IEP Accommodation Checklist for Massachusetts Parents: What to Ask for and How to Get It in Writing

An IEP accommodation gives your child access to the same curriculum — through different means. It is not lowering the bar; it is removing a barrier that the disability has put in the way.

Massachusetts parents often underestimate the range of accommodations they can request. They accept what the Team offers without knowing what's available. This checklist is organized by setting so you can review what your child needs across every environment, not just test day.

Before using this checklist: every accommodation you request should be tied to a documented need from your child's evaluation reports. "Extended time because she has ADHD" is less persuasive than "extended time because the neuropsychological evaluation shows processing speed in the 18th percentile, which disproportionately disadvantages her on timed tasks." Ground your requests in data.

Instructional Accommodations (Classroom Setting)

Presentation:

• [ ] Advance copies of teacher notes, slides, or outlines before the lesson
• [ ] Instructions given verbally AND in writing simultaneously
• [ ] Multi-step directions broken into single steps
• [ ] Audiobooks or text-to-speech for assigned readings
• [ ] Graphic organizers for note-taking and essay planning
• [ ] Highlighted or color-coded reading materials
• [ ] Large-print materials (specify font size if applicable)
• [ ] Materials in the student's first language or bilingual format (if applicable)
• [ ] Visual schedule posted in the student's workspace

Response format:

• [ ] Verbal responses accepted in place of written responses (with teacher documentation)
• [ ] Dictation to a scribe
• [ ] Speech-to-text software for written responses
• [ ] Word processor with spell-check enabled for writing assignments
• [ ] Reduced writing length expectations (same content, shorter format)
• [ ] Oral exams in place of written exams

Setting and environment:

• [ ] Preferential seating (specify: near teacher, away from door/windows/distractions)
• [ ] Reduced-distraction workspace (carrel, study booth, or designated quiet corner)
• [ ] Access to a low-stimulation environment for independent work
• [ ] Flexible seating options (wobble chair, stability cushion, standing desk)
• [ ] Reduced class size for certain subjects

Timing and scheduling:

• [ ] Extended time on in-class assignments (specify multiplier or define "extended")
• [ ] Scheduled movement breaks (specify frequency and duration, not contingent on behavior)
• [ ] Permission to leave class for a brief decompression break with a pass
• [ ] High-demand subjects scheduled at the student's peak attention window
• [ ] Modified pacing for completing work (checkpoints, not just extension)

Support tools and technology:

• [ ] Calculator for non-calculation math tasks
• [ ] Spell-check and grammar check tools enabled
• [ ] Text-to-speech software on all reading assignments
• [ ] AAC device available and charged across all settings (document responsibility for charging)
• [ ] Access to assistive technology assessed and listed in the service delivery grid

Homework Accommodations

• [ ] Reduced homework volume (specify: percentage reduction, or maximum time cap in minutes)
• [ ] Alternative homework format (fewer problems, oral summary instead of written report)
• [ ] No grade penalty for late homework when disability-related factors caused delay
• [ ] Communication plan between teacher and parent for missed or incomplete assignments
• [ ] Modified assignment format at home (same content expectations, different output)

Testing Accommodations (Classroom and District Assessments)

• [ ] Extended time (specify: 1.5x, 2x, or "as needed")
• [ ] Small group or separate testing environment
• [ ] Frequent breaks during testing (specify: break after each section, or every X minutes)
• [ ] Test read aloud to the student
• [ ] Word processor with spell-check for written test responses
• [ ] Access to reference materials (multiplication chart, periodic table, formula sheet) — note: must be pre-approved for standardized tests
• [ ] Tests administered across multiple sessions on different days
• [ ] No penalty for spelling errors when spelling is not the skill being assessed

MCAS Accommodations (Must Be Listed in the IEP Explicitly)

Massachusetts DESE classifies MCAS accommodations as either "standard" (score is valid) or "non-standard" (score receives a notation). The distinction matters for high school graduation.

Standard accommodations (do not affect MCAS score validity):

• [ ] Extended time
• [ ] Small group administration (6 or fewer students)
• [ ] Separate testing room
• [ ] Frequent breaks
• [ ] Text-to-speech for math and science portions (not ELA reading comprehension)
• [ ] Use of a pre-approved graphic organizer or reference sheet

Non-standard accommodations (score is annotated — consult with Team before agreeing):

• [ ] ELA reading comprehension read aloud (requires documented severe decoding disability)
• [ ] Simplified language in test directions (requires documented significant language impairment)

Alternate assessment:

• [ ] MCAS-Alt consideration (for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities — portfolio-based assessment, requires Team documentation of eligibility criteria)

MCAS accommodations do not automatically carry over from classroom accommodations. They must be listed specifically in the IEP's MCAS/state assessment participation section. At every annual review, confirm this section reflects current needs.

Behavioral and Social-Emotional Accommodations

• [ ] Check-in/check-out with a designated trusted adult at the start and end of the day
• [ ] Advance notice of schedule changes, substitutes, or transitions (specify: day before, or 5-minute warning)
• [ ] Written or visual schedule for the school day
• [ ] Access to a designated calm-down space (voluntary, not isolating — review against 603 CMR 46.00 seclusion rules)
• [ ] Scheduled access to school counselor (specify frequency: daily, weekly, or as needed)
• [ ] Behavior support plan (BIP) if behavioral needs are significant
• [ ] Sensory accommodations (sensory break schedule, access to sensory tools, environmental modifications)
• [ ] Structured lunch or unstructured time support

Transition and Post-Secondary Accommodations (Age 14+)

Under Massachusetts law, transition planning must begin at age 14 — earlier than the federal mandate. Accommodations for students approaching transition should address functional independence, not just academics.

• [ ] Vocational exploration opportunities documented in the IEP
• [ ] Access to career assessment and interest inventory tools
• [ ] Community-based instruction with job coaching
• [ ] Independent living skill instruction (money management, transportation, health management)
• [ ] Chapter 688 referral for adult services (required two years before the student exits the school system)
• [ ] MCAS-Alt pathway considered for students who will not receive a standard diploma

How to Get Accommodations Into the IEP (and Keep Them There)

Accommodations only matter if they are:

1. Written into the IEP with enough specificity to be implemented consistently
2. Communicated to every teacher and staff member who works with the student
3. Monitored to ensure they are actually being provided

After each annual IEP review, ask the Team Chair: "How will the accommodations in this IEP be communicated to general education teachers? Who is responsible for monitoring that they are implemented?" Put the answer in your Letter of Understanding.

If accommodations are listed in the IEP but not being provided in practice, that is a procedural violation. Document specific instances with dates, and if the pattern continues, file a PRS complaint with DESE.

The Massachusetts IEP & 504 Blueprint includes a printable version of this accommodation checklist organized by the 2024 DESE IEP form sections, with evaluation report cross-reference prompts so you can connect each accommodation request to specific data from your child's assessment.

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