DD got the extended time, she took ACT today, and was given from 8:30 to 1:30 to complete all her tests. it meant that if she took more time for Reading, she would have less than for Science…bathroom breaks and snack breaks were included in the time…she went to bathroom, but she didn’t take a snack break even she was very hungry… was the above normal?
DS took ACT 2 yrs ago and was also approved for time + 1/2. If I remember correctly what you’ve described sounds about right.
The only thing I know about the ACT vs. the SAT in terms of accommodations is that you have to request them all over again from the very beginning for the ACT, and only once for the SAT.
Do need to request separate accommodations for the AP exams though, and they can get difficult.
@rhandco not necessarily. For the ACT, if nothing has changed, the test coordinator just completes sections A-F and M of the “Request Form for Special Testing” (which is just her name/title/date/signature and checking a box that nothing has changed); the request does not need to start from beginning.
And as for CollegeBoard, my son’s accommodations covered all CollegeBoard tests–PSAT, SAT, AP for ALL test dates after initial approval–no expiration date. I thought this was standard, as we did not specifically request it.
I agree with gertyberty, for Collegeboard, my kid’s accommodations covered all tests which she does not use. As far as the ACT she has multiple days, but for this test, she chose just has the extended time, but she was surprised to find out she was given a block of time for EVRTYTHING, including bathroom breaks and snack breaks, therefore she chose not to take snack but was hungry, and when she went to bathroom, she lost some time, hence I am not sure whether it was normal… in particular, she did not really have time and a half for Science, because she “used up” in her other areas…
The most commonly requested accommodation for the ACT and SAT is time-and-a- half. If there is a diagnosed disability and a history of use under a formal plan, then approval is probably likely. What would not be approved is a request for extra time because the SAT/ACT is harder than school tests or the student needs time because of test anxiety or a disability is diagnosed just in the nick time for college entrance testing. What is not likely to be approved is a request for extended time that is designed to help a student earn a higher score.
Requests for more than 1.5 extra time is reviewed more thoroughly like requests for use of a reader, Brailled text, a computer, multi-day testing, a scribe, an alternative to the standard test sheet, extra breaks, access to food and/or medication, and on and on. Documentation is critical to obtaining these accommodations. Criteria for documentation are found on the ACT and/or SAT websites. The documentation required for SAT/ACT is often very similar to that required by colleges.
Sometimes a cafeteria approach to selecting accommodations is used. For example, my student uses 1.5 time but I bet s/he would do better with double time, a reader and a computer. That won’t happen. most probably. Requested accommodations that are very unlikely to be approved are question clarification, changing vocabulary or defining words, testing by a parent or teacher, reminding the student to pay attention or asking the student to do a few more questions. These are examples of modifications that break standardization and may artificially inflate scores.
Two warnings. Don’t assume you and ACT/SAT have the same description of an accommodation. Enlarge text may mean to you or the teacher that the questions will be surrounded by more white space. No, enlarged text has larger letters with regular margins and text spread over more pages. Second, every accommodation from extended time to use of a reader requires lots of practice before it is used in a testing situation.
The SAT/ACT bridge the gap between high school and college. Students request accommodations received in high school for these admissions tests, but accommodations cease upon college graduation whether found on an IEP or under a 504 plan. Because the student is moving to a legal definition of disability under the ADAAA or a different section of 504 and is now an adult, new documentation will probably be required.
Each institution provides accommodations for students with disabilities who are otherwise qualified for college. Thus, elite schools such as Harvard admit and accommodate elite applicants with disabilities and really good colleges such as the University of Illinois, Colorado, Maine or Louisiana accommodate elite to well-qualified applicants with disabilities. Both types of schools will provide an accommodation such as taped or electronic text but the content level of the print text may differ in level of complexity or difficulty. The bridge period between high school graduation (senior year) and college entrance provides an opportunity to secure documentation by institutional standards.
So, now you know more about accommodations than were requested. Sorta got on a role about accommodations of the ACT/
thanks.
My kid has extended time (time and a half) + multiple days (was classified since 3rd grade with documented accommodation)… However, she liked to try without multiple days, hence she just took the extended time, what we did not realize was that instead of given time and a half for each subject, she was given time and a half of the total time, therefore she spent a lot of time on the English and Reading section, then she couldn’t leave the room for a snack because it would be taken out of her total time and a half and I think she also didn’t have time and a half for science because she used the time on other areas, hence I am not sure whether it was normal
For the ACT, the student is given a set amount of time and use it as they see fit. Time and 1/2 would be for the total amount of time. Depending on how she split it up, it may or may not have worked out as an equal time and a half per section.