Seeking SAT Accommodations for Extra Time- Need Recommendations in Northern NJ

zannah
Mon, 06 Jun 2016 01:15:57 +0000

I disagree with the above advice. Staff of SAT, ACT and other testing agencies as very capable and experienced in reviewing documentation and denying accommodations that don’t meet legal requirements. It is not personal. Just the number of persons on CC talking about accommodations should give you a limited vision of the number of files carefully reviewed. Separating out your child’s file for approval and denial is too difficult to locate and decisions are justified. If someone knows your student, then they will notify the manager and not venture any opinion or even come close to the documentation. Testing agencies work very hard to maintain the integrity and fairness of their processes, procedures and products.

Annoying staff to get accommodations? No, staff are careful to remain polite and on point and can listen almost endlessly (privately they may even become frustrated), but not enough to provide accommodations unless backed up by good documentation. If nothing changes in the information sent and accommodations were denied, pushing doesn’t get the desired result. Even the fanciest, most expensive lawyer won’t get agencies to approve accommodations in the face of insufficient documentation. Lawyers are advocates and may write a letter supportive of your position, that doesn’t result in approval of poorly documented requests for accommodations. BTW, the agencies all have lawyers who clearly know documentation and when accommodation requests meet standards for approval or denial of accommodations.

Pestering testing agencies with multiple applications or appeals isn’t a good use of your time, energy and advocacy. I suspect that the prior poster included something new in her latest documentation that led to approval. You are sent a letter about the most recent decision, but won’t be asked why you hadn’t submitted that new piece before.

So what to do:

1. Look at the documentation guidelines printed in proximate to the application for accommodations. That is what you must submit. What you send in must answer each and every standard, but you shouldn't rip apart and organize information topically. It is probably helpful to you at least, to keep a checklist of where each point is located.

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