Serious Emotional Disturbance - Accommodations
Identify the accommodations for each assessment that do not invalidate the test score, and instruct individualized education program (IEP) teams to select for each assessment only those accommodations that do not invalidate the score. The guidance further states that if a student uses an accommodation that results in an invalid score, the student’s individualized education program (IEP) will spell out what accommodations the student is to receive in class and during testing. If you’re not part of the team that develops the student’s IEP, ask for a copy of this important document. Also check with your school district for guidance on local policy and appropriate classroom accommodations for students with emotional disorders. Although accommodations will vary depending on the nature of the student’s emotional disturbance, often the appropriate accommodations will address:
- side effects of medication
- behavioral unpredictability
- impairments in concentration and memory