Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities and ELLs

Testing accommodations change how a test is given or answered without changing what it measures, and they fall into four groups: presentation, response, setting and timing. Students with IEPs and 504 Plans receive the accommodations listed in their plans, and English learners may receive state-approved language supports. Your state’s testing manual has the final word on what’s allowed for each test. This guide gives you a practical list, explains who decides, and shows how to prepare students so the accommodations actually help.

Accommodations vs modifications on tests

• Accommodations keep the same test and the same standard. A student who has the math test read aloud is still measured on math.
• Modifications change what’s measured, such as fewer answer choices or an alternate assessment. On state tests, modified or alternate assessments are used only for students with significant cognitive disabilities, as decided by the IEP team under state criteria.

Some supports change the construct. Reading a reading comprehension test aloud may measure listening instead of reading, so many states restrict it or treat it differently. Always check the manual.

Testing accommodations list

Presentation (how the test is given)

Response (how the student answers)

Setting (where)

• Small group
• Separate room
• Preferential seating (near the proctor, away from the door)
• Reduced distractions, such as a study carrel
• Noise-reducing headphones
• Familiar test administrator

Timing and scheduling

• Extended time (often time and a half or double time, if the state uses specific amounts)
• Frequent breaks
• Testing over multiple days or sessions
• Testing at a specific time of day
• Testing in short sections

Testing accommodations for English learners

States set their own lists for ELLs. Common options include:

• Word-to-word bilingual dictionaries or glossaries (no definitions or pictures)
• Directions read aloud in English or translated into the student’s home language
• Extended time
• Small-group or separate setting
• Test items read aloud in English on non-reading tests
• Translated or bilingual test versions for some content areas

The right accommodation depends on proficiency. A newcomer who reads well in Spanish may benefit from a Spanish version of the math test. A student who speaks Spanish at home but learned to read in English may not. Our ELL strategies for reading cover classroom supports that build toward independence.

Who decides

Teachers give input based on what the student uses and benefits from in class.

Accommodations by need

ADHD: small group, frequent breaks, extended time, preferential seating, testing in shorter sessions. See also ADHD accommodations in the classroom.

Dyslexia: text-to-speech on non-reading tests, extended time, separate setting, word processor, marking answers in the booklet. See our dyslexia accommodations.

Autism: familiar administrator, separate setting, advance preview of test format, breaks, noise-reducing headphones.

Anxiety: separate setting, breaks, testing at a preferred time of day.

Physical disabilities: scribe, speech-to-text, adapted seating, extra breaks.

How to prepare students

1. Use accommodations all year. Practice extended time, text-to-speech and breaks on classroom tests.
2. Teach the tools. A student who has never used a line reader or the test platform’s text-to-speech won’t benefit on test day.
3. Preview the format. Use released practice tests so the student knows the screens and tools.
4. Check the logistics. Rooms, proctors, devices, headphones and printed materials need to be ready.
5. Ask the student. Older students can tell you which supports help and which feel unnecessary.
6. Document use. Note how often the student uses each accommodation; it helps the team review the plan.

Test-day checklist for teachers

The week before testing:

• Get the official list of students with accommodations and check it against each IEP, 504 Plan and ELL plan. Report any mismatch to your test coordinator right away.
• Confirm rooms, proctors and schedules for small-group and separate-setting students.
• Test devices, headphones and text-to-speech settings on the testing platform.
• Prepare approved materials: dictionaries, reference sheets, large-print booklets.
• Tell students where they’ll test and who will be with them, especially students who are anxious about changes.

On test day:

• Provide exactly the accommodations listed: no more, no less.
• Keep a simple log of what was provided (for example, “breaks taken: 2,” “items read aloud: math section”).
• Don’t coach, hint or rephrase test items unless the manual allows it.
• Report any problem, such as a device failure or a missed accommodation, to the coordinator the same day.

Mistakes that cause problems

• Giving an accommodation that isn’t in the plan. Even with good intentions, it can invalidate a score.
• Forgetting a listed accommodation. This can be a compliance issue and may require a retest or a team meeting.
• Listing accommodations “as needed” without criteria. The person giving the test can’t tell when it applies.
• Choosing accommodations the student refuses to use. Ask the student and look at classroom use before the team decides.
• Reading aloud a reading test without checking state rules. Policies differ and the score may be affected.

Classroom tests vs state tests

Classroom tests usually allow more flexibility, since you control the format. State tests follow the testing manual, and some classroom accommodations may not be allowed. Make sure the IEP or 504 Plan lists accommodations for both if they differ, so nobody is surprised on test day.

Talking with students about accommodations

Some students, especially in upper elementary, feel embarrassed about testing in a different room or using a read-aloud tool. A short, private conversation helps:

• Explain that accommodations are like glasses: they help you show what you know.
• Let the student practice with the tool in class so it feels normal.
• Offer choices when the plan allows, such as where to sit in the small-group room.
• Ask afterward what helped and what didn’t, and share that with the team.

Students who understand their accommodations are also building self-advocacy skills they’ll need in middle school, high school and beyond.

A note on law and privacy

Testing accommodations depend on IDEA, Section 504, Title III for English learners, state testing policies and district procedures. This is general guidance, not legal advice. Accommodation information is part of the student’s education record under FERPA. Share it only with staff who need it, and never enter identifying information into AI tools.

For more on how IEPs and 504 Plans differ, and accommodations by condition, see our IEP vs 504 guide.