Thanks, 10:21. I hadn't heard of chunking the tests like you've described. Makes a lot of sense.

As a PP noted, you must petition for extra time on the SATs. A diagnosis with recommended accommodations is only a start, though. The College Board also looks for a history to documented accommodations in school and updated testing. Basically, their position is if a child has been successful in school without extended time in the school setting, it is not necessary for the SAT. So, OP, I would contact your student's counselor to secure accommodations the diagnosis recommends as soon as possible so that when it comes time for the SATs, if extra time is necessary for your son, you will be able to prove that for the College Board.

10:21. glad to read your post. We're new to the ADHD (inattentive) world. The time and a half on tests started for DD in HS. But your point is exactly how I've felt: she needs a break to sort of reset her brain more than she needs a longer time to work on a math problem. I guess I'll have to ask about how the SAT/ACTs will work for her.

Anonymous wrote:most kids would like extra time. If you're talking about tests like the SAT, you have to apply to the college board for any accomodations (like extra time, extra breaks, small group testing, etc). They require a lot of justification that the accomodation is needed and even then they are very stingy in granting accomodations.

I just went through this with my DS who has autism. We applied for 6 accomodations and got 2. Unfortunately the 2 that were the most critical for my DS were denied.

Actually it is not true that most kids would like extra time. One of my children NEEDS extra time. The other gets tests done with time to spare. Extra time can be a burden. My DC has to find time in the school day to actually take or finish time and half tests. Often that means going without lunch. And taking SATs for 6 hours is no treat either. Given a choice I can assure you she would prefer not to need the extra time.

I'm a teacher as well as a mom to kids w/ ADHD. Extended time is perfect for kids with processing issues, but it can be a dangerous thing for kids with ADHD. With the difficulty organizing that comes with ADHD having extended time can mean more time to fritter, spin wheels, etc. It gives kids like this exactly what they don't need: less structure and more opportunity to lose themselves in the test. don't get me wrong, it can be a great catch-all or back-up plan, but it does tend to be thrown in for everyone with little regard of the actual process.
I would suggest that you consider advocating for the accommodation that his tests be chunked with a defined stop period in between sections. This will allow him the extra time, but also give him a chance to stop, regroup and begin again. I find that kids have much less anxiety this way and are able to perform better on the tests.
You may meet resistance and even confusion from teachers on this one, but I firmly believe that it is the best for kids like this in the long run. In terms of standardized tests you will need to push for extended time and work with your son on building the stamina to do those. Practice with the chunking seems to help in that area too. I've seen kids "ween" themselves off of needing the breaks in between and so they are able to more swiftly switch gears themselves.
(I;m sorry if this is disjointed but I am home with a sick child today and I've gotten up and down 3 times while writing it!)

Usually the diagnosis will include recommendations for accomodations. Is extra time listed in your report? My DC got 50% extra time on tests and quizzes in HS. We worked with the academic dean on the accomodations and on communicating those to teachers. We did have to update the testing in 9th grade becasue it hadn't been done since 2nd grade and most places require testing wthin 3 years.

We also got 50% extra time from the college board and ACTs. We were denied by the college board the first time, had to do more testing, and then were approved by junior year PSATs. The ACTs are handled through the school and are easier to deal with. It is a long process, especially if you have to reapply.

You need to start with the school and they should be able to give you some direction.

Is there a specialist at your hs to help you out? We had a recent 504 eval for our DD and gave it to the high school's "learning specialist." The next day DD was given time and a half on tests, and other things if she requested them (she did not) and the school immediately began to prepare the paper work to apply for extra time on the SATs. I haven't seen the result of that, but based on what pp said, I'll check on that because she certainly needs the breaks for SAT testing.

most kids would like extra time. If you're talking about tests like the SAT, you have to apply to the college board for any accomodations (like extra time, extra breaks, small group testing, etc). They require a lot of justification that the accomodation is needed and even then they are very stingy in granting accomodations.

I just went through this with my DS who has autism. We applied for 6 accomodations and got 2. Unfortunately the 2 that were the most critical for my DS were denied.

I don't know if this will help any because my kids are so much younger but I had a very similar conversation just yesterday with my DS's 3rd grade teachers. He's got ADHD (primarily inattentive) and we were talking about his challenges. He, of course, also has organizational issues and I was asking how can we start getting him ready for high school. I know we have to start now to ingrain appropriate compensating techniques and skills. His special ed teacher told me that no matter his age, it is absolutely appropriate to allow him additional time for testing and to allow movement breaks. We have a lot of work to do on organization, initiation, attention, etc. but she said that additional time on tests is not something we should seek to reduce - even in high school. Our challenge is getting DS to recognize that he must ask for additional time and not feel the pressure to complete it in the time given to everyone else. HTH.

My DS attends a private school and does very well academically. He has ADHD and takes medication that is very helpful. When he was younger he would have a meltdown every day after school just from working so hard to keep it together, and when the academic demands increased, it became more and more stressful. Medication has really saved him. He has never had accommodations in the classroom. The issue now is that he is starting to take standardized tests for the college process and definitely has more trouble with standardized tests. He would like more time. he is also struggling with one particular subject where he feels he makes careless mistakes because of the time and keeping organized and wants extra time for that as well. The school is resistant because he has good grades. But we do have a diagnosis, confirmed recently. Any advice on how we should proceed?