What is an accommodation?

An accommodation is a change in the procedure for administering the assessment that reduces the effect of the disability to the maximum extent possible. For example, if the student’s IEP indicates that the student has a fine motor deficit and cannot fill in bubbles and requires that a scribe be provided to assist with the answer sheet, then we would provide for the transfer of information from the test booklet to the answer sheet through a scribe. This allows us to measure what the student knows and does not negatively impact the student’s score because the student cannot fill in the bubbles efficiently.

Accommodations do not change the kind of achievement or ability being measured, but they do change how the achievement or ability is measured. The accommodation reduces any problems the student might face in accessing the test content and allows the student to demonstrate their knowledge and abilities with the material.

Accommodations are decided during the IEP or 504 Plan meeting by the IEP team (comprised of various educators, parents, specialists, and pertinent stakeholders). A physician’s medical diagnosis, independent psychological evaluations, and reports from other specialists can be used by the IEP team to support the determination of a disability and whether accommodations are necessary. These reports, however, are not sufficient, in and of themselves, to determine if a student can receive accommodations. Rather, the student must have a current IEP or 504 Plan from a public school.

What you can do as a parent when applying for Selective Enrollment Schools: 

1. When completing your child’s application, check yes to items that indicate your child has an IEP/504 Plan. This indication will in no way negatively impact your application. OAE encourages all parents to apply early.
2. If your child attends a Chicago public school, charter school, or contract school, CPS will obtain his IEP or 504 Plan from the Student Information System. CPS can also access the IEPs/504 Plans of private/parochial school students who have had their IEP/504 Plans developed by the Chicago Public Schools.
3. It is important that your child’s IEP or 504 Plan is current and lists the accommodations that are required for testing. If you are the parent of a young child, please ensure your IEP/504 team completes the section of the IEP that lists District/State Assessment Accommodations (located in Section 10 (c) of the IEP) and in Section 5(2) of the 504 Plan. Applicable accommodations listed in this section (District/State Assessment Accommodations Section 10 (c) – Testing Accommodations or 5. Accommodations and Modifications: Classroom/Testing for Section 504) are the accommodations that will be provided for selective enrollment testing. Below is a sample list of accommodations that you will want to discuss with your IEP/504 team to determine if these accommodations are needed to support your child during testing.