Accommodations

Read more about the supports that allow students with disabilities to learn at their full potential
A sign posted outside an August 2021 meeting of the Douglas County school board meeting in Castle Rock, Colo., asks visitors to wear masks. The meeting was held to discuss the use of masks and other protective measures in county schools.
A sign posted outside an August 2021 meeting of the Douglas County school board meeting in Castle Rock, Colo., asks visitors to wear masks. The meeting was held to discuss the use of masks and other protective measures in county schools.
Aaron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via AP
Student Well-Being & Movement Relaxed Mask Guidelines Raise Anxiety for Parents of Children With Disabilities
The CDC's changes could undercut some legal arguments for those who have pushed universal masking to protect medically vulnerable children.
Evie Blad, March 1, 2022
5 min read
Student writes a note for "HELP" on her schoolwork
iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being & Movement Students With Depression, Anxiety May Qualify for Accommodations, Feds Tell Schools
As COVID fuels concerns, the Education and Justice departments detailed schools' obligations to students with mental health conditions.
Evie Blad, October 13, 2021
3 min read
BRIC ARCHIVE
Getty
Special Education Opinion Daydreaming or Distracted? What Teachers Misunderstand About ADHD
Teachers must not wait for a firm diagnosis to make important learning accommodations for students who may have ADHD, writes Kyle Redford.
Kyle Redford, May 2, 2018
4 min read
Special Education Study: Students With ADHD Not Helped by Common Test Accommodations
Extended testing time or frequent breaks did not appear to help students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder perform better on a standardized test, a new study found.
Christina A. Samuels, December 23, 2016
2 min read
Assessment College Board Makes it Easier for Students With Disabilities to Get Accommodations
Most students whose IEPs call for testing accommodations will have those same accommodations approved when they're taking the SAT or Advanced Placement tests.
Madeline Will, December 2, 2016
2 min read
English Learners ACT Offers First Accommodations for English-Language Learners
In a break from past practice, ACT Inc. has announced that it will begin offering accommodations for English learners.
Catherine Gewertz, November 14, 2016
3 min read
College & Workforce Readiness ACT Streamlines Accommodations System After Criticism for Denials, Delays
The testing company had come under fire for making it tough to get accommodations on its college-entrance exam, which many states require all students to take.
Catherine Gewertz, May 24, 2016
2 min read
Equity & Diversity Justice Department Eyes Accommodations on SAT, ACT
In some states, students with disabilities are required to take one of the college-entrance exams, but some can't get the testing accommodations they need.
Catherine Gewertz, February 24, 2016
1 min read
Education Justices Bolster Protection for Religious Accommodations in Employment
In a case watched by educators, the U.S. Supreme Court rules for a Muslim woman denied a job because she wore a head scarf.
Mark Walsh, June 1, 2015
3 min read
Education Supreme Court Weighs Religious Accommodations in Employment
A case about a retail job applicant's Muslim head scarf could have implications for school districts and students.
Mark Walsh, February 25, 2015
6 min read
Assessment Smarter Balanced Reports Student Views on Field-Test Accommodations
A report from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium suggests that built-in test accommodations are easy to use, but that more students need to become familiar with them.
Christina A. Samuels, November 5, 2014
1 min read
Ninth graders at Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville, Md., take part infield-testing for assessments aligned with the Common Core State Standards. The exams will be rolled out in final form during the 2014-15 academic year.
Ninth graders at Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville, Md., take part infield-testing for assessments aligned with the Common Core State Standards. The exams will be rolled out in final form during the 2014-15 academic year.
Swikar Patel/Education Week
Special Education Common-Assessment Groups Differ on Accommodations
But the two state consortia both aim to provide a more-inclusive experience for English-language learners and students with disabilities.
Liana Loewus, April 21, 2014
9 min read
Federal PARCC Field Tests to Lack Some Accommodations
Some built-in student accommodations for the common-core tests being developed by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers will be unavailable during spring 2014 field tests.
Christina A. Samuels, November 5, 2013
4 min read
Standards & Accountability PARCC Releases Final Version of Accommodations Policy for ELLs
The substantive policies around testing supports for English-learners were approved in June by PARCC's governing board.
Lesli A. Maxwell, July 26, 2013
1 min read