School is often challenging in unique ways for children with special needs. They may find it more difficult to focus in class or to obtain the same scores that their peers do on important tests. Federal and state laws help ensure that even those with debilitating medical conditions have the right to reasonable accommodations.
Public schools should provide certain forms of support for young adults who have special medical challenges. An individualized educational program (IEP) is the legal instrument that outlines what support a school should provide a student with special needs.
Many IEPs specifically focus on daily support needs for a child. However, there are other types of support that may only be necessary occasionally. Support for major course tests and standardized tests required by state and federal government authorities can be as important as accommodations on a day-to-day basis. The following are some of the testing accommodations students with special needs can potentially benefit from.
A private testing space
For students with many kinds of conditions that affect their focus, attention or cognition, testing in a room with dozens of other students can be a challenge. They may have a hard time focusing because the student next to them taps their pencil or erases too loudly. They may also become distracted by the decorations in the room or what they view through the window. Allowing a student to take a test in a separate space free from distractions is a common accommodation included in modern IEPs.
Additional testing time
Many teachers expect their students to complete a test in a single period. Standardized tests often have time restrictions. However, those rules may be unfair to students who take longer to read or to work through problems. Including rules that allow a student additional time in which to complete testing can be beneficial for students with special needs who must take timed tests.
One-on-one support
Schools can provide individualized support during the test depending on a student’s needs. Those with visual impairments may qualify to have someone read the test and the answers to them. Those who struggle with focus could potentially have an aide there to prompt them to move on from question to question and to ensure they do not speed through the test while guessing answers.
Testing accommodations can be as important as daily accommodations, as tests can influence whether a student progresses to the next grade and can even affect school funding in some cases. Requesting appropriate IEP accommodations is important for parents advocating for a child with special needs. Parents may also need to prepare to enforce IEP rules if their child’s school does not provide necessary accommodations in class or during important tests.