State and federal laws require that state assessments must allow for the inclusion of all students, including students with disabilities and English language learners. Accommodations and supports are practices and procedures that provide equitable access to grade-level content. They are intended to reduce or eliminate the effects of a student’s disability or level of language acquisition; they do not reduce learning expectations. The accommodations or supports provided to a student must be consistent for classroom instruction, classroom assessments, and district and state assessments. It is important to note that while some accommodations or supports may be appropriate for instructional use, they may not be appropriate for use on a standardized assessment.Preparing to Request ACT-Approved Accommodations
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Attend or view recordings of accommodations training webinars.
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Set up test coordinator and test accommodations coordinator access in the Test Accessibility and Accommodations System (TAA). Follow instructions in the TAA User Guide for how to create TAA user accounts.
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Consult the List of Allowable Accessibility Supports to review the types of local arrangements and accommodations available.
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IEP teams decide whether students with disabilities will participate in the ACT with or without testing accommodations.
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Supports are available to English Language Learners.
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Obtain parent or legal guardian permission to submit accommodations request. Complete the Consent to Release Information to ACT form and file it at the school.
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Contact ACT at (800) 553-6244 ext. 1788 or ACTStateAccoms@act.org with accommodations-specific questions
Requesting ACT-Approved Accommodations
- Use the TAA System to request accommodations and submit documentation by the deadline published in the Schedule of Events.
- Consult the Quick Start Guide for Requesting Accommodations/Supports, TAA User Guide, training videos, and Policy for Accommodations Documentation for assistance.
- Contact ACT at (800) 553-6244 ext. 1788 or ACTStateAccoms@act.org with accommodations-specific questions
- Requests not initially approved can be submitted again for reconsideration.
- Schools can submit an accommodations late consideration form for newly enrolled examinees and examinees with newly identified disabilities or sudden onset of medical emergencies. See the Schedule of Events for the late consideration deadline.
Administering Accommodated Testing
- Read and follow the ACT Test Administration Manual for State and District Testing (Accommodations), and Timing Code 6 FAQs.
- Review Success for You and Your Students to avoid issues of testing with accommodations.
- Complete and return the Test Administration Forms for the ACT Test (Accommodations, Paper).
- ACT accommodations testing windows two and three are available for students due to rare cases (absence or long-term illness) that occur during the initial accommodated test window. See the Schedule of Events for dates. Accommodations requests must be submitted by the deadlines in the Schedule of Events.
- Students who receive approval for accommodations on the ACT® test for State and District testing may use their approval to streamline a request the same accommodations for subsequent National or Special testing.