Testing Support for Students with Disabilities

Testing support for students with disabilities starts with preparation, advocacy, and the right accommodations. In this article, families will find practical ways to prepare for test day, reinforce IEP accommodations, and help children manage testing stress. A few simple steps can help students approach assessments feeling prepared and supported.

The beginning of the school year is always an exciting time: new classrooms, new school supplies, meeting new kids, and new specials. But for many of our students who have disabilities, it is also a time of increased anxiety. Changes in routine, schedules, teachers, and friends can be challenging. Throwing beginning-of-the-year tests on top of it all can feel overwhelming to a student. So, what can a parent do? Below are some practical tips for how to support your child as standardized testing season kicks off.

Prepare for Standardized Testing

Be Informed

Ask your school when it will hold beginning-of-the-year standardized testing and which tests students will take. Understanding why they need a test can sometimes help students feel less stressed. Beginning-of-the-year tests help teachers understand what a student has mastered and what content they still need to learn or need reinforcement in. These tests help teachers know where to target instruction.

Advocate

Talk to your child’s special education teacher or case manager to make sure your child will have access to the accommodations listed in their IEP during the test. Review testing accommodations with your child so they know what they can access. You can even write the accommodation down on a piece of paper and send it to school with them on the day of the test.  This can help remind your child to take their time and use the accommodation. If students enter a testing situation without their accommodation, they can use this paper reminder to alert staff that they need it. Common accommodations include extended time, oral presentation, frequent breaks, and alternate quieter settings for tests.

Take Prep Seriously

Make sure your child has adequate sleep the night before the test and that they eat a good breakfast the morning of the test. Pack a snack to eat later if you will take tests at different times throughout the day. Give them some positive reinforcement the morning of the test.

Role Play

Practice what they can do if they start to feel stressed during the test. Practicing stress- reduction techniques at home for a few minutes each day for about a week or so before the test makes it more likely they will remember to use one of these techniques during the test. Some common stress reduction techniques are box breathing, repeating a positive mantra, using a stress ball or a sensory fidget, or chewing gum if allowed. 

Encourage Your Child to Do Their Best, Not Be Perfect

Encourage your child to take their time and try their best, but not to worry if they don’t know an answer; they should choose their best guess and move on to the next question. Tell them they are not supposed to know all of the answers; it is a beginning assessment, just a starting point for the year.

These practical tips can help support your child with disabilities during standardized testing season. We wish you and your child a successful start to the school year!

Get Extra Support for Your Child’s Special Education Needs

Partners in PROMISE offers resources to help military families navigate the special education process. Families can also connect with a trained mentor through a free one-on-one Special Education Mentor Consult.

About the Author- Barbara Bratton

Special Education Mentor Program Manager

Barbara is a Certified Academic Language Therapist specializing in working with students with Dyslexia, Specific Learning Disabilities, and co-occurring conditions. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Special Education and a Master of Education in Special Education, Multisensory Structured Language Education. She is the author of the children’s book Maggie with a G and serves as the Special Education Mentor Program Manager for Partners in PROMISE.