rdj2027 Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 Hello, My son is taking a few classes at the local high school. He has a 504 in place for dysgraphia; his inability to write by hand has been documented for several years so this is not a new diagnosis. The school filed for accommodations with the College Board concerning his inability to write by hand. The College Board's reply was that he can have extended time but not computer use or a scribe. What does one thing have to do with the other? Since when are accommodations negotiable? He does not need extended time (the school did not apply for that), he needs computer use or a scribe. The school was great though, they went back and forth with CB, alas to no avail. Some of the universities he would like to apply to do not require the writing portion but recommend it. He is a skilled writer so I feel depriving him of the chance to submit something that he is good at deprives him of points on his application. Rant over, where is the chocolate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 Idiots. :banghead: Sorry I already ate all the dark chocolate walnut clusters... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlotteb Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 Wow, that is annoying. Have you tried calling the College Board yourself instead of going through the school? I would think that this could be a major discrimination issue if they don't accommodate your son's needs. I'd be ready to call my local news channels or something if I were you. Or threaten a lawsuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 The College Board is notorious for this. Sorry it happened. I feel your pain. When our ds was recovering from his car accident and was still on crutches with severe leg pain and muscle spasms, they refused to give him the applied for extra time between sections in order to do his 10 minutes of PT exercises which relieved the cramping so he wouldn't have to take the muscle relaxant which made him crazy sleepy. We had ALL the medical documentation required, and the orthopedic surgeon even called them. NOPE. Did not give a care. ACT was no better. I would probably not have him do the written section. More and more schools are relying on their admissions essays and admitted students' essays to determine English placement. If he is applying to a 'recommended but not required school", add an addendum to the application explaining the situation, and submit with it one of his own essays. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysteryJen Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 We are in a similar situation with ds2. He took the ACT with no accomodation (really could have used extra time/computer for math section-working out problems by hand is slow) and no writing section, but he did well enough to get into the CC. There, I plan to have him take the remedial/beginning composition class and point to that if any school wishes to see writing. Most schools are not looking at the writing section at all, even for homeschoolers. The counselors at dd2's high school also remarked that it is much easier to deal with accomodations/disability issues with the cc than with ps or College Board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 I'm sorry. Ds didn't get all of the accommodations we requested from the college board either, although he did get the use of a keyboard, although our documentation of dysgraphia was weak. There is no rhyme or reason. :mellow: ACT board was much easier to work with and more generous with accommodations, although we didn't ask for or receive keyboard use there because ds didn't take the writing section of the exam. None of the schools either of my kids applied to cared about it. (small non-elite sampling) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdj2027 Posted September 30, 2016 Author Share Posted September 30, 2016 Wow, that is annoying. Have you tried calling the College Board yourself instead of going through the school? I would think that this could be a major discrimination issue if they don't accommodate your son's needs. I'd be ready to call my local news channels or something if I were you. Or threaten a lawsuit. Oh yes, the CB and I have a longstanding relationship and not in a good way. The school has been great, they try very hard to support their students. He will probably just deal with the schools directly and try to explain if necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted October 1, 2016 Share Posted October 1, 2016 Is there a formal, written appeal process you can go through? Can you find out why the accommodations were rejected? Perhaps additional accommodations or wording in the request would get you the required accommodations on appeal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdj2027 Posted October 1, 2016 Author Share Posted October 1, 2016 I have an appointment with the counselor and school psych next week to go over it. I am curious why they granted extended time when that wasn't mentioned anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 They granted extra time because it's cheap for them. Scribing or a computer is an expensive accommodation! Not that that's an ethical reason, but I am sure it's why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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