Services for Students with Disabilities

Accommodations on College Board Exams

Deadlines: https://accommodations.collegeboard.org/request-accommodations/dates-deadlines

How to Request Accommodations: https://accommodations.collegeboard.org/request-accommodations/request

All PSAT, SAT School Day, and AP Exam accommodation documentation must be submitted to and approved by the College Board. Hightower High School does not approve accommodation paperwork for students. Students without College Board–approved accommodations will test without accommodations.

Submit Requests Early

Because the approval process can take up to seven weeks, it’s best to start well before the test date. Keep in mind:

• It is usually easier and more efficient to work through the school.
• SSD cannot review the request until all required documentation is received.
• If additional documentation is required—or if a request is resubmitted—approval can take an additional seven weeks.
• If you miss a deadline, accommodations might not be approved or in place on test day.

Instructions

1. Contact the school’s SSD coordinator.

   As soon as a student knows that they will need accommodations for a College Board exam, they should contact the school’s SSD coordinator.

   - HHS SSD: Ms. Nicole Nguyen Nicole.Nguyen@fortbendisd.gov 

2. Sign the Parent Consent Form.

   Before the rest of the application can be processed, the student’s parent or guardian must sign the Parent Consent Form. (If the student is over age 18, then the student signs the form.)

    

   Note: 

   The Parent Consent Form must be submitted at least three weeks prior to the College Board accommodation deadline. This timeframe is necessary due to the SSD schedule and the time required to collect and review accommodation documentation.

Parent Consent Form: https://accommodations.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ssd-consent-form-accommodations.pdf 

1. The SSD coordinator opens a request in SSD Online.

   The SSD coordinator enters contact information, requested accommodations, information about the student’s disability, and information about the student's accommodation plan. In some cases, if the student is requesting the same accommodations used in an IEP, 504, or other formal plan, then no additional information may be needed.

2. SSD Online indicates whether documentation is needed.

   If documentation is needed, the SSD coordinator assembles and checks the documentation against SSD guidelines, then submits it through SSD Online.

    

   How to Provide Documentation

   https://accommodations.collegeboard.org/request-accommodations/provide-documentation

   1. SSD sends notice of the decision.

      The SSD coordinator can read the decision in SSD Online. The student usually receives notice via postal mail. If you need a copy of your decision letter, contact SSD Customer Service.

      If accommodations are approved, the decision letter also has an eligibility letter with test-by-test details. The decision and eligibility letters include the student's eligibility code, which is needed for SAT registration.

Question:
My child is labeled SPED or 504. Why doesn’t my child have accommodations for the PSAT, SAT School Day, or AP Exams?

Answer:
Have you submitted the Parent Consent Form to the campus SSD? If not, this is why your student does not have accommodations for these assessments. Please understand that a SPED or 504 designation at the campus level does not automatically qualify a student for accommodations on College Board assessments. All accommodations must be submitted to and approved by the College Board.

Question:
My child receives accommodations on the STAAR EOC. Do I still have to submit the Parent Consent Form to the campus SSD for my child to receive accommodations on PSAT, SAT School Day, or AP Exams?

Answer:
Yes. STAAR EOC assessments and College Board assessments are administered through separate testing platforms with different accommodation approval processes. Accommodations approved for STAAR do not automatically transfer to College Board assessments.

Question:

Who is responsible for submitting accommodation paperwork to the College Board?

Answer:
Parents and students are responsible for ensuring that the Parent Consent Form to the campus SSD by the stated deadlines.

Question:

If my child has an IEP or 504, why doesn’t the campus submit the paperwork for us?

Answer:
While the campus supports students and families by sharing information and deadlines, families must notify the campus that they are requesting accommodations for their student. Completion of the Parent Consent Form serves as formal notification that accommodations are being requested. 

Question:

What is the deadline to submit accommodation requests to the College Board?

Answer:
Accommodation submission deadlines are set by the College Board and vary by assessment. Deadlines are communicated to families in advance. Parent Consent Forms submitted after the deadline may not be reviewed or approved in time for the scheduled assessment.

Question:

If I missed the College Board deadline, can my child still receive accommodations?

Answer:
No. If a Parent Consent Form is not to the campus SSD by the College Board deadline, accommodations cannot be provided for that assessment administration.

Question:

Can accommodations be added on the day of testing?

Answer:
No. College Board accommodations must be approved in advance. Accommodations cannot be added, changed, or implemented on the day of testing.

Question:

Will my child’s College Board accommodations carry over from one test to another?

Answer:
Approved accommodations may carry over to future College Board assessments; however, families should verify that accommodations are active and approved for each specific test administration.

Question:

Do STAAR, PSAT, SAT School Day, and AP Exams use the same accommodation system?

Answer:
No. STAAR assessments and College Board assessments are managed by different testing platforms with separate accommodation approval processes. Approval for one assessment does not automatically apply to another.

Question:

What happens if my child transfers to Hightower High School?

Answer:
College Board accommodations do not automatically transfer with school enrollment. Families are responsible for confirming that a Parent Consent Form documentation is submitted and approved for the new campus.

Question:

Where can I find official College Board information about accommodations?

Answer:
Families can review accommodation policies and submission procedures directly on the College Board website. (Links are above)

Accommodation approval and implementation for College Board assessments are governed by College Board policies and deadlines. Hightower High School cannot override, approve, or implement accommodations without College Board authorization.