Domain deep dive · 1
Domain 1: Curriculum & Instruction Supports
The specially designed instruction a student needs to access and progress in academic content at their enrolled grade level. Boundaries first — built for when you have a student in front of you, rating this one domain.
What this domain covers
The specially designed instruction (SDI) and supports a student needs to access and progress in academic content at their enrolled grade level — how instruction is designed, adapted, delivered, and supported beyond what every student gets.
SDI = adapting the content, method, or delivery of instruction to the student's disability-driven needs. It's what the teacher does, not what the student does. glossary
This domain is academics only. Common miscategorizations to avoid:
- Behavioral intervention → Domain 2
- Communication access (AAC, speech) → Domain 3
- Routines/organization/self-management → Domain 4
- Personal care or health → Domain 5
If a support is academic instruction, it's here. If it's one of the above, it isn't — even if it happens during an academic block.
The four factors, in this domain
You rate each 0–3, then the domain takes the highest of the four.
- A — How much instruction: amount/frequency/intensity of academic SDI.
- B — Who delivers it: required teacher/specialist credentials.
- C — Group size/ratio: required reduced ratio for instruction.
- D — Equipment: required instructional technology.
The decision boundaries
Factor A — how much academic instruction. This domain measures in hours per subject, not weekly minutes:
| Level | Boundary |
|---|---|
| 1 | Targeted SDI for a discrete need; at least one academic goal |
| 2 | Regular SDI, ~1–5 hrs/week per core subject, multiple times/week; multiple goals |
| 3 | Daily intensive SDI across subjects; significant curriculum modification; schedule built around it |
The dyslexia line (Factor A). For a student receiving dyslexia instruction, the 1→2 boundary is specific: does the IEP require delivery through an evidence-based program with fidelity (Texas Education Code §38.003), at 225+ min/week? Not required → 1. Required → 2. Intensified beyond the standard program → 3.
Factor B — who teaches. SPED teacher / para with oversight (1) → SPED teacher with methodology competencies; dyslexia provider not required to be advanced (2) → advanced-level dyslexia practitioner, or highly specialized methodology expertise (3).
Factor C — group size. Intermittent small-group (1) → planned small-group for specific blocks; for dyslexia, within program fidelity group size (2) → near-1:1; for dyslexia, smaller than fidelity size (3).
Factor D — instructional tech. Text-to-speech/organizers used independently (1) → adapted digital curriculum with custom settings (2) → integrated access system required for nearly all reading/writing (3).
The domain score
Highest factor wins. One factor at Significant makes the whole domain Significant. So a student with moderate instruction (A=2) but who requires an advanced dyslexia practitioner (B=3) scores the domain at 3.
Traps specific to this domain
- A 0 here is worth double-checking. Because academic SDI is the most common kind, landing on 0 is a cue to confirm you're not missing modified content or prerequisite-skill instruction.
- The diagnosis doesn't set the level — the IEP does. Dyslexia is a clear example: rate what the IEP requires, not what the student would benefit from. how to rate a student
- Ages 3–5: curriculum is play-based and early-learning-driven; rate only supports that replace typical early learning or require extensive adaptation.
- Students continuing after graduation requirements: instruction may be functional/vocational; rate by how individualized and essential it is for postsecondary goals.