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A child who knows the material can still score poorly if the test itself is the barrier: a crowded room, small print, handwriting that cannot keep up. Testing accommodations exist for that. They do not change what a test measures. This guide covers how they get written into a plan in New York City, the exceptions on state tests, and what to check before high school admissions.
Who can get them
The NYC Public Schools say students with IEPs or 504 Plans may receive testing accommodations on all assessments, including state and city tests, classroom tests and auditions. The accommodations must be listed on the IEP or 504 Plan, and the DOE asks families to review and update them with the team each year. If you are deciding which plan fits, see IEP vs. 504 plan.
Common examples
- a different format: large print, Braille, or the test read aloud
- a different way to answer: typing, or marking the booklet so the proctor transfers answers
- flexible timing: extended time or breaks
- a flexible setting: a separate location with a smaller group
The DOE says teams look at many kinds of information, including the accommodations your child already uses in class. That is a good reason to ask teachers what actually helps day to day before the IEP meeting.
State tests have their own rules
The DOE says students will not get extended time on the grades 3 to 8 English and math tests because those tests are untimed, though students eligible for breaks will get them. Regents exams are timed, so extended time applies if it is on the plan. On the grades 3 to 8 English test, "directions read" covers only directions read to everyone. If a plan says "tests read," it should say whether that includes reading comprehension tests. Calculators are not allowed on the grades 3 to 5 math test and only in certain books in grades 6 to 8; counting blocks or an abacus are allowed if they are on the plan.
High school admissions and the SHSAT
The DOE says SHSAT accommodations are the same as those on other tests, must be on the IEP or 504 Plan, and that the student must have a history of receiving them. It will not approve accommodations for the SHSAT only, except in emergencies. For schools with their own tests or auditions, it says to contact the school ahead of time. For College Board exams, families give consent for the school's SSD coordinator to apply, and the DOE suggests talking about this in the first year of high school.
Emergencies and declassified students
A student without a plan may get certain accommodations if a temporary impairment happens within 30 days of a state or city test and the principal approves. The DOE limits these to tests read for visually impaired students, an alternate response method for a dominant-hand injury, extended time, and separate location. A declassified student keeps the accommodations on the declassification document until a diploma or age 21.
When accommodations were skipped
If your child sat a test without what the plan lists, write down the test, the date and what was missing, and ask the school in writing what happened. The free printables help you keep it together. Testing accommodations are not a service delivered in hours, but a pattern of skipped supports can be part of a broader IEP not being followed. When required services were not provided, compensatory services can sometimes be awarded through a hearing or settlement. No one can promise that result.
If your child has gone weeks or months without what the IEP promises, you can ask for a free callback. We explain what families in your situation usually do and, where it fits, connect you with help. There is no cost to you, now or later.
Last reviewed: October 2026
