<p>“We found a real bias against high performing LD students.”</p>
<p>I wondered whether this was the case - - especially with high-perf LD students from middle-class or affluent families.</p>
<p>We found that the CB and ACT seemed to discount expensive testing that we paid for (because affluent parents paid for it) and seemed to give much more credibility to teachers’ comments in which they observed the disability, the need for extra time, and the implications of a failure to give extra time in their class.</p>
<p>Anonymom’s comments are all useful and consistent with our experience.</p>
<p>@schoolmom “My son was given extra time. He has add and has had a 504 plan in place since last school year. His testing by a specialist showed a IQ of 150 but processing speed of only 88, which is below average. His specialist documented in the evaluation that he should receive extended time”</p>
<p>Yep, I could rarely finish math/science tests, but had a 4.8 GPA in all honors classes so my guidance counselor/parents didn’t believe me until this year. I had a full neuropsych test by one of the <em>best</em> specialists in the northeast, and apparently I have a 150 IQ and an 80 for processing speed. </p>
<p>Well, needless to say, as soon as the report came in my parents and guidance counselor immediately started apologizing profusely that they hadn’t believed me and that very day the administration granted me a 504 with extra time and filed for collegeboard. The report also included my ADD (documented since I was 6), which was mild compared to the speed deficiency, as well as my anxiety.</p>
<p>A few weeks ago I got back the answer from collegeboard: they said no. That very day, an appeal was started, with letters from various psychologists/psychiatrists/neuropsyche specialists. So I’ll know in a few weeks what the answer is.</p>
<p>@EVERYONE: Getting collegeboard to give accommodations is much harder than getting a school to do it. Unfortunately, they are VERY strict about it. My mother is a pediatric neurologist, and she’s had patients with severe epilepsy who had multiple seizures a day and patients with other horrible neuro-conditions that were <em>not</em> granted extra time. </p>
<p>Believe me, I understand everyone’s problem here. It’s sooo frustrating when you know you have documented issues and a 504 at school but collegeboard doesn’t seem to want to permit accommodations. ):</p>
<p>I am new to CC, but wanted to offer my encouragement. My son just received his accommodations from College Board this past August, and I wanted to pass along some of the helpful advice I received which I believe made a difference.</p>
<p>First, the evaluation was completed by an outside, independent professional, PhD specialist - and yes, expensive ($2,000 or so) but the testing was very thorough and specific with our goals in mind: College Board accommodations, including time and a half and typed essays. </p>
<p>Second, and this was tough, I was told to pick my battles very carefully with the school administration, as we would definitely need their cooperation and assistance. We were a bit more flexible with the accommodations in plan for last year, in anticipation of the bigger hurdle ahead. We didn’t give up anything huge, mostly just accepted less than ideal compliance without my usual requests to more consistently implement his plan.</p>
<p>Third, I made sure that the battles I DID pick were consistent with the accommodations we would seek. This meant that I purchased a lightweight laptop and made sure he used it for all written essays, homework, etc. and made sure that he used the extra time on the state benchmarks.</p>
<p>Last, I contacted College Board and made certain I had information and printed materials when I met with the counselors to get this process underway. </p>
<p>By bringing in our own outside evaluation, I believe the school was placed in a position to have to pick THEIR battles, and chose not to use district resources to dispute the eval.</p>
<p>Hope that helps. Don’t give up.</p>