ADA Title III · Section 504 · Testing Accommodations

Testing Accommodations are
a right — not a request.

Does your high schooler freeze up under timed conditions, forget multi-step directions minutes after hearing them, consistently run out of time on tests, or seems to “know the material” but can’t show it on standardized exams? Or do you notice big gaps between effort and output – you know they are smart but don’t understand why it’s not showing on paper? These aren’t signs of laziness or not trying hard enough; they’re often the first visible clues of ADHD, a learning disability, or both. A comprehensive, independent evaluation looks past the surface behavior to identify exactly what’s driving it. From there, you get real answers and a clear plan — not more guessing. If ADHD, anxiety, or a learning disability affects how your high schooler tests, federal disability law protects their right to fair accommodations on the SAT, ACT, and other entrance exams — even if their school has never formally evaluated them. We provide the independent evaluation that makes your case undeniable.

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Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP)
No prior IEP or 504 required to start
Serving families across California

Notice of Testing Accommodations

The Process

Three steps from "never tested" to documented and approved.

Every accommodation request follows the same path: establish eligibility, document it properly, and submit it the way testing agencies actually require. Here's exactly how that works with us.

Free Rights Review

A 15-minute call where we walk through your (or your child's) history and flag whether ADHD, anxiety, a learning disability, or another condition may qualify under the ADA — no paperwork required to start.

Independent Evaluation

A comprehensive assessment conducted by a Licensed Educational Psychologist, built specifically around the documentation College Board and ACT require — even without a prior school diagnosis.

Documentation & Submission

We prepare the formal report and file it through the correct channel (SSD for College Board, or the ACT's accommodations system), so nothing gets bounced back for missing paperwork.

Know Your Rights

What federal law actually guarantees.

ADA Title III

Private testing agencies must provide accommodations.

The College Board and ACT are private entities offering a public service, and are legally required to offer accommodations to students with documented disabilities — regardless of where or whether the student was previously evaluated.
Section 504

A school diagnosis is not a prerequisite.

Many students qualify for accommodations without ever having had an IEP or 504 plan. What matters is documented evidence of a disability that substantially limits a major life activity — including test-taking, reading, or concentration.
34 CFR § 104

The evaluation has to hold up.

Testing agencies scrutinize documentation closely. An evaluation needs to meet specific recency, instrument, and credentialing standards — which is exactly what an LEP-conducted assessment is built to satisfy.

"Admissions officers see one number — and if anxiety, ADHD, or a learning disability was quietly costing you points on test day, that number was never telling the truth about your ability." The right accommodations don't give you an edge over anyone else. They remove the one that was working against you.

What this means in practice: accommodations are not automatic. They require documented evidence of a qualifying disability and a demonstrated need connected to testing. Not every evaluation results in approval — but a properly conducted, properly documented one gives every eligible student the fair shot the law entitles them to.

Beyond The Score

What this can mean for the rest of your application.

The point of an accommodation is accuracy, not advantage — but a valid score you don't have to explain away still matters for how the rest of the process goes.

Superscoring works in your favor.

Most colleges take your highest section scores across every sitting. A testing environment that actually fits means you're less likely to need three attempts to see a score that reflects you.

Fewer retakes, less cycle stress.

One valid, well-documented sitting can end the cycle of re-registering, re-paying test fees, and re-waiting on results while the rest of your application sits unfinished.

A foundation that carries forward.

Many colleges ask for a recent evaluation on file to grant accommodations on campus — the documentation from this process often becomes the starting point for that, too.

Common Questions

Questions parents ask before reaching out.

If something isn't covered here, the fastest way to get a specific answer is the free 15-minute rights review.

Do I need a diagnosis from my school to get SAT or ACT accommodations?

No. SAT and ACT accommodations are governed by the ADA, not by your school's special education process. A student with no prior IEP, 504 plan, or school diagnosis can still qualify, provided there's current documentation from a qualified evaluator connecting a disability to how they perform on a timed test.

What's the difference between a 504/IEP and SAT/ACT accommodations?

An IEP or 504 plan governs services and supports inside a public school, under a different law (IDEA or Section 504) and a different standard. The SAT and ACT are run by private organizations (College Board and ACT, Inc.), and their accommodation decisions are made independently, under their own documentation standards — even a student with an existing school plan sometimes needs additional or updated documentation to satisfy them. Read the full breakdown →

How long does the accommodations approval process typically take?

It varies by testing agency and time of year, but both College Board's SSD office and ACT recommend submitting well in advance of an intended test date rather than in the final weeks before it. Rushed submissions are one of the most common reasons requests stall or come back requesting more information.

What happens if our accommodation request is denied?

A denial isn't final. Both College Board and ACT allow additional documentation to be submitted in response, and a more targeted report addressing the specific gap identified in the denial often resolves it on a second attempt.

Will colleges know my child used testing accommodations?

No. Since October 2003, neither the College Board nor ACT has flagged, marked, or otherwise noted when a score was earned with accommodations. An accommodated score is reported identically to any other score.

Does this evaluation count as a special education evaluation for school purposes too?

Not automatically. This process is built specifically around what SAT/ACT accommodation review requires. If a school-based evaluation for IEP/504 eligibility is also needed, that's a related but separate process — ask us and we can walk through how the two interact for your child's situation.

Testing Accommodations area right — not a request.