student can do independently versus with support.

Accommodations and modifications that worked. A record of which accommodations were effective in the school setting — extended time, preferential seating, assistive technology, modified assignments, sensory breaks. For college-bound students, this section directly informs what the campus disability office may offer.

Assistive technology history. Any devices, software, or tools the student used during their education, including communication devices, screen readers, specialized calculators, or adaptive writing tools.

Explicit postsecondary recommendations. This is where the SOP bridges the gap between high school and the next step. The recommendations should specify what kinds of accommodations or supports the student is likely to need in their postsecondary environment — whether that's college, employment, or community living.

Why Most SOPs Fall Short

A technically compliant SOP can still be useless. Many schools treat it as an administrative exit form rather than a strategic bridge document. Common problems:

Generic language. Statements like "the student benefits from extra time" don't help a college disability office or an employer understand what specific accommodations work and why. A useful SOP says "the student's processing speed is in the 8th percentile; with 1.5x extended time on written exams, they consistently demonstrate grade-level content mastery."

Missing functional performance data. Schools often complete the academic section adequately but leave functional performance vague, especially for students on standard diploma tracks. If your child is heading into an employment setting or community living, the functional section is what adult service agencies actually need.

No assistive technology detail. A student who used speech-to-text software throughout high school needs that documented in the SOP so the next provider knows to continue it. If the SOP just says "used technology supports," the information is lost.

Written too late. When the SOP is assembled in the final weeks of school, the team is working from memory rather than current data. Request that SOP development begin during the final year of eligibility, with input from all service providers — not just the special education teacher.

How to Use the SOP After School

For college disability services: The SOP is your primary bridge document. Bring it to the initial meeting with the campus accessibility office. Combined with a current psychological evaluation, it provides the evidence the office needs to determine reasonable accommodations. The SOP alone usually isn't sufficient — colleges want current documentation — but it establishes the accommodation history.

For GVRA: The vocational rehabilitation counselor reviewing your child's case needs to understand their functional capabilities and support needs. The SOP's functional performance section and accommodation history directly inform the Individualized Plan for Employment.

For DBHDD: If your child is transitioning to waiver-funded services, the SOP's functional performance data supplements the clinical evaluations DBHDD requires. It provides a school-setting perspective on adaptive functioning that clinical assessments alone may not capture.

For employers: An employer doesn't see the SOP, but the individual (or their job coach) uses the accommodation history to know what to request under the ADA. If extended processing time, written instructions, or task segmentation worked in school, those same strategies translate to workplace accommodations.

Getting a Better SOP

Don't wait for the school to produce the SOP on their timeline. Take these steps during the final year of eligibility:

Request an IEP meeting specifically to discuss SOP development. Ask that all service providers (special education teacher, speech therapist, OT, transition coordinator) contribute to their sections before the meeting, so the team reviews a draft rather than starting from scratch.

Bring a checklist of what you want included. If the school's template doesn't have a section for assistive technology or specific accommodation recommendations, push for those to be added.

Request and secure a complete copy of the student's special education records — including psychological evaluations, eligibility reports, and transition files — separately from the SOP. These supplemental records are maintained in a separate file in the student information system, and you're entitled to copies under FERPA.

The Georgia IEP Transition to Adulthood Guide includes a SOP quality checklist covering every section that should be completed, sample language for requesting SOP development during the final year of eligibility, and a records request template for securing the complete supplemental special education file before exit.

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