ISEE accommodations let students with documented disabilities take the Independent School Entrance Exam under conditions that match their academic needs. Whether your child uses extended time for ADHD, large print for low vision, or a typed essay for dysgraphia, the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) approves requests individually based on specific eligibility rules. This guide walks parents through who qualifies, what documentation is required, and exactly how the ERB application process works.
ISEE accommodations eligibility hinges on a clear three-part test set by ERB. Families sometimes assume that a school IEP automatically guarantees accommodations on the ISEE — that is not the case. Each request is reviewed independently against the same eligibility criteria, and the burden of proof sits with the family.
ERB grants accommodations when all three conditions are met. First, the student must have a professionally diagnosed disability that affects testing. Second, the family must submit current documentation — typically a psycho-educational evaluation dated within the last three years, or a current school plan. Third, the requested accommodation must already be in regular use in the student's present school environment for school-based testing.
Most successful applications fall into two buckets: learning differences and physical or medical conditions. Learning differences include diagnosed ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and certain anxiety disorders that meaningfully affect testing. Physical and medical situations include vision and hearing impairments, mobility limitations, chronic medical conditions, and prescription-managed conditions like ADHD or psychological diagnoses.
In every case the application should explain how the diagnosis impacts test-taking — for example, that timed reading creates dysfluent decoding for a student with dyslexia, or that fine-motor difficulty makes bubbling answer sheets unreliable.
Temporary impairments do not meet ERB's standard. A broken arm, a recent concussion, or a passing illness — even if disruptive on test day — is not the kind of documented, ongoing disability the policy contemplates. Families in those situations are usually advised to reschedule their test rather than request accommodations.
ERB offers a wide menu of ISEE testing accommodations across timing, presentation, response, and technology categories. The right combination depends on your child's documented needs — and on which test format you choose, because availability differs across paper, online (at-school), at-home, and Prometric administrations.
Extended time is the single most commonly approved accommodation on the ISEE. ERB grants it at two levels: 50 percent additional time (1.5x) and double time (2x). The 1.5x option is by far the more common approval. Double time is rare and usually requires a stronger documentation package showing why time-and-a-half would not be sufficient. ISEE extended time applies to every section, including Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement, and the unscored Essay.
Students with low vision can request a large-print test, and answers can be marked directly in the test booklet rather than on a separate bubble sheet — useful for students with dysgraphia, motor differences, or mild-to-moderate cerebral palsy. Preferential seating, access to medical supplies, and snacks or drinks during testing are also available with appropriate documentation.
ERB supports a four-function calculator (paper, online, at-home, and Prometric formats), a computer with spell-check for the essay, and speech-to-text for the essay on online and at-home formats. For reading support, an audio reader is available on the online and at-home tests, while a human reader is used for paper administrations. Speech-to-text is not available on Chromebooks.
For students whose disabilities affect writing and motor output, a scribe can be approved for the entire test or for the essay only. Scribes are used during paper administrations. On computer-based formats, the equivalent supports are a typed essay with spell-check and speech-to-text dictation.
| Accommodation | Paper | Online (At-School) | At-Home | Prometric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extended Time (1.5x or 2x) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calculator (four-function) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Computer for Essay | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Audio Reader | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Human Reader | Yes | No | No | No |
| Speech-to-Text (Essay) | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Scribe | Yes | No | No | No |
| Large Print Test | Yes | Limited | Limited | Limited |
Strong ISEE accommodations documentation is the single biggest factor in fast approvals. ERB requires two pieces of paperwork together: supporting documentation (an evaluation, plan, or physician letter) and a Current School Statement signed by an administrator at the student's present school. Submitting only one is the most common reason a file goes unreviewed.
ERB accepts five main types of supporting documentation. A psycho-educational evaluation is the most thorough, and it must be dated within the last three years. A current IEP works for public-school students with a formal special education plan, and a 504 Plan covers students who need access supports without specialized instruction. Independent (private) schools sometimes use their own School Accommodation Plan — that is acceptable too. For medically treated conditions like ADHD on prescription medication or vision and hearing impairments, a physician's letter explaining the impact on testing is acceptable.
| Documentation Type | Best For | Recency Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psycho-educational evaluation | Learning disabilities (dyslexia, ADHD, dyscalculia) | Within last 3 years | Most thorough; usually specifies recommended accommodations |
| Current IEP | Public school students with formal special education plans | Current academic year | Pair with Current School Statement |
| 504 Plan | Public school students with disabilities needing access supports | Current academic year | Plan must list the accommodation |
| Independent School Accommodation Plan | Private school students | Current academic year | Equivalent to a 504 Plan |
| Physician's letter | Medical conditions like ADHD on medication, vision/hearing impairment | Recent | Must explain impact on testing |
The Current School Statement is the form most families miss. It must be completed and signed by a school administrator or specialist at the student's present school confirming that the requested accommodation is currently used in classroom and school-based testing. ERB will not even start a review until both this form and the supporting documentation have been received.
Three documentation issues account for most delays. The most frequent is submitting an outdated psycho-educational evaluation — anything older than three years should be redone. The second is submitting an IEP or 504 from a previous school the student has since left; ERB requires the current school's perspective. The third is requesting an accommodation that doesn't actually appear in the supporting plan. If the IEP says "extended time" but the request is for double time, the file needs additional rationale.
Worked Example
Setup: Maya is a 5th grader applying for the Lower Level ISEE. She has a 504 Plan for ADHD with extended time used in her current public school. Her parents want to apply for 1.5x extended time on the ISEE.
Pick a documentation type to see which student situations it best supports.
Submitting an ISEE accommodations request is a four-step process. The mechanics are straightforward, but the order matters: the cardinal rule is to apply for accommodations before you register for a test date. Registering first and applying after is the most common reason families end up paying rescheduling fees.
Set up a parent account on the ISEE Accommodations Portal. Existing ISEE accounts will need to add an accommodations request rather than re-register. Have your child's basic information, school name, and target test window handy.
From your parent account, select "New Request", choose the accommodations you are requesting, and upload your supporting documentation along with the signed Current School Statement. Files are uploaded as PDFs in most cases. Submit only when both documents are ready — partial submissions are not reviewed.
ERB reviews complete files in roughly the order received. You will get an email back with one of three outcomes: an approval, a denial with a reason, or a request for more information. The third option is a chance to clarify or add documentation; it is not a denial.
Once you have the approval email, you can register for an ISEE test date that supports the approved accommodations. Different test formats and sites support different accommodations — the matrix in the previous section shows which combinations work. If the local options don't support what your child needs, you may be able to arrange testing at a Prometric center or through a participating school's admissions office.
ERB accommodations operate on two clocks: review time on the front end and validity on the back end. Both reward families who plan early.
Per ERB's published guidance, the standard review takes approximately one week once a complete request is received. Tutoring services that work with hundreds of families each year report a slightly wider range — typically five to ten business days, occasionally up to two weeks during peak admissions season. A small subset of complicated cases can take up to four or five weeks. Plan for the upper end of the range, not the average.
Approved ISEE accommodations are valid for 15 months from the date of approval. That window is generous on purpose: a single approval can cover an initial test attempt and a retake during the same admissions cycle, and it is portable across paper, online, at-home, and Prometric administrations. After 15 months, the accommodation request must be resubmitted with updated documentation.
Working backward from a target test date is the safest approach. Start three months ahead so you have buffer for documentation gathering, the Current School Statement, and the ERB review itself. The table below shows how a typical family should sequence the steps.
| When | Step | Action | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3+ months before test | Plan | Identify needed accommodations and target test date | Match accommodations to documentation already on file |
| 10–12 weeks before | Gather | Collect IEP/504, evaluation, and request school statement | Schedule a psycho-ed evaluation early; they can take weeks |
| 8–10 weeks before | Submit | Create ISEE parent account and upload documents | Double-check the school statement is signed |
| 6–8 weeks before | Wait | ERB reviews the application | Standard review is ~1 week; peak season can run longer |
| After approval | Register | Register for a test date and confirm site supports accommodations | Approval is valid 15 months across multiple attempts |
A denial is not the end of the road. Most denials are paperwork denials, not eligibility denials, which means a focused resubmission usually works. Here is how to triage and respond.
The most frequent denial reasons trace back to incomplete or mismatched documentation. ERB rejects files when the supporting evaluation is older than three years, when the requested accommodation is not actually documented in the school plan, or when no Current School Statement is on file. Less commonly, denials happen when the documentation does not adequately explain how the disability impacts test performance.
Appeals can be sent by email to iseeaccommodations@erblearn.org. Use the appeal email to explain why you believe the decision should be reconsidered and to attach any new documentation that strengthens the case. ERB will route appeals to the reviewer team for a second look.
If the denial is paperwork-related, the cleanest fix is usually a fresh psycho-educational evaluation — particularly if the previous one was close to the three-year cutoff. For 504 Plan denials, ask your school's special-education team to update the plan with explicit accommodations language matching what you are requesting. Once the new file is ready, resubmit through the same portal.
Approval is the hard part. Test day, with planning, runs smoothly. The most important step is making sure the practice and the actual test conditions match.
Not every accommodation is available at every site. If your child is approved for a human reader, you need a paper administration. If you are approved for an audio reader, you need an online or at-home format. Before you register, double-check the format-availability matrix and call the test site to confirm they can deliver the approved accommodations on your chosen date.
Students do best when their practice mirrors test-day conditions. If your child is approved for 1.5x extended time, time practice tests at 1.5x. If a four-function calculator is approved, use the same kind of calculator while practicing. Familiarity reduces test anxiety and lets the accommodation actually work as intended.
Families typically supply their own four-function calculator if approved, plus any approved medical supplies or snacks. Bring the approval email or letter from ERB to test day in case the proctor needs to confirm. Also bring a backup of the photo identification used during registration.
Students qualify if they meet three criteria: a documented disability requiring accommodations, current supporting documentation (within three years), and regular use of the same accommodations at school. Temporary conditions such as a broken arm or recent concussion do not qualify. Both learning disabilities (ADHD, dyslexia) and physical or medical conditions are eligible if these three criteria are met.
ERB states the standard review takes approximately one week once a complete application is received, though families should plan for up to two weeks. During peak admissions season some families report waiting up to four or five weeks, so applying at least three months before the target test date is recommended. Decisions are sent by email.
Two items are required: supporting documentation and a Current School Statement. Acceptable supporting documents include a psycho-educational evaluation dated within three years, a current IEP or 504 Plan, an Independent School Accommodation Plan, or a physician's letter for medically treated conditions. The Current School Statement must be signed by the student's school administrator confirming the accommodation is used regularly.
No. Per ERB policy, any accommodations a student receives are not flagged on the ISEE Score Report. Schools reviewing the report cannot tell whether your child took the test under standard or accommodated conditions, which is consistent with most major standardized tests today following federal accessibility guidance.
Yes, an IEP is one form of acceptable documentation but not the only one. A current 504 Plan, an Independent School Accommodation Plan, or a recent psycho-educational evaluation can also support a request. For medically treated conditions like ADHD or vision impairment, a physician's letter is acceptable. The accommodation must still be used regularly in school.
Approved ISEE accommodations are valid for 15 months from the date of approval. Within that window your child can use the same accommodations on any ISEE test attempt, including retakes within different testing seasons. After 15 months you must reapply with updated documentation if your child needs to test again.