SAT without accommodations

Parents Forum
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<p>A couple of things: First, my son had an IEP in place in public school, 5th grade, requiring that he use a keyboard for all in-class writing/tests. The following year, we switched to a private school, where he has continued into 11th grade. Private schools, at least in PA, don't have formal IEPs or 504s. In our case, the private school just accepted the results of our testing and the public school's recommendation. No extra time--just keyboard use, due to dysgraphia. I'm told that had we continued in public school, with the IEP in place, we would have had greater standing to get the keyboard accommodation for the SAT writing portion.</p>

<p>Our private school's guidance counselor advised us at the beginning of HS that we would need to have an updated evaluation to continue to have eligibility for the keyboard accommodation for SATs, and we did update it. It wasn't until we asked for the accommodation on the SATs that we were told by CB that it wasn't going to happen, based on, as far as we could tell, the successful use of that accomodation for five straight years. Catch 22. As I said, my son did great on the (hand-written) SAT writing test, which shocked me, and was the only area in which I had concerns. If he had not done so well, I would have continued with legal action. The CB's definition of dysgraphia is clear, as their standard for identifying it-- and the fact that they want students to write the essay portion "just as they do in class" is also clear. But they can change the rules at their own pleasure.</p>

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<p>For those who have used accommodations how helpful has your school been with setting those accommodations up?
My son has signed up to take the April 1st test date. This is right smack in the middle of the high school 2 week spring break. The counselor doesn't know if she will be able to find someone to give him the test. And we haven't had an answer from the CB as to when the test will be delivered to the school and if it is during the break no one will be there to sign for it.</p>

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<p>Glad your son was able to do well with his handwritten SAT writing test. My son's handwriting is pretty awful (which teachers have been complaining about forever). His essays are always barely legible & the SAT essay was more of the same. Oh well, fortunately it doesn't seem the schools have figured out what to make of the essays anyway for 2006.
Does sounds like CB was not very fair to your son. I know what you mean about private schools not providing 504s or IEPs--ours doesn't either, but they have worked with us & the students to extend deadlines as needed for illness. It has made a huge difference for us.</p>

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<p>Once the child has been granted accommodations by the CB, it's my understanding that whatever test site (offering the test on the designated date) the pupil lists on the registration form is obligated to provide the listed accommodations for the student, no ifs, ands of buts. I've not heard of anyone who had trouble getting what CB said pupils were entitled to. The school has to find the office, proctor, etc. tho I'm not sure financially how it all works.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
I know what you mean about private schools not providing 504s or IEPs--ours doesn't either, but they have worked with us & the students to extend deadlines as needed for illness. It has made a huge difference for us.

[/quote]
Exactly, and I hope I didn't sound as if I was criticizing our private school---they did exactly what we asked them to, as far as the keyboard accommodation. That's all we ever wanted for him. He was qualified for extended time under his PS IEP, but we never asked for it, and he never needed it--as long as he could type, rather than write long-hand.</p>

<p>One of the most profound revelations to us came in fourth grade, when we began having him tested to figure out why he was slipping. The creative writing portion of the test--done long-hand--was way below every other indice, and I knew for a fact that he was (and is) an extraordinary writer. When we discussed it with the tester, she asked if he normally typed his written work--we said yes--she said "BINGO." His physical aversion to hand-writing, which is manifested in the poor quality of the characters, was also manifested in the foreshortened, sub-par content. It's not something we should have to argue about with the CB. It should be just as automatic as using a calculator for Math IIC. I still can't explain why he did so well in the writing section. It makes me suspect that this portion of the test, which so many colleges don't know what to do with, is not going to be around for long.</p>

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<p>Nice post, PVmember. College is about learning and being able to demonstrate that learning. In the working world, in most white collar jobs, it is rarely a problem getting the work accomplished - if you have a minor LD or are dyslexic, might take a little longer, but you compensate for that. (Now a multi-tasking CEO who makes 100 decisions before breakfast, maybe not), but at most levels, anyone of intelligence and skill can manage well despite an LD.</p>

<p>I agree that as much as possible, the obstacle-strewn path should be smoothed enough that the student can compensate for his/her difficulties, because the tests themselves do not allow for learning differences or physical difficulties. </p>

<p>My son's middle school said his handwriting was the worst they had ever seen in 20 years of operation - even he couldn't read his notes at times. Without a computer, it would have been impossible to read his essays, and he would never have scored a 5 in the AP English tests or an 800 on the SAT II writing. I had to update the OT eval again for college, and we may have to do it one more time for graduate school - but someday he will be free of this silly little obstacle. (I say "silly" because any moron could glance at his handwriting and see that it is illegible). </p>

<p>Reasonable, rational, demonstrable - that's all it should take to be granted a testing accommodation.</p>

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<p>The handwriting issue is strange. Both my sons have terrible handwriting --equally bad to read, you cannot understand it. But the older one can stand to write an essay in his handwriting (the problem is for the reader.) For the younger one, the process is so painful he simply cannot do it --period. </p>

<p>We never requested accommodation for the older one. He would not have gotten it, anyway. Amazingly, we had same experience as "driver." Son's terrible handwriting was read by test-readers and he got high scores.</p>

<p>In fact, son #1 hand-wrote his entire application to Brown (back when that was required.) As I mailed it in, I thought to myself, what a waste of time this is. I could not read a word of it, and I have been accustomed to reading his handwriting for years. I did not have the vaguest idea what he wrote in that application. When I thought of all the laborious time he spent handwriting that thing, so many hours, I felt really bad for him, because I felt it would be an automatic rejection. But shockingly, he was accepted at Brown. I will never know which admission officer sat there going through that handwriting, but someone did. Thank you to whoever did that.</p>

<p>For son #2, he CANNOT DO IT. It is not that the handwriting is bad, although it is, it is that the act of manual writing is painful to him, so impossibly difficult it is torture--so painful that he would rather skip the SAT and not apply to college than have to write an essay that way. He is a gifted writer and recipient of a few top writing awards. He has advanced and college courses in English --As in all of them. The problem is not his writing. It is not his speed. It is not even really his handwriting, although it is illegible. It is his complete inability to write by hand.</p>

<p>This disability was recognized by three high schools; by our state flagship university; by the ACT; and even by the College Board as we applied and then reapplied for this accommodation two times at two high schools. But when we moved AGAIN, we landed in a district that was under investigation for too many accommodations.</p>

<p>In this district (high school #3) the computer accommodation was turned down by College Board not just once but through two subsequent appeals. It was an absolutely-needed accommodation. It was a paralyzing condition for him. It was extremely-well documented.</p>

<p>Dealing with the college board I felt like I was in the twilight zone as they told me that their two prior approvals by their own experts had been WRONG. The thing is, they were not going to give my kid anything --his IQ tested 99.9 percentile, he had college courses in writing, he was an award-winner in writing. But his disability did not have to do with any of these things, it did not even have to do with handwriting, but the actual ABILITY to write by hand. This is dysgraphia --severe, classic, uncontroversial, by-the-book. </p>

<p>He could not do it. It did not matter to them. They kept telling me --"we do not accommodate for bad handwriting," and I (and our high school and the experts who did the testing) kept telling them "this is not ABOUT bad handwriting."</p>

<p>It is not a matter of giftedness --gifted or not, someone with an LD should be accommodated, but it was my son's giftedness plus the school district that hardened them, completely. </p>

<p>Thank god for the ACT. They let him use a computer for the damn essay. No one is even counting the essay, but at least he took the test.</p>

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<p>How can they read an essay that is illegible? Next question, are they reading it at all?</p>

<p>Cloverdale, if they have testing they should not be judging whether a student has a disability or not. That is up to the evaluator.</p>

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<p>ETS granted my son extra time for the SATs, and we are having difficulty registering for the April 1st SAT. When you have 50% extra time, you can register for the SAT at your school, or at a national test center if your school isn't offering SATs on that date. But when they give a student 100% extra time, you can't register for a place--you have to talk to your schools' test administrator. </p>

<p>When I spoke with ETS, they told me that the test needed to be administered over 2 days at our school, that the student couldn't leave the test room early even if he didn't need all of the time that they had provided, and that I needed to speak to the test administrator. They also said that the test must be given within 4 days of the test date. I asked ETS whether my son could take the test with 50% time, and they said that to do that he would need to apply for a change of accommodations, and to take the test on April 1st with a change of accommodations, he would have to take it standby. </p>

<p>What they didn't tell me, that the test coordinator at the national testing center told me is that if he shows up standby needing extra time, the testing center doesn't have to provide extra time if it isn't already set up to provide extra time for other students. (She also told me that he has to have a letter that says he has 50% extra time. If he shows up with a letter for 100% extra time they will turn him away at the door even if they have extra test booklets and a room set up to provide extra time).</p>

<p>Our school is also on Spring break April 1st, and the test administrator at my son's school will be out of town. She may or may not be able to find somebody to proctor the test on April 1st. And although ETS regs seem to suggest that it could be given April 3rd and 4th when they get back from break, our high school won't test on those days because 1) the staff that normally proctor SATs have regular jobs to perform on school days and 2) students would be missing school.</p>

<p>This is a mess. And from my point of view much of it is created by ETS. How can they grant accommodations without offering a place to take the exam? What if we home schooled and didn't have a high school test coordinator? And if they have approved 100% extra time, why can't a student opt to register for 50% extra time? What if he needs 100% extra time for the AP exams but only 50% time for the SATs? They have structured this so it feels like a punishment to him, and a nightmare to try to arrange for me.</p>

<p>I'm posting this so that others don't run into the same problems that we are--or at least have more time to resolve them.</p>

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<p>Response to PV:
Evaluating disability should be up to the evaluator but it isn't --it's up to CB. Reading illegible handwriting? Somehow they seem to manage it, don't know how. As to whether the readers are really reading the essays, who knows? I heard that the essay readers were so poor and the scores so out of sync with student product that the essays are being tossed by colleges this year. I heard that the essay readers are given just a few minutes to read each essay and confer a score. There is a rote formula and anything more elaborate or detailed may be graded down, even if it's really better. It's no wonder the colleges aren't counting the essays this year. They probably looked at a number of graded essays and the CB/ACT scores and decided there was minimal if any relationship. This is my take on the situation. The schools my son is applying to have said they are not counting the essay --so he could have just skipped it, gotten a zero, and it would have been fine. I wish I had known --for us, a lot of fuss about nothing but boy was it aggravating.</p>

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<p>FriendshipMom- my son was also granted 100% time. Like you I thought he should just try to take it with 50% time at the test center but the CB told me that he could not do it even standby. If he goes to the test center he would not be allowed to take the test. He is also allowed a taped cassette or reader. The CB told me that if our school could not proctor the test for him they needed to make arrangements with another school to give it to him. Our school doesn't have a test cordinator so it is handled through the guidance counselor. The other high schools are also on break that 2 week period so I don't know how she will find someone. She didn't even know who pays the proctor the high school or the CB but she thought the high school did. Our guidance counselor is a nice woman but has no experience with the CB. I had not heard that they should give the test over 2 days.
HiMom- The CB has different arrangements based on the type of accommodation that is granted. 50% time is available through any of the regular testing centers and is given on the test date by the CB. 100% time and readers are not given by the CB at the test centers and are administered by the test cordinator at your high school. Which adds another layer to the process. The test are usually delivered to the school and must be given within a few days window of the regular test date. So for us the problem will be if it doesn't arrive before the break the school will not be open to receive the test and it will be difficult to arrange someone to give the test to him. The only solution I have come up with so far is that he will probably have to wait and take the test in May which is not his first choice.</p>

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<p>Wow, what a mess! I'm not familiar with folks being given extra time, just extra breaks & extended breaks & the ability to snack during tests (all due to CFS/POTS). It's fine if the student elects not to do any of those things, but s/he is still tested in the room with all the kids who are getting ANY accommodations. The thing that is nice is tho they have to arrive about 15 minutes before everyone else taking tests, they generally get out a LOT earlier than everyone else. This really helps those who have limited stamina issues, like CFS/POTS students. The tradeoff, of course, is that they are kept from taking the test with the peers they would normally have sat beside for testing, but not a biggie.</p>

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<p>What would you suggest these students do when applying to colleges? They were both denied all or part of their usual accommodations. One got a reader but no computer, got 480 W, 640 CR and 620 M. The other got nothing except 50% more time, 700M, 580CR, 520W The first one is an A student (4.0 GPA) the second has a 3.4 GPA (more difficult school and coursework) and should very obviously have had a reader which was denied less than a week before the April test. The letter was backdated by more than 2 weeks when the student received it. A third student took the May test without any accommodations and hasn't got the scores yet. You can see from the inconsistent scores, knowing that they should have had accommodations, that they had trouble with the portions which were denied.</p>

<p>The College Board is not giving any accommodations unless you have very extensive testing done in the last three years with a written diagnosis of dyslexia or dysgraphia. If your district doesn't give a one-word diagnosis, you are out of luck. Would you suggest these students apply with a note in the application saying that they were denied accommodations? Or would that be a red flag to admissions? None plan to retake the test because it was so stressful and upsetting.</p>

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<p>If the students had these accomodations at school, and they were denied when they took the SAT, this should be mentioned in the GC's recommendation letter.</p>

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<p>My son has a diagnosis of Dysgraphia, and has had modifications/accommodations since 5th grade (he is a senior now, going to GW in the fall). College Board gave him 50% time & a computer for SATs & APs. ACTs did the same, plus they let someone transfer his answers to the bubble sheet. Regents (we are in NY) did all that, and waived spelling. IB only gave 25% time, and waived spelling. SAT didn't waive spelling, but they didn't count it against him. It's been a long haul. With all of this, he did ok, not spectacularly. SATs: M 600, V 650, Wr 680 (12/12 on the essay). ACTs composite: 27, Writing 10. SATII: Bio 650, World Hist. 720, US Hist. 680. Writing essays are hard for him... he keyboards everything (of course, he is now in OT for severe Carpel Tunnel!) But in spite of this, he's a very good writer, if you can get past the horrendous spelling, punctuation & handwriting. Yet he is a terrible testtaker -- even multiple choice. The thing about dysgraphia is that you'd think it was just handwriting, but it's also organizing & discrimination. Multiple choice is tough. Even if someone bubbles for him, he still gets caught up in the weeding through the answers. I've never met anyone who knows more 20th Century American History than my S., but his SAT2 score doesn't reflect that.<br>
Be persistent with the College Board & ACT. Give them every shred of documentation you can! We had the 5th & 8th grade evals done privately (very expensive), but the final one, in 11th grade was done by the school. They reserved the right to test him, so it made sense to go with them. It worked out fine.
Dysgraphia is a funny LD. I tend to tell people he has a serious case of a minor LD. And he compensates very well, and advocates for himself exceptionally well.</p>

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<p>I could go on and on about our very negative experience with College Board.</p>

<p>My son had three cumulative and current sets of documentation authenticating his disabilities. His greatest disability is the need for substantial additional time. When the first evaluation was conducted, he was in public school. When the second evaluation was conducted, he was in private school. When the third and fourth were conducted he was in an umbrella home school.</p>

<p>In spite of our very complete appeal (home school students may only use the appeal process), we were treated like dirt. We sent in the appeal in the spring prior to my son's junior year. College Board, which requires that applicants follow their time turnaround requirements, didn't respond to our request for more than 12 weeks (they promise to do so in 7...used summer vacations as the excuse...and not giving us adequate time to appeal). Next they totally turned down extended time accommodations completely...offered only extra breaks/extended breaks/small room environment. Well, all extra breaks/extended breaks would do is cause his Adderrall to run out...so not a valid option (and we didn't request those anyhow).</p>

<p>We inquired about College Board's decision numerous times...each time we were told we would be contacted...we weren't...NOT ONCE. Also, we were told to send in a description of the problems we faced getting someone to take our concerns seriously. Even that wasn't responded to!</p>

<p>I was told by an educational consultant that College Board openly mistreats home school students.</p>

<p>Independently, I decided that our son was not going to take the test again. (The first time, the center messed up and put him in a "normal" room, moved him, then gave him the wrong test...College Board even tried to collect an additional fee to have the proper test administered, saying it was my son's fault...NOT...he and another boy were given the wrong test in spite of their repeatedly telling the proctor that it was the wrong test. The second time, it went a little better...but still some minor center problems.)</p>

<p>BOTTOM LINE - Our independent educational consultant ended up calling my son's first choice college to explain in general terms what had occurred and that our son was a disability student who had taken the SATs without necessary accommodations. The college was then able to view our son's scores in a newer and clearer light...and he was admitted EA.</p>

<p>IF I WERE YOU - </p>

<p>First, I'd bypass the SATs in favor of the ACT exam. It's widely known that the ACT people are more reasonable and sensible and "get" what disabilities and accommodations are.</p>

<p>Second, I'd be upfront with admissions...not to trumpet the disablity, but to point out if the tests were taken without accommodations.</p>

<p>Third, I'd pick your school wisely. Schools that have strong disability services programs will we much kinder and more sensitive than College Board. It was our experience that if the school really likes your child, they will bend over backwards to offer all reasonable and document-based accommodations. College Board is bush-league and neanderthalic in its approach to accommodations. And, they are arrogant and insensitive to boot. I spent hundreds of hours on their process. All it bought us was upset and frustration. It also almost reached the point that my eager college-bound son gave up on his dream.</p>

<p>Parents, take control of the situation. Take the easiest and most direct path. Don't let College Board play sick little games with your child's future. Make sure your child is seen in the proper light. Don't be vindictive, be proactive...and your child will be the beneficiary.</p>

<p>Oh, by the way, a practice SAT administered by an independent consultant with minimal time accommodations (not more than 25% vice the 100% that evaluators felt he was entitled to) yielded a score more than 150 point higher. Why College Board's game playing and accommodation denial really got to me is that if our son had been granted the appropriate accommodations (and, of course, then gotten the higher SAT score) he would have been eligible for many more thousands of dollars in scholarship money - to which he was really ENTITLED, but lost because of College Board's unjustifiable insensitivity. College Board's malicious acts cost us time, emotional energy, and money. How loathesome!</p>

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<p>Does anyone have experience with getting time accomodation on SAT/ACT when disability is officially diagnosed as "Processing speed" ...</p>

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<p>The HS guidance counselor told me that in his experience, extended time was the more difficult accomodation to get, versus use of a computer for essays. But it seems that some have had problems with the CB on handwriting as well. </p>

<p>M-O-N-O-P-O-L=Y - an ugly, consumer unfriendly state of affairs.</p>

<p>Oxford's Exam Schools did grant my son accomodations to use a computer for his exams using the same documentation (CB letter, college letter, HS 504 and accomodation plan, and OT eval), so he's set now until he takes other tests. </p>

<p>Does the GRE, LSAT, or MCAT have an essay?</p>

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<p>The GRE has graded essays, but is offered in both a computerized and paper version. It looks like you can pick a site that has the sort you want. </p>

<p>The LSAT is not computerized and has a writing sample. The sample is not graded, however, but rather forwarded to law schools.</p>

<p>The MCAT has graded writing and is going completely computerized next year.</p>

<p>All three tests have procedures for getting accommodations, I see. But since the GRE is from the same folks that bring you the SAT I imagine the problems getting said accommodations are the same. But if what you need is a computer you won't have a problem since anyone can go that way ...</p>

<p>It would be nice if there were an alternative grad school test.</p>

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<p>Allright, my state requires that LD children be accomodated. My state unversities require that students provide SAT I or ACT in addition to SAT II's. Are there any lawyers on this thread who can explain how it is that the state school can require an LD student, who is legally entitled to appropriate accomodation, to sit for an exam for which the ETS refuses to provide that accomodation? </p>

<p>On a more general note, are there disability advocacy groups that have challenged ETS policies in general or specfic denials? Are there lawyers who are known for advocacy in this area? Has anyone on CC mounted a legal challenge? Orange Blossom's situation just makes my blood boil (although it was great to read about her S's EA acceptance!) and I wonder -- has anybody ever deposed ETS and forced them to reveal their decision-making criteria?</p>