College Entrance Exams Run Afoul Of ADA Requirements

In late December, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report that highlighted how difficult it can be for individuals with disabilities to access the accommodations that they need when taking standardized tests. Standardized tests are gateways to college, advanced degrees, as well as many careers that require standard professional accreditation. The report argues that failing to provide people with disabilities the test-taking accommodations that they need hinders their access to educational and career opportunities, and discriminates against them on the basis of their disability. The report was commissioned by U.S. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., and U.S. Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., who have now written a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, urging him to take action.

According to the report, 7.7 million people take standardized tests in any given year. People with disabilities that require testing accommodations make up 12% of the general population, but only 2% of standardized-test-takers receive accommodations; suggesting that many more people with disabilities are in need of accommodations than are actually receiving them. Additionally, individuals are not always provided with accommodations that they have been granted in the past, or have become used to in school.

The report found that it is often unclear what kinds of documentation private testing agencies require in order to grant individual accommodations. The report found that it can take weeks, months, and even in a few cases years for individuals to receive approval for the accommodations that they require. This delay in test taking can leave individuals with disabilities at a disadvantage when compared to their peers. The report also found that the granting of accommodations was fairly subjective and varied widely depending on who happened to be reviewing the accommodation request.

The letter requests that the DOJ provide testing companies with updated information on how to address ADA requirements and testing accommodations, as well as form a coordinated strategy between Health and Human Services and Education.

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