Factor deep dive · B
Factor B: who has to deliver the service
Factor B is the second of the four factors rated in each domain. It asks whether the IEP requires a specific kind of person — a particular certification, license, or specialized training — to deliver the student's service.
Factor B's specifics change most from domain to domain, because the credential involved differs by area. The gradient holds steady: ordinary special-education staff at the low end, targeted specialist competencies in the middle, and advanced or licensed expertise the program can't function without at the top.
Like every factor, it rates what the IEP requires. If the IEP names or requires a specific provider type, that's the signal.
The four levels
| Level | What it means |
|---|---|
| 0 — None required | No specialized credential needed; the support doesn't depend on who delivers it. |
| 1 — Minimum | Ordinary special-education staff: SPED teacher, paraprofessional with teacher oversight, or general-ed teacher with SPED support. No advanced specialization. |
| 2 — Moderate | Targeted, documented competencies beyond general practice — a provider with specific training for this student's need, often plus planned coaching/consultation. |
| 3 — Significant | Advanced/licensed expertise the program fails without. Specialized professional judgment is critical and frequent. |
Factor B in each domain
| Domain | Level 2 (targeted competency) | Level 3 (advanced expertise) |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | SPED teacher with methodology training; a provider of dyslexia instruction (PDI) not required to be advanced | Evidence-based dyslexia instruction by a licensed dyslexia therapist or equivalently credentialed provider (named below); or highly specialized methodology expertise |
| Behavior | Behavior specialist, counselor, social worker, school psychologist; structured competencies + periodic coaching | Highly specialized behavioral expertise for crisis-level, function-based intervention; advanced judgment, frequent plan redesign |
| Communication | SLPA (speech-language pathology assistant) under a licensed SLP, or a licensed SLP | AAC specialist, sign-language interpreter, deaf-blind intervener, AT specialist — coordinated expert team beyond the SLP |
| Independent Functioning | Personnel with specific training/competencies tied to the student's need | Advanced specialists (e.g., O&M, TVI, TODHH, DB intervener); instruction fails without them |
| Personal Care / Health | Staff with specific health training/competencies; periodic clinical oversight | Advanced clinical licensure (e.g., RN); continuous/frequent clinical judgment required |
(Abbreviations: SLP = speech-language pathologist; SLPA = its assistant; AAC = augmentative and alternative communication; AT = assistive technology; O&M = orientation & mobility specialist; TVI = teacher of the visually impaired; TODHH = teacher of the deaf/hard of hearing; DB = deaf-blind; RN = registered nurse. glossary)
Dyslexia in Curriculum shows the anchor rule clearly. Level 2 is a provider of dyslexia instruction (PDI) whom the IEP does not require to be an advanced-level practitioner. Level 3 is when the IEP requires the instruction to come from a licensed dyslexia therapist, someone trained through an International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC)–accredited training center, or someone certified or trained through the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA), the International Dyslexia Association, the Orton-Gillingham Academy, or Wilson Language Training. So the diagnosis alone doesn't raise the rating — what moves it to Level 3 is the IEP requiring one of those credentials.
How the other factors relate to B
- A — how much service. Factor A
- C — required staffing ratio. Factor C
- D — required equipment. Factor D
The domain takes its highest factor, so Factor B alone can make a domain significant — common when a student requires an advanced specialist even if the amount of service (Factor A) is moderate. How scores become a tier covers how the domain scores combine.