SHSAT accommodations

The three categories of accommodations

SHSAT accommodations fall into three broad categories based on the student's documented needs. The specific accommodations available are determined case-by-case by the NYC DOE's testing accommodations office, but typical patterns are:

1. IEP-based accommodations

Students with active Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) may receive accommodations consistent with what their IEP specifies for in-school testing. Common IEP-based SHSAT accommodations include:

• Extended time: Most commonly time-and-a-half (1.5x). Some students with more significant needs qualify for double time (2x).
• Separate testing room: Reduces distractions, allows for movement breaks, accommodates students who need a different environment than the standard testing room.
• Breaks: Scheduled or as-needed breaks during the test for students whose IEPs specify break needs.
• Read-aloud (rarely): For students with specific documented reading-disability needs, though this accommodation is granted carefully because the SHSAT explicitly tests reading.
• Assistive technology: Calculators, screen readers, and other tools where specified in the IEP and where compatible with the digital test environment.

2. 504 plan accommodations

Students with 504 plans (covering disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act) may receive similar accommodations to IEP students, depending on the specifics of the 504 plan. Common 504 accommodations include extended time, separate rooms, breaks, and specific environmental modifications.

The key distinction from IEPs: 504 plans typically address accommodations rather than specialized instruction. Accommodations available for the SHSAT track the accommodations the student normally receives in school.

3. ELL (English Language Learner) accommodations

Students designated as English Language Learners can receive specific accommodations to address the language barrier without compromising the test's assessment of academic skills:

• Bilingual word-to-word glossary: Available in major languages. Allows students to look up unfamiliar English words during the test. Note: this is a word-to-word glossary, not a translating dictionary — it doesn't provide definitions or grammatical guidance.
• Extended time: Time-and-a-half is the standard ELL accommodation, reflecting the additional time needed to process content in a second language.
• Separate testing room: Often combined with extended time accommodations.

ELL accommodations require the student to currently be designated as ELL by the NYC DOE — typically based on language assessments administered when the student entered the NYC public school system.

How to request accommodations

Accommodations are requested through MySchools NYC during the SHSAT registration window:

1. Verify documentation is current. Your student's IEP, 504 plan, or ELL designation needs to be active and on file with the NYC DOE. If documentation has lapsed or wasn't formally established, work with your school counselor to ensure it's in order before registration.
2. Specify needed accommodations. When registering through MySchools, indicate which accommodations you're requesting. The MySchools interface walks through the options available based on your student's documented status.
3. Work with the school counselor. Your school counselor can confirm which accommodations are already part of the student's school-day routine and help ensure those carry over to the SHSAT.
4. Watch for confirmation. The NYC DOE confirms approved accommodations in writing before testing. If you don't receive confirmation, follow up before the test date.

Common accommodation issues

A few issues that families sometimes run into:

• Lapsed documentation: An IEP that hasn't been updated, a 504 plan from earlier elementary school. Verify everything is current well before registration opens.
• School-side accommodations not requested for SHSAT: Students sometimes receive informal accommodations at school (extended time on a teacher's discretion, for example) that aren't formally documented. These don't automatically transfer to the SHSAT. Formal documentation is needed.
• Late requests: Accommodations approved after the registration deadline may not be available for the test administration. Request early.
• Specific format conflicts: Some assistive technology that works for in-school testing may not be compatible with the digital SHSAT-CAT. Discuss any technology accommodations with the DOE's testing accommodations office to verify compatibility.

What accommodations don't do

Accommodations remove barriers to demonstrating ability; they don't change what the test measures or how it's scored. Students who receive accommodations are evaluated on the same scoring system as everyone else. A student with extended time still needs to clear the same cutoff score as a student without extended time — the accommodation just provides equal access to demonstrate the underlying ability.

This is important to set expectations correctly. Accommodations are an equity tool, not a competitive advantage. They allow students with disabilities or language barriers to take the test under conditions where their actual abilities can be measured rather than masked by the accommodation gap.