Designated Supports are various elements or items of assistance that are available to some students during instruction and testing.

There is a wide array of support that the TEA has already approved and a few items that need to be submitted to TEA for review. All Designated Supports are NOT available to all students but many students and teachers may benefit from using Designated Supports to bolster learning and instruction.

Students eligible for Designated Supports consideration must be assigned to at least one of four categories:

•    Special Education
•    Section 504
•    English Learners
•    Tier 2/ Tier 3 (struggling students)

How often should you see evidence of Designated Supports?

Evidence of Designated Supports will be seen with varying levels of frequency depending on the skill/ TEKS being taught and the students in the class.

A Designated Support like Large Print should be used by the eligible student daily, but Mathematics Manipulatives or Extra Time may be limited to specific lessons or activities.

While many Designated Supports can help promote student achievement, the students that can use them may be limited by classification, test, or technology.

Supplemental Aids are available across all STAAR tests to students based on their performance or recommendations from the IAT or other student assistance teams on campus.

When reviewing lesson plans or during “at bats”, are resources and materials related to designated supports a part of the conversation?

Are content leads reviewing designated support use (and its impact on the student) during PLC?

When observing instruction or participating in “power” or calibration walks, is evidence of designated supports a part of the checklist?

Are messages about designated support expectations being clearly and frequently communicated to all staff (weekly staff emails, newsletter, faculty meeting, etc.)?

The answer to all of the above questions should be “Yes”. If not, consider integrating these items into your various planning and instructional design routines.

For the most up to date information about accommodation resources, accessibility features and designated supports, click here.

To schedule a training on the topic of designated supports, reach out to your assigned IAT Manager.