Received ACT Extended-Time

[MtnTeaching]

We just received notice that my dd has been granted extended-time on the ACT. :hurray:   It took exactly 14 days from the Friday I sent the packet US Postal Priority Mail.

 

I just had to tell someone who would understand. 

 

DD attends a one-day-a-week public school enrichment program for homeschoolers.  The head of the program told me, "Your chances of getting an ACT extended-time accommodation for your daughter is NIL."  I asked if they had ever been successful in getting any student extended-time on the ACT. She said, "Never". 

 

DD's dyslexia diagnostician, along with the local high school's guidance counselor, both said that I would not be able to get accommodations unless I went though the school and entered her packet along with all the other public school students who have current 504s and IEPs (which dd does not have).

 

The problem is--she is NOT a public school student.  After allowing myself to fall into the trap of listening to them for a bit, I came to my senses.  I carefully filled out all of the forms, wrote a two page letter describing the accommodations I had used for her since she came home in the third grade, included her old IEPs from K-2nd grade, her dyslexia evaluations from 5th grade and her new one from earlier this year, any other papers I could think of to show her need or to confirm the use of accommodations (like our original receipt from when we signed her up for the Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic in the 6th grade), made her ACT test reservation date, and sent the packet in.

 

This victory is just another reminder that we are the advocates for our children.  I was actually listening to these people until the "your chances are nil" comment.  It ticked me off and reminded me that I took on the job as her teacher and guidance counselor.  These other people are just my supplemental help.  This was my job, not their's.  Now it is DD's job to make the most of the extra time she has been given.

 

[Another Lynn]

:hurray:  Yay for you!!!!  Congratulations!  (That sounds almost as bad as a tax return, but you did it!  I would be so proud of myself!)

[Arcadia]

My oldest took the ACT with all the kids with accomodations. The invigilators were very nice.

 

ETA:

There was a roomful, mostly kids with accommodations and a few talent search kids.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Arcadia

[Julie of KY]

Congratulations. My son has extended time as well. He does not have an IEP or 504. We just turned in his learning disability testing results as well as a summary of home accommodations through the years.

 

Make sure your daughter understands how the extended time works for the ACT. The total time is extended but has to be managed by the student. Basically has time and a half.  If she takes double time on the initial portions of the test she'll run out of time for the end.

 

I had my son take some practice tests with unlimited time, but timed to find out how much time he'd "like". From there we planned a strategy to manage his time for the test.

 

[Pegasus]

Thank you for sharing your experience with this.  I'm sure it will be helpful to many other parents in a similar situation.

 

 

I had my son take some practice tests with unlimited time, but timed to find out how much time he'd "like". From there we planned a strategy to manage his time for the test.

 

This is a great strategy, whether the student is granted extended time or not.

[EKS]

Awesome news!  

[Jilly]

That's wonderful news! My son was approved a few months ago for accommodations and we were so happy. He took his first ACT in February and it was a positive experience as opposed to a stressful one. The accommodations made all the difference, and I am so glad I took the time to get them.