Managing Accommodations Appeals

with ACT and College Board

BARBARA SAMSDirector of College CounselingSpecial Testing CoordinatorSaint Louis Priory School

RUSSELL HYKEN, Ph.D.Licensed Personal CounselorSchool Clinical Consultant, Saint Louis Priory

School

Presentation particularly aimed at schools/students who do not have or use an IEP

At Saint Louis Priory School Approximately 15 – 20% of our students have a

formal diagnosis (ie, have gone to an appropriate professional and completed full battery of tests)

Only accommodations we provide are extended time on exams, and in a limited number of cases, a waiver of Latin III requirement (substitute Classical Cultures Course)

This year for the first time, EVERY one of our ACT applications were declined the first time around and 2 students were denied accommodations by College Board

Incomplete Application If you don’t use IEPs, you must issue a letter

stating what accommodations your school provides. This should be done at the beginning of each school year.

Insufficient DocumentationPoorly Supported Testing (will discuss

momentarily) Because sometimes they are right—the

student’s condition does not warrant accommodations

Remember the Length of Time it takes to process an appeal (a minimum of six weeks in most cases)

Provide a Cover Letter Letter should highlight why you believe the

student should be approved, that is, you highlight the testing results that led to the diagnosis

Letter should try to provide something new, such as teacher comments, doctor’s letter of support

“The scores reported in the evaluation are within normal limits. Scores that are in the average range do not establish that a student has a ‘substantial limitation’. . .as required for a designation of an ADA disability.”

“Our consultants were unable to detect a substantial limitations [sic]. . .as required by ADA.”

Average Person Standard of ADA = any score below 88.

Also consider if there is standard deviation of more than 1.5 SDs between appropriate scores. (include percentages).

What is a good evaluation?- Historical information- Proper test selection

(ie, quantitative data)- Written observations

(ie, qualitative data)- Tested by an “established”

professional

WISC/WAIS – Processing Speed Index

WAIT/WJ III – Fluency

Other Tests - Rate

Yearly documentation DSM Diagnosis

AXIS I 314 – ADHD

315.1 Mathematics Disorder

AXIS II None

AXIS III Defer

AXIS IV V62.89 Educational Problems

AXIS V GAF 55 (GAF)

Test every three years