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Circles Curriculum

The World's Most Trusted Social Boundaries Curriculum

The world's most trusted social boundaries curriculum. Harvard-validated and classroom-tested for 40 years across thousands of schools, Circles gives students with special needs the tools to navigate relationships safely.

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No credit card required. Also included in Stanfield+ ($999/year for 60+ programs)

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Touch
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Talk
→
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Trust
The Circles Model

How Circles Works

Students place themselves at the center and learn that different people belong in different circles — each with its own rules for touch, talk, and trust.

Seven Circles. Seven Sets of Rules.

The concentric circles model gives students a concrete, visual way to understand social distance. Each ring represents a level of closeness — and students learn which behaviors are appropriate for each.

  • Private Just me — my body, my thoughts
  • Close Hug Family, caregivers — hugs and kisses
  • Far-Away Hug Close friends — side hugs, linking arms
  • Handshake Teachers, neighbors — handshakes, high fives
  • Wave Acquaintances — wave and say hello
  • Stranger Circle Unknown people — no touch, stay aware
  • Stranger Space Public spaces — know the rules
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Built For Your Classroom

Who Uses Circles

Circles is designed for students who need explicit instruction in social boundaries and relationship skills.

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Autism & ASD Programs

Concrete, visual framework that replaces abstract social rules with clear, repeatable patterns students can internalize.

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Life Skills & Transition

Prepares students for community living and independent social interactions — understanding who to trust, appropriate greetings, and safe relationships.

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Speech & Language

Builds pragmatic language skills alongside boundary awareness — appropriate greetings, conversation distance, and tone.

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Special Education

IEP-aligned lessons with built-in progress monitoring. Covers social-emotional goals required by most transition IEPs.

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Abuse Prevention

Circles Stop Abuse teaches students to recognize inappropriate touch and respond safely — critical for vulnerable populations.

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Parents & Caregivers

Reinforce classroom learning at home. Parents can access the full Circles library through a Stanfield+ subscription.

The Curriculum

Four Programs, One Framework

Each program builds on the concentric circles model with age-appropriate video modeling and ready-to-use lesson plans.

Ages 5 – 10

Circles Elementary

Introduces social boundaries to younger learners with simplified language, relatable scenarios, and playful activities designed for elementary classrooms.

16 Lessons 2 Hours Video
Ages 13+

Circles Level 1

The core curriculum — personal space, types of touch, levels of intimacy, and the fundamental rules for each circle of relationship.

16 Lessons 2 Hours Video
Ages 13+

Circles Level 2

Advanced relationship dynamics — dating, healthy vs. unhealthy relationships, consent, and navigating complex social situations independently.

21 Lessons 2 Hours Video
Ages 13+

Circles Stop Abuse

Teaches students to recognize inappropriate touch, understand body autonomy, and respond to abuse situations with confidence and safety.

8 Lessons Coming Soon
Coming Soon

The Circles App

An interactive, drag-and-drop tool that brings the concentric circles model to life in your classroom. Students place real people from their lives into the correct circles — making abstract concepts concrete and personal.

  • Guided Mode Step-by-step lessons walk through each ring with audio and animations
  • Free Play Students add people and drag them between circles independently
  • Game Mode Quiz-style challenges test understanding with instant feedback
  • Emoji People Personalize entries with 100+ emoji options
  • Save & Resume Progress persists across sessions for each student
Try It Free
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Research-Backed

Proven by Research. Loved by Teachers.

Circles is one of the only social boundaries curricula with peer-reviewed evidence of effectiveness.

Harvard Study

"Students who completed the Circles curriculum demonstrated significant improvements in understanding social boundaries and appropriate levels of intimacy."

Harvard Graduate School of Education →

Brown University Research

"Circles provides a concrete, visual framework that students with intellectual disabilities can understand and apply in real-world social situations."

Brown University Center for Evidence Synthesis

40 Years of Classroom Use

First published in 1983 by Marklyn P. Champagne and Leslie Walker-Hirsch. Continuously refined based on teacher feedback. Used in all 50 states and internationally.

Stanfield — Since 1983
What Teachers Say

Trusted by Thousands of Educators

Teachers across the country rely on Circles to teach their most critical social-emotional lessons.

★★★★★
"Circles is the only curriculum my students actually remember and apply outside the classroom. The concentric model just clicks for them."
Jessica M.
Special Education Teacher, Texas
★★★★★
"I've been using Circles for 12 years. When parents tell me their child used the circles concept to handle a situation safely — that's when I know it works."
Maria L.
Transition Specialist, California
★★★★★
"The video modeling is incredible. My students with autism respond to watching real people demonstrate boundaries far better than any worksheet or lecture."
David K.
ASD Program Coordinator, Ohio
Compliance Ready

Aligned to the Standards You Need

Every lesson maps to the frameworks your district requires for IEP compliance and curriculum adoption.

CASEL SEL Framework ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors IEP Goal Domains National Health Education Standards National Sexuality Education Standards IDEA Transition Indicators
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need all four Circles programs?
It depends on your students. Circles Level 1 is the core — most teachers start there. Level 2 adds dating and advanced relationship topics for older students. Elementary adapts the model for ages 5-10. Stop Abuse (coming soon) is a standalone module for abuse prevention. The Circles Complete bundle includes all four at a significant discount.
What age group is Circles designed for?
Circles Elementary is designed for ages 5-10. Circles Level 1, Level 2, and Stop Abuse are all designed for ages 13 and up. The curriculum is designed for students with intellectual disabilities, autism, and other special needs, but is used successfully with general education students as well.
How long does it take to teach the full curriculum?
Each program is designed for 8-21 lessons, typically delivered over a semester at 1-2 sessions per week. Level 1 has 16 lessons, Level 2 has 21, Elementary has 16, and Stop Abuse has 8. Most teachers spread it across the school year and revisit key concepts throughout.
Is Circles available for streaming or just DVDs?
All Circles programs are available as streaming video through your Stanfield account — no DVDs required. Log in from any device with a browser. You also get teacher guides, lesson plans, worksheets, and the interactive Circles App included with your subscription.
What's the difference between Circles and Stanfield+?
Circles gives you access to the 4 Circles programs only. Stanfield+ includes Circles plus 60+ additional programs (Transitions, BeCool, JobSmart, LifeFacts, and more) for a broader social-emotional curriculum. If you need more than just boundary education, Stanfield+ is the better value.
Can parents use Circles at home?
Yes. Individual parent plans include full streaming access to all Circles programs. Many parents use Circles at home to reinforce what their child is learning in school, or as a standalone curriculum for homeschool settings.
Get Started

Two Ways to Access Circles

Start with a 30-day free trial. No credit card required.

Circles Only

$499.00/year

All 4 Circles programs with teacher guides, lesson plans, worksheets, and the interactive Circles App.

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Best Value

Stanfield+

$999.00/year

Circles + Transitions + BeCool + JobSmart + 60 more programs. Everything Stanfield makes.

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Prefer lifetime access? Circles Complete is $1,999.00 one-time →