Accommodations: extended time or time-and-a-half

[Anonymous]

DD is a soon-to-be high schooler with ADHD who has received an accommodation for extended time on tests for the past few years. We're due to take her for an updated psycho-educational eval and I recall that another parent was sharing with me that there's a big difference between receiving extended time or time-and-a-half on big tests like the ACT and SAT, with one offering better testing conditions. I can't remember which one and why it was better; anyone else have any idea?

I know it's not ultimately up to me but I'd like to be knowledgeable so I can advocate for her.

Thanks so much!

[Anonymous]

Extended time and time and a half are the same -- https://www.collegeboard.org/students-with-disabilities/typical-accommodations/time

I think you may be recalling a discussion re extended time vs breaks (which don't provide more time to complete the rest questions).

[Anonymous]

The SAT offers 2 timing options, except maybe for very extreme cases. Regular time, and extended time (1.5 time on the same day as regular testing)

The ACT offers 5 options.

Regular time

National Extended Time (1.5 time on the same day as regular testing)

Special testing with regular time (Testing takes the same amount of time, but is broken up over multiple days)

Special testing with 1.5 time (Testing takes the same amount of time, but is broken up over multiple days)

Special testing with double time (Testing takes the same amount of time, but is broken up over multiple days)

My DS has time and a half at school, with breaks, but qualified the first time for Special Testing with Double Time.

He went to school the week after school was out, every day for a week, and took 1 section a day, 1:1 (just him and a proctor). The SAT doesn't offer anything close to that level of accommodation.

[Anonymous]

Your psychological report should contain a specific recommendation for testing time and conditions and not just say "extended time," so the judgement is not left up to the school to make.

Typically if the psych recommends X time under Y conditions, the school or testing service will have to give it to you.

One warning -- while you want the school to implement the psych report recommendations as part of a 504 or IEP right away (which means you have to consider how to time the request of those meetings so they are scheduled soon after the anticipated report) BUT, you don't want to request PSAT, SAT or ACT accommodations right away. They typically frown upon newly implemented extra time accommodations in HS, so it is better to implement the recommendations at school and then wait 3-6m months to ask for the PSAT, SAT, ACT accommodations.

Many schools now ask 9th, 10th and 11th graders to take the PSAT, which is, frankly, ridiculous. If the student is a rising 9th grader, I would skip the 9th grade PSAT and wait to put the testing accommodation request in until Spring of 9th grade year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The SAT offers 2 timing options, except maybe for very extreme cases. Regular time, and extended time (1.5 time on the same day as regular testing)

The ACT offers 5 options.

Regular time

National Extended Time (1.5 time on the same day as regular testing)

Special testing with regular time (Testing takes the same amount of time, but is broken up over multiple days)

Special testing with 1.5 time (Testing takes the same amount of time, but is broken up over multiple days)

Special testing with double time (Testing takes the same amount of time, but is broken up over multiple days)

My DS has time and a half at school, with breaks, but qualified the first time for Special Testing with Double Time.

He went to school the week after school was out, every day for a week, and took 1 section a day, 1:1 (just him and a proctor). The SAT doesn't offer anything close to that level of accommodation.

Do colleges know when a child receives these types of accommodations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The SAT offers 2 timing options, except maybe for very extreme cases. Regular time, and extended time (1.5 time on the same day as regular testing)

The ACT offers 5 options.

Regular time

National Extended Time (1.5 time on the same day as regular testing)

Special testing with regular time (Testing takes the same amount of time, but is broken up over multiple days)

Special testing with 1.5 time (Testing takes the same amount of time, but is broken up over multiple days)

Special testing with double time (Testing takes the same amount of time, but is broken up over multiple days)

My DS has time and a half at school, with breaks, but qualified the first time for Special Testing with Double Time.

He went to school the week after school was out, every day for a week, and took 1 section a day, 1:1 (just him and a proctor). The SAT doesn't offer anything close to that level of accommodation.

Do colleges know when a child receives these types of accommodations?

Only if the student reveals it in the application process. We plan on revealing for DC as it explains the classes he took and did not take. Plus, if a school would not admit him becasue of his accomodations, they are unlikely to grant the accomodations he would eed in college and therefore not be a good fit for him.