Special education students across the country participate, along with their peers, in district and state testing of grade-level material and academic knowledge each year they are in public school. Under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act all students participate in testing. Schools, districts, and states are accountable for the progress of each child, whether or not they have a learning disability.

Testing Accommodations

States and districts typically provide each school a “testing window”, or specific period of time, to complete mandated tests. Procedures and rules for giving the tests are provided and enforced. NCLB provides relief, however, for students with disabilities (under IDEA or Section 504) by allowing some appropriate accommodations during testing.

Accommodations are not meant to water down the test results, but, instead they should make it possible for all students to show what they know. The test won’t change, but the testing procedures or environment can be altered. Districts and states interpret and create guidelines based on federal law stating that, “Children with disabilities are included in general state and district-wide assessment programs with appropriate accommodations and modifications…” The law also allows creating alternate assessments for students who can’t participate, even with accommodations.

Appropriate accommodations shouldn’t alter test results by inflating scores or giving special education students an edge. Instead, they should make the test accessible. States and districts publish allowable accommodations, and might include things like these examples from the state of Florida:

•Presentation of the test done may be done differently, such as reading orally, using large print materials, or allowing tools to help students focus on the test questions and answers.
•Scheduling of the test may be altered. For example, a student might be given breaks more often, or given the test during a helpful time of day.
•Assistive Devices might be allowed, such as adaptive calculators or other technology that help with hearing, writing or vision.
•Responding to test questions can be altered so the student can use sign language, Braille, verbal responses, or mark answers directly on the test.
•Setting can be taken into consideration. A particular student may need to take the test alone. Another may need special furniture or different lighting or acoustics.

Accommodations are determined by the student’s IEP/504 team under the guidance of district and state-level testing rules and consideration of how accommodations might invalidate test scores. Everyone involved in the IEP/504 process can have input into deciding which accommodations might help the student show what they know. Accommodations should be based on a child’s individual needs and used consistently. Once the accommodations are established, they should be communicated and put into practice.

For more information on accommodations visit:

LD online “Accommodations & Modifications”
http://www.ldonline.org/questions/accommodations