The College Board, ACT, SSAT, and ISEE offer testing accommodations for students with disabilities including medical conditions and anxiety. Applying for accommodations is a multi-step process, so we recommend students and families work with their schools or consultants to determine eligibility as early as possible. Students who have accommodations at school still need approval from the testing organization (College Board, ACT, EMA and ERB).
Testing organizations make adjustments to their accommodation policies annually. Please be sure to check their websites for their current policies.
Please note that colleges are not aware of students’ testing conditions—i.e., if they receive accommodations or not.
College Board Testing Accommodations
If students have a documented disability, they may be eligible for accommodations when taking the SAT and other College Board tests, including the PSAT and AP exams. Accommodations received for one exam carry through for all other College Board tests*. The College Board’s accommodations overview page can be found here. The College Board has two categories of accommodations: Typical Accommodations and Other Accommodations.
College Board accommodations include, but are not limited to*:
- Extended Time
- Time and a half
- Double Time
- More Time (incl. multiple day testing**)
- Extra and Extended breaks
- Reading and Seeing Accommodations
- e.g., large-type test books or Braille test books
- Computer use for essays
- Four-function calculator
*Once approved for accommodations, with some exceptions, a student remains approved across all College Board programs (AP, PSAT 10, PSAT/NMSQT, and SAT®) and doesn’t need to submit another accommodations request. However, it is critical that students and schools clearly identify the accommodations needed for each test. These tests have different components and testing conditions, and what may be appropriate for one test may not apply to another test. (For example, a student approved for extended time for math only wouldn’t receive extended time for AP English Literature and Composition.) Additionally, some accommodations are administered differently across College Board programs. For example, for AP, a student approved for extended time will not automatically be provided extra breaks. A student requiring extra breaks must apply for that specific accommodation for AP Exams. (Source, page 30) Some College Board approved accommodations are administered differently on digital tests. For more information, please refer to their website here.
To qualify for accommodations, the student must meet the following:
- Have a documented disability (Providing Documentation and Disability Documentation Guidelines)
- The disability impacts a student’s participation in a College Board Exam – such as the ability to concentrate
- The requested accommodation is needed
- Accommodation is received on school tests
For complete details on eligibility, click here.
Approval
The College Board can take from two to seven weeks to approve an accommodation request.*
How to Apply for Accommodations:
Students typically request accommodation approval through their schools. Families should reach out to their child’s guidance counselor as soon as soon as possible. Each school has a College Board Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) coordinator. Parents/Guardians will need to fill out a Parent Consent Form. For more information, please visit the College Board’s website here.
Students can also apply directly for accommodations by submitting a paper request to the College Board. For details on how to request accommodations without going through the student’s school, please refer to the College Board’s website here.
Accommodations Request Deadlines
| Test Date & Test Type | Accommodations Request Deadline |
| December 7, 2024 (SAT) | October 18, 2024 |
| March 8, 2025 (SAT) | January 17, 2025 |
| May 3, 2025 (SAT) | March 14, 2025 |
| June 7, 2025 (SAT) | April 18, 2025 |
ACT Testing Accommodations
Students who already receive accommodations at their school under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act will automatically be eligible to receive the allowable testing accommodations when they register for the ACT with accommodations. The ACT Policy for Accommodations Documentation will guide students through the process. ACT has two categories for accommodations: National Extended Time and Special Testing. For a side-by-side comparison, view ACT’s National vs. Special Testing Infographic.
If the student attends a private school that does not offer IEPs or 504 plans, they will have to submit documentation that identifies a professionally diagnosed physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; and requests allowable accommodations that are appropriate and reasonable for the documented disability. This documentation must be in the form of a report or letter from a qualified, licensed professional. For more information, please see the ACT’s Criteria for Diagnostic Documentation and Documentation Guidelines by Disability Type.
Important! For students who are applying for accommodations for the ACT, they must first register for a test date—even if they will never take that specific test—in order for schools to submit the necessary paperwork.
National Extended Time is most appropriate for students who require no more than 50% extended time on standardized tests.
National Extended Time accommodations include, but are not limited to:
- 50% time extension
- Large type (18-point font) test booklet
- Assistance marking responses in the test booklet
- Use of an approved word-to-word dictionary
Special Testing applies to any support request other than 50% extended time. Special Testing is usually administered at a student’s school by a Testing Coordinator or a nearby site that can provide the desired accommodations. For students with Special Testing accommodations the TIR is only available for the February ACT.
Special Testing accommodations include, but are not limited to:
- More than 50% time extension or testing over multiple days
- Alternate test formats (braille, audio, or a reader)
- Use of a scribe or computer for the writing test or extended time on the writing test only
For a side-by-side comparison, view ACT’s National vs. Special Testing Infographic.
To qualify for accommodations, students must meet all of the below:
- The disability is diagnosed and documented by a professional (criteria for diagnostic documentation)
- The disability directly impacts performance on ACT’s assessments
- Documentation for the disability includes information about current or prior accommodations made in similar settings, especially tests in school
For more information on requesting accommodations, click here.
To request Special Testing accommodations:
Students must register on MyACT and fill out their profile to begin the request process. Once completed, students must forward a confirmation email to their designated school official to submit accommodations request in TAA before the late registration deadline for their test. Once submitted, requests can take 5-10 business days to process.
Accommodations Request Deadlines
| Test Date | Accommodations Request Deadline |
| December 14, 2024 | November 22, 2024 |
| February 8, 2025 | January 20, 2025 |
| April 5, 2025 | March 16, 2025 |
| June 14, 2025 | May 26, 2025 |
| July 12, 2025 | June 20, 2025 |
SSAT Accommodations
If students have a documented disability, they may be eligible for accommodations when taking the SSAT. The SSAT Testing Accommodations Guide for Students will guide students through the process. EMA has five general categories of accommodations available for students:
- Presentation Accommodation, which provide access test info in custom ways
- e.g., large-type test books or Braille test books
- Item Response Accommodations, which allow students to answer and organize the questions in an alternate way (with assistive technologies, etc.)
- Setting Accommodations, which allow students to test in a separate location to minimize distractions and variables
- Timing or Scheduling Accommodations, which provide extended time or allow students to alter the order of the test
- Participation Accommodations, which allow students to use otherwise prohibited devices or equipment to to manage their individual needs
Eligibility
EMA defines an eligible student as a student with a documented condition or impairment that substantially limits one of the following:
- Seeing
- Hearing
- Speaking
- Reading
- Concentrating
- Thinking
- Communicating
- Learning
Standard Test Registration
Students must apply online for testing accommodations and receive approval before registering for an SSAT. EMA recommends that students allow at least 3-4 weeks for application approval before registration with accommodation deadline.
Flex Test Registration
Flex Test registration may be completed until the day of the test. However, this registration is dependent upon the test administrator’s ability to provide the needed accommodations and EMA’s ability to provide special materials.
If parents are unsure about which accommodations their student needs and qualifies for, click here, talk to school professionals, or email [email protected] for more specific information.
ISEE Accommodations
If students have a documented disability, they may be eligible for accommodations when taking the ISEE. ERB provides a number of accommodations to students including, but not limited to:
- Extended Time
- Large Print or Braille Tests
- Distraction-Free Rooms
Eligibility
To qualify for accommodations, students must meet all of the below:
- Have a diagnosed disability that necessitates testing accommodations
- Has current documentation that justifies requested accommodations
- Currently receives and utilizes the requested accommodations on a regular basis in school
Accepted documentation:
- Formal Testing, a psycho-educational evaluation
- An IEP or a 504 Plan
- A School Accommodation Plan
- A letter from the student’s physician°
All documentation must be current
°A physician’s letter provides sufficient documentation for a medically treated issue such as vision impairment, deafness, paralysis, ADD, ADHD, etc. or a physical disability.
ISEE with Accommodations Registration Process
First, create a parent account online. From this account, parents can submit a request for their student. Once the request is submitted, parents will receive the ISEE Accommodation Request Form which the student’s school must complete, sign, and date. Parents must also submit the required documentation to support their request. The review and decision process can take up to two weeks. Families can register for a test only after they receive a decision by email, so plan accordingly.* Families must re-apply for accommodations every 15 months, if needed.
*Not every test center provides every type of accommodation. If a testing center cannot be found, the family will need to arrange for private-proctoring through the admission center of one of the schools to which their student is applying.
