Though 9th grade is a little early to start thinking about college entrance exams, high school graduation requirements, or possible learning supports in college, it’s not too early to put everything in place so that each of those tasks goes as smoothly as possible. For students who have diagnosed learning disabilities or other diverse learning needs, a few thoughtful steps now can save headaches down the line. Because high school marks the start of an academic career that directly impacts the rest of a student’s life, it’s essential to make sure that any accommodations your child needs are formalized and documented.
Why formalize accommodations?
Many students receive informal supports from grade school teachers without any formal documentation — but some testing organizations (The College Board and the ACT, for example) and many colleges will require some level of documentation and/or formal history to offer similar accommodations.
How do I formalize my child’s accommodations?
The formalization process can vary depending on whether your child is in public or private school, their specific diagnosis, and the extent of the accommodations. Below are a few steps to consider:
1. Evaluation
If your child has a diagnosis, you’ll want to have an up-to-date evaluation when you apply for their accommodations on standardized tests, for outside programs, or for college. Typically, any evaluation more than 3 years old is not considered by any of those organizations.
2. Get it in writing
A diagnosis in and of itself is not always sufficient, nor is it always necessary for a successful accommodations application outside of your child’s school. If there are accommodations that your child has been getting informally, coordinate with their counselor to begin the process of having those accommodations formalized. In a public school, that might look like a 504 or an IEP, whereas a private school might offer a 504 or a learning plan.
3. Is anything missing?
We meet a lot of students who find the work and content manageable through middle school, but become overwhelmed in high school. Knowing how common that is, we recommend taking a moment to reflect on accommodations that your child hasn’t had up until now, but which you believe could benefit them. You have plenty of time to have those written into the formal documents we mentioned in the above step.
If all of this feels daunting, remember that you’re not alone. Our executive functioning coaches are always available to offer personalized expert guidance. Contact us or reach out to your Director of Client Services to set up a strategy session.
