Has anyone applied for ACT special testing for their kid?

[Daria]

If you happened to read this thread:
 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/592411-if-you/?do=findComment&comment=6887695

 

and wondered what was going on, it was because my son's school completely messed up his College Board Accommodations request.  They didn't just fail to submit, they made lots of other errors, so I told them I would submit the ACT request myself.  

 

We're applying for "special testing", which is where kids take the test at school during the week, and can start and stop over multiple days.  We're also applying for extended time and a few other accommodations. 

 

I have the form from the school, signed by the testing coordinator, and a copy of his most recent 504, and his neuropsych, and letters from his psychiatrist and neurologist.  Do I just put them in a pile with the check and send it off?  Do I staple things? Attach a cover letter explaining what everything is, and why I think he qualifies?  

 

What have other people's experiences been?

 

 

[EKS]

I applied for the lower level of accommodations--so 150% time and reduced distractions mostly.  

 

I included copies of my son's most recent evaluation as well as copies of his 504 plan from the public school (from when he was enrolled in a public homeschool program) and his accommodations plan from the private school he attended for half of 10th and 11th grade.  I wrote a cover letter explaining that he had been homeschooled most of his life and had received the accommodations suggested in the evaluation report/school documentation.  I stapled the multipage report and  paperclipped everything together 

 

In your case, I would write a cover letter explaining why you aren't going through the school.  Don't complain about the school in the letter, just state the facts.

[Daria]

Thanks! I don't know that the school will know that the school didn't send it. My understanding is that many schools ask the student to do the act of mailing after they assemble the package. I did get the forms from the school.

[livetoread]

I just had a couple of thoughts. One, you mentioned College Board and ACT. It is my understanding that the College Board administers the SAT, and the ACT is a different organization. If you want ACT accommodations, don't send anything to the College Board.

 

Two, I'm assuming you are also including the form from the ACT along with everything you mentioned if you are sending stuff yourself. The form asks what specific type of accommodations you are requesting and tells you what documentation is needed to support your request.

 

The College Board wants you to go through the school and they don't make it easy for people to apply themselves. The ACT people make it much easier.

[Daria]

Yes, they are different. The plan was for my son to take AP Language and the ACT so we needed both, but the CB application was so badly done that he is skipping the AP. We also won't have the option of switching to SAT if the ACT isn't approved.

 

So getting the ACT application right is crucial.

[wapiti]

You might also ask on the High School and/or Learning Challenges boards.  Here are a few random threads on ACT accommodations:

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/540143-satact-accommodations-question/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/580605-for-those-of-you-who-have-jumped-through-the-hoops-for-accommodations-on-standardized-testing/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/548675-asdcapd-college-accommodations/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/556281-change-is-afoot/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/585267-score-one-for-the-home-team/