Instruction
Instruction is the work of the school. BetterEd assesses what students are actually asked to do each day, how teachers plan and prepare, and whether adults receive the coaching required to improve.
Why this domain matters
Achievement changes when the daily instructional task changes. Schools frequently adopt strong materials without building the planning, coaching, and feedback systems that make rigorous instruction routine rather than exceptional.
What organizational health looks like
- High-quality, coherent curriculum used consistently, not selectively.
- Grade-level tasks with appropriate scaffolds rather than lowered demand.
- Collaborative planning time with a clear protocol and product.
- Regular observation and feedback cycles focused on a small number of moves.
- Formative assessment used to adjust instruction within the unit.
Common warning signs
- Wide variation in rigor between classrooms in the same grade.
- Heavy reliance on worksheets or supplemental materials of unknown quality.
- Planning time consumed by logistics rather than lesson preparation.
- Observation feedback that is infrequent, generic, or evaluative only.
- Assessment data reviewed after the unit rather than during it.
What BetterEd assesses
- Curriculum quality, coverage, and fidelity of use.
- Cognitive demand of student work samples.
- Structure and productivity of collaborative planning.
- Observation, feedback, and coaching cycles.
- Use of formative and interim assessment.
- Intervention and acceleration structures within the schedule.
How BetterEd diagnoses root causes
- Calibrated classroom observations across grades and content areas.
- Student work analysis against grade-level standards.
- Review of curriculum materials, pacing, and unit assessments.
- Observation of planning meetings and data cycles.
How BetterEd delivers support
- Instructional coaching for teachers and coaches of teachers.
- Redesign of planning structures, protocols, and schedules.
- Curriculum implementation support and internalization routines.
- High-impact tutoring design where targeted acceleration is required.
Typical deliverables
- Instructional health findings report with observation data.
- Planning and coaching cycle design.
- Curriculum implementation support plan.
- Assessment and data-cycle calendar.
Measures and indicators
Progress in this domain is tracked against indicators the school already collects or can begin collecting without new burden.
- Percentage of observed lessons at grade level with appropriate scaffolds.
- Frequency and quality of coaching cycles completed.
- Interim assessment growth by grade and subgroup.
- Student work quality against calibrated rubrics.
Relevant evidence
BetterEd publishes outcomes for this domain only after the underlying data is verified and the school has granted written permission. Verified evidence for this domain is available on request during a transformation conversation.
Frequently asked questions
- Will BetterEd tell us to replace our curriculum?
- Only if the evidence requires it. In most schools the larger opportunity is stronger implementation of materials already in place, supported by planning and coaching systems.
- How does a school begin?
- Most schools begin with a School Health Index review, which produces a domain-level picture of current conditions. BetterEd then proposes a scope of work matched to the findings and the school's capacity, timeline, and budget.