Would love some real world tips if anyone has been through this.
DS28 was diagnosed with ADHD and NVLD when he was 9, and confirmed again with a re-eval when he was 12. He has an extensive write up from a respected neuropsychologist detailing the accoms needed for school and standardized tests. Basically, he needs 1.5x time and a quiet place to take tests.
He has had these accoms for all of his schooling since he was 9. He’s always been in private school so no IEP, but he has the private school version of learning support plan. He has these accoms now in HS for all of his tests. He had them when he took the SSAT last year. He has always done well - straight A’s, high IQ, 99th percentile SSAT.
His private high school encouraged everyone with learning supports to apply to the college board now as a freshman to get these accoms in place for future PSAT/SAT, since the process can take so long. We did, showing the accoms he’s had his entire school career, and the extensive neuropsych testing where the Dr explains the need for them.
We heard back - denied as to everything. Their rationale was that since he is so academically high achieving, he hasn’t shown the need for such accoms.
We will appeal, but are stumped. College board is asking for evidence that he underperforms w/o accoms to show how he needs them. His school says we should ask a teacher to complete a college board survey, showing that his LD’s cause him to underperform and the accoms are necessary.
How can we show this, though? He’s never had a chance to underperform because he’s always had the accoms. I don’t think he should have to get a poor grade on an exam w/o being given extra time to show that he needs extra time, but that seems to be exactly what the college board is asking for.
Anyway, we are stumped and would love to hear from anyone about successful appeals. Thank you.
Do they want a more recent evaluation? As I remember it helps to have one within the last 3 years. Others can chime in here because I really don’t recall. If true he might need another one for testing in senior year-? And certainly for college accommodations he will need one within three years.
Since he doesn’t have an IEP in place formally, what kinds of information and documentation of school accommodations were submitted? Do you feel he does so well because he has extra time?
The eval is 2 years old, so I think we are fine there. They didn’t say that was an issue. Yes we plan to do a re-eval closer to college time.
We submitted his private school’s version of an IEP, a learning support plan.
I feel that the extra time puts him on an even playing field, not that it gives him an unfair advantage. This is a kid who can’t sit through a meal without having to get up to walk around and struggles to stay on topic in a one on one convo. He is brilliant but focus is excruciatingly hard for him.
Not sure what you mean by an advocate - I thought our private school counselors would give us more guidance but they just said to have a teacher complete a survey.
Believe me I am familiar with the concept of an even playing field.
Some people hire an advocate or even a special ed lawyer to help access accommodations. In our state there are free advocates through the Federation for Children with Special Needs Federation for Children with Special Needs
Not always needed. I have one kid with challenges similar to yours and another kid with serious medical issues. I did have to consult a lawyer ultimately for the latter. But that was for day to day accommodations in a public school, not for testing. (We found College Board takes 6 weeks to give a decision btw.)
The neuropsych. should be a helpful resource. What do they say?
Thanks! I haven’t reached out to the neuropsych yet as I don’t really know what I’m asking of him. He gave us an 12 page write up detailing my kid’s brain differences, how they affect him academically, and what supports he needs. So I’m a bit stumped on what I’m asking the neuropsych to do now?
Good point on advocate, thank you. If it got to that I wouldn’t hesitate. Still on round one here, though.
How old was your son when this was done? If he was a 7th grader when the testing was done, it’s very possible something more current might be required for SAT accommodations in high school.
Every state has an advocacy office but usually that is for things happening in the schools. But worth reaching out. Look for Protection and Advocacy in the state department of education in your state.
According to the counselors at our private high school, both the college board and the ACT want to see the testing done with the adult standards. For that reason we waited to have the full neuropsych evaluation done when our kids turned 16.
Even with the adult testing my older son (hs class of 2017) who had been diagnosed ADHD at age 8 and testing from both elementary school and the neuro psych report documented a slow processing speed was denied by the college board - same reasons they cited for your kid. We contacted the psychologist who did his testing. She prepared an appeal letter and told us to get letters from his teachers detailing his use of accomodations. College board denied him a second time. They said just because we proved he had a slow processing speed didn’t mean he needs extended time. By that point, the ACT- which supposedly was more stringent had approved him immediately. We gave up on fighting it out with the college board. He had to take AP exams without accomodations, but most of them went ok. A few 4s that probably could have been 5s if he wasn’t pressed for time. He never took the SAT but crushed the ACT.
Interestingly, his younger brother (hs class of 2022) who is actually the stronger student was approved for accomodations by both testing agencies within a week. He had the additional diagnosis of dyslexia, so maybe that’s what made the difference. Sorry if this isn’t very encouraging, but the College Board seems to be very capricious. Appeal the decision and see what happens.
But, I would also put in the request for accommodations with the ACT too (as mentioned by greatpyrmom), if you haven’t already. Arguably, if extra time is the accommodation, many think the ACT is the preferred test, strategically speaking since it is an easier test than the SAT given the extra time. (apparently many test preppers do not believe the reverse to be true)
S23 attended a school specializing in dyslexia and ADD, so everyone applies for accommodations. Even their counselors said they could not figure out why some kids received them and some didn’t as there didn’t seem to be a pattern and they had a very large sample size to study. They did say that they applied to both ACT and SAT boards for every kid and that many came back accepted for one and rejected for the other. I’d apply to ACT and see what happens.
Hi KenzoDDS I would love to hear how the appeal worked out? We are in nearly identical situation in all ways. I am so surprised my child was denied for everything seems they being penalized for being such a high achiever. The older sibling was in same situation a few years ago and not denied. I am also wondering about getting an advocate for the appeal process. Thanks for any guidance or feedback on how it went.
I reached out to kid’s neuropsych for some thoughts. He said since my kid’s processing speed was so high, there’s no way in hello that college board will give him extra time. So that was discouraging.
Nonetheless, I am still working on the appeal and will spell out his specific issues and struggles. (Inability to focus, visual/spatial struggles.) Some of his teachers are completing questionnaires about what they see in the classroom that our learning resource counselor sent to them, and they will send those to college board as well.
All that to say, it’s still TBD. Will update if anything happens! But happy to listen to other thoughts and suggestions.
Thank you so much kenzoDDS for writing me back and updating me. That is discouraging to hear what your kid’s neurospych thinks. My older child with same situation was a fast test taker in general but still had trouble with processing certain things with ADHD and so the extra time was beneficial for standarized tests and he was approved. It sounds like the approvals are less now than a few years ago from our department at our private school. I will work on appeal too and lets stay in touch on this. Thanks and good luck!