Students with Disabilities
Assisting those with special needs to take the PSAT/NMSQT
The College Board will provide appropriate accommodations to allow students with disabilities an equal opportunity to take College Board tests. The College Board must approve accommodations prior to testing.
In order to simplify the process for schools and their students requesting testing accommodations, the College Board uses a common eligibility process for its testing programs—the PSAT/NMSQT, the SAT® Program, and the Advanced Placement Program®.
To request accommodations, a student must submit a request to the College Board's Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). Schools can now submit requests for their students electronically by using the College Board's SSD Online Disabilities Accommodation Management System. If students are requesting accommodations without the assistance of their school, they can submit a paper Student Eligibility Form. We recommend submitting requests in the spring, before the back-to-school rush. See SSD information for further instructions on how to request accommodations.
Eligibility requirements
To receive testing accommodations, a student must:
- Have a disability that necessitates testing accommodations
- Have documentation on file at the school that supports the need for the requested accommodations and meets the guidelines for documentation
- Receive and use requested accommodations due to a disability for school-based tests
Students who do not meet all these requirements may apply for a College Board Documentation Review. See the Instructions for Completing the Student Eligibility Form (.pdf/113K).
Ordering test materials
- Nonstandard test formats
Tests are available in Braille, large-type, cassette, or reader's script formats. After consulting with the SSD Coordinator, PSAT/NMSQT Coordinators will order these nonstandard test formats at www.collegeboard.org/school. Order rosters will not be mailed to schools. Nonstandard test formats may be ordered only for students who have approved accommodations requiring such materials, and students who use nonstandard test formats when not approved will not have tests scored or receive score information. - Standard test formats
Order tests for students who can use the regular-type format when you place your regular test book order.
Testing schedule
Certain test formats are only available for specific test days.
Wednesday: Students requiring Braille or cassette formats. (Students may choose to use a reader and test on Saturday if your school is testing on Saturday.)
Wednesday or Saturday: Regular-type, large-type, and reader's script formats. (Students test on the same date as all other students at your school.)
If you are a Saturday testing school with students who will be using Braille and/or cassettes on Wednesday, and you prefer to test all students with approved accommodations on Wednesday, contact the SSD office to make special arrangements.
Preparing for test day
- Room assignments
Students with disabilities who are taking the test with accommodations and/or extended time should be assigned a room and an associate supervisor separate from those used for the standard administration. - Seating students
Seat students who are taking the test with 50 percent extended time, 100 percent extended time, and standard time with accommodations in separate areas of the room. - Nonstandard Administration Report (NAR)
The Nonstandard Administration Report (NAR) lists your students and their approved accommodations. Close to the test date, your SSD Coordinator should access SSD Online to create and print a PSAT/NMSQT NAR that includes each student that will be testing and is approved for accommodations. Paper NARs will no longer be mailed to schools. At the time of testing, the NAR must be completed and then returned with all used answer sheets and other related materials. Scores will not be released until the NAR is received. - Section timing
Students who are approved for extended time will be section timed (as required of all other students), with a specified amount of time provided for each section, as noted on the NAR. Extended time applies to all sections unless a different amount of time is noted on the NAR for a specific section. Give students their full amount of approved time on each section even if they stop work before time is called.
Important SSD dates
August 24: Deadline for receipt of completed SSD accommodations requests for students whose documentation must be reviewed by the College Board
September 7: Deadline for receipt of completed SSD accommodations requests for students whose documentation does not need review by the College Board.
September 9: Go to www.collegeboard.org/school to order nonstandard test formats.
September 23: Deadline for ordering nonstandard test formats at www.collegeboard.org/school.
Early October: SSD Coordinator should access SSD Online to create and print a PSAT/NMSQT NAR that includes each student that will be testing and is approved for accommodations.