PSAT for 10th Graders and Accommodations

[Anonymous]

The school makes these accommodations, not the parents. If you received an email last night in regards to the accommodations, be sure to follow up with the teacher via email to ask if the accommodations were met for the PSAT in accordance to his 504 plan? Then, be sure to ask your child. If the answers differ, call for a meeting in email. If they dropped the ball, be sure to follow up with an email, along with your lawyer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS also with a 504 somehow got missed in 10th grade for the PSAT with accommodations. I called the school, they apologized for not sending him to the small group testing room and said there was really nothing they could do about it at that point. My DS told me he even said something to the teacher proctoring the test that he thought he was in the wrong room, but they just waived him off and told him to take a seat. I think this happens a LOT. FYI-he already had been approved for the College Board accommodations when this happened so it was an oversight by the school. The good thing is that the 10th grade PSAT is just for practice. Also, they never made that kind of mistake with my DS again. Keep in mind that the College Board accommodations also cover AP exams.

This link might help those of you who are thinking that the schools will take care of everything for college board exams - and keep in mind this includes AP Exams as well as SAT and PSAT (but not ACT) - you can jump start the process or at least know more about the process.

https://accommodations.collegeboard.org/request-accommodations/request

[Anonymous]

Your child has accommodations at school, not through the College Board. Ask their counselor to request the accommodations for the SAT and ACT. Ask what you need to do to make it happen.

I would guess the accomodations will not be granted by the Oct PSAT because it takes them, the College Board, forever.

[Anonymous]

My son has accommodations, but he didn't get them for the PSAT. He was borderline semifinalist, so this was really annoying. He eventually got a 36 on the ACT and got into a top school, so all is good...but it still wasn't handled properly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS also with a 504 somehow got missed in 10th grade for the PSAT with accommodations. I called the school, they apologized for not sending him to the small group testing room and said there was really nothing they could do about it at that point. My DS told me he even said something to the teacher proctoring the test that he thought he was in the wrong room, but they just waived him off and told him to take a seat. I think this happens a LOT. FYI-he already had been approved for the College Board accommodations when this happened so it was an oversight by the school. The good thing is that the 10th grade PSAT is just for practice. Also, they never made that kind of mistake with my DS again. Keep in mind that the College Board accommodations also cover AP exams.

This link might help those of you who are thinking that the schools will take care of everything for college board exams - and keep in mind this includes AP Exams as well as SAT and PSAT (but not ACT) - you can jump start the process or at least know more about the process.

https://accommodations.collegeboard.org/request-accommodations/request

Helpful. Thanks for posting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS also with a 504 somehow got missed in 10th grade for the PSAT with accommodations. I called the school, they apologized for not sending him to the small group testing room and said there was really nothing they could do about it at that point. My DS told me he even said something to the teacher proctoring the test that he thought he was in the wrong room, but they just waived him off and told him to take a seat. I think this happens a LOT. FYI-he already had been approved for the College Board accommodations when this happened so it was an oversight by the school. The good thing is that the 10th grade PSAT is just for practice. Also, they never made that kind of mistake with my DS again. Keep in mind that the College Board accommodations also cover AP exams.

Pretty sure mine had to get approval for AP accommodations separate from 10th grade PSAT. It did not carry over, I don't think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school makes these accommodations, not the parents. If you received an email last night in regards to the accommodations, be sure to follow up with the teacher via email to ask if the accommodations were met for the PSAT in accordance to his 504 plan? Then, be sure to ask your child. If the answers differ, call for a meeting in email. If they dropped the ball, be sure to follow up with an email, along with your lawyer.

I think the onus is really on the student to apply, but school counselors are very helpful about confirming and even getting the ball rolling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school makes these accommodations, not the parents. If you received an email last night in regards to the accommodations, be sure to follow up with the teacher via email to ask if the accommodations were met for the PSAT in accordance to his 504 plan? Then, be sure to ask your child. If the answers differ, call for a meeting in email. If they dropped the ball, be sure to follow up with an email, along with your lawyer.

The school provides the paperwork for the accommodations. That doesn't mean it's their responsibility to know when a student is planning to take the test, and arrange it. The school provides plenty of other things when asked, like recommendation letters or documentation of enrollment for TANF that they don't take responsibility for taking the lead on.

The test in 10th grade is a practice test for the PSAT which, for 98% of kids, is also a practice test (for kids who might get NMS a high score might mean something, but otherwise PSAT in 11th is just practice). If a kid needed something like permission to test their blood or bring a snack for diabetes, then yes of course they need them, but for extended time, having a practice without it might actually help a kid think about what accommodations to ask for on the test that counts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty sure mine had to get approval for AP accommodations separate from 10th grade PSAT. It did not carry over, I don't think.

Nope. College Board is College Board. Accommodations for PSAT, SAT and AP exams all are covered

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone share if parents need to do anything to ensure accommodations (extended time) are honored for the upcoming PSAT for 10th graders? My DD has them through a 504 plan, but I am under the impression you have to request them from the College Board. Does the school do this, or do we? The school has basically been uncommunicative about the test until a notification last night that it will be taking place. And the communication said zero about what to do about accommodations.

How can you get extra time for your kid? Do you just have to pay a shrink?

You need a diagnosis of a disability and a recommendation that to compensate for the disability the student needs extra time.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, these are not usually granted, and/or are more difficult to get approved, when you start in 9th or 10th grade (trying to get extra time for APs or PSAT or SAT or ACT). Easy to get approved if your child has had an IEP/504 for years in the system due to proven disability

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, these are not usually granted, and/or are more difficult to get approved, when you start in 9th or 10th grade (trying to get extra time for APs or PSAT or SAT or ACT). Easy to get approved if your child has had an IEP/504 for years in the system due to proven disability

+1 the counselor at my kid’s DCC high school said the same thing. Kids who get approved have a IEP/504 before entering high school and have documentation to submit to the College Board demonstrating that the accommodations work. Also told me ADHD is the hardest to get approval.

Maybe it is different at schools that serve predominantly wealthy students— or at least according to DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, these are not usually granted, and/or are more difficult to get approved, when you start in 9th or 10th grade (trying to get extra time for APs or PSAT or SAT or ACT). Easy to get approved if your child has had an IEP/504 for years in the system due to proven disability

+1 the counselor at my kid’s DCC high school said the same thing. Kids who get approved have a IEP/504 before entering high school and have documentation to submit to the College Board demonstrating that the accommodations work. Also told me ADHD is the hardest to get approval.

Maybe it is different at schools that serve predominantly wealthy students— or at least according to DCUM.

Yep - my kid received the time and 1/2 accommodation from College Board but has had years of proof and a file replete with teacher discussions regarding accommodations that work.

[Anonymous]

Here is link to U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights March 31, 2022 letter to MCPS

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/03211105-a.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty sure mine had to get approval for AP accommodations separate from 10th grade PSAT. It did not carry over, I don't think.

Nope. College Board is College Board. Accommodations for PSAT, SAT and AP exams all are covered

Yes, they are all covered, but I don't think you are correct that all students
automatically roll over. Diagnoses change. Students have to have a new 504 meeting to keep school accommodations. My kid had to reapply for AP accommodations after taking PSAT earlier in the year and AP the previous year. It's just a counselor approval, but it's there.

My kid's friend who had PSAT accommodations was not on the list for AP later in the year because he did not apply. (Had a crap guidance counselor).

Don't assume you're the expert.