Would you retest?

[jenn-]

One of my twins was diagnosed with a visual motor processing disorder 2 years ago (going into 4th grade).  I was trying to decide if I should get him retested in a couple of years after he completes 7th grade.  Eventually I will need some documentation if I want any chance at accommodations on the ACT/SAT and this particular issue is one that he would definitely need them for.  Would those testing agencies even look at a report that is some 5 years old if he has never had an official IEP through schools?

[Julie of KY]

Take a look at the requirements for accomodations for SAT and ACT and work from there. They have specific guidelines as to how recent the testing needs to have been. I did testing about 2 years before the SAT and ACT and got accomodations. You do not need any school IEP.

 

 

[wapiti]

I agree w/Julie to look over the SAT and ACT websites carefully.  IIRC, there are specific things that would work, like a really low coding score on the WISC, but there are additional requirements.   The testing needs to be recent to the application for accommodations but they like to see a paper trail going back further if possible.

 

FWIW, I doubt my kids will have the additional requirements having to do with writing performance, though we might decide to test again to check on the status of their coding scores.  They are now 12.  Last I talked with our ed psych a couple years ago, she wanted to see them roughly every 3 years, with testing somewhere around 7th/8th and one more in high school.  That may be excessive, but a recent one + some form of paper trail is ideal, from what I understand.

 

Eta, does anyone know whether the CB's requirements have changed recently?  Those web pages look a bit different from what I remember, though it's been a while.

 

My guess (hope!) is that by the time your kids take the SAT, the test will be on computer, including the essay.  There are advantages and disadvantages to that, depending on the student.  For my boys I think it will be very helpful not to have to bubble on separate paper, not to mention handwrite.

[jenn-]

I agree w/Julie to look over the SAT and ACT websites carefully.  IIRC, there are specific things that would work, like a really low coding score on the WISC, but there are additional requirements.   The testing needs to be recent to the application for accommodations but they like to see a paper trail going back further if possible.

 

FWIW, I doubt my kids will have the additional requirements having to do with writing performance, though we might decide to test again to check on the status of their coding scores.  They are now 12.  Last I talked with our ed psych a couple years ago, she wanted to see them roughly every 3 years, with testing somewhere around 7th/8th and one more in high school.  That may be excessive, but a recent one + some form of paper trail is ideal, from what I understand.

 

Eta, does anyone know whether the CB's requirements have changed recently?  Those web pages look a bit different from what I remember, though it's been a while.

 

My guess (hope!) is that by the time your kids take the SAT, the test will be on computer, including the essay.  There are advantages and disadvantages to that, depending on the student.  For my boys I think it will be very helpful not to have to bubble on separate paper, not to mention handwrite.

 

That would be the most ideal situation for my son.  He has had to go to online based schooling because of his limitations.  It works out well for him, even though he is still way slower then his twin doing the same work.

 

[MerryAtHope]

I don't think they accept tests less recent than 3 years old (but like someone posted, they do like to see the paper trail). Some things they wanted tests 2 or 1 year, iirc, but I think most were within 3 years.

 

BTW, if you do any kind of accommodating now, write up your own IEP-like plan and keep it on record. They will want to know what accommodations you use, especially for testing situations (like regular math/science/spelling etc... tests), and will want to see some of your previous educational plans. I think for ACT I submitted my most recent & said others were on file if they wanted them. I remember SAT asking what years we had them on file, going back at least 5 years...but I can't remember if we had to submit them all or just say we had them.

 

At any rate--any record-keeping you can do along the way will be helpful.