IEP Accommodations in Alabama
What IEP accommodations are available in Alabama?
Alabama IEPs must include a statement of supplementary aids and services, program modifications, and support for school personnel as required by Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-8-9-.05 and 34 CFR 300.320(a)(4). Accommodations enable the child to be educated with nondisabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate. The IEP must specify individual appropriate accommodations for state and district-wide assessments, consistent with the Alabama Accessibility Supports and Accommodations Policy (ASAP) manual published by ALSDE. If a child will not participate in a regular assessment, the IEP must include a statement of why and which alternate assessment will be used. The IEP team must consider whether the child's disability requires assistive technology devices and services. Services must be based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable. The IEP must also specify the extent to which the child will not participate with nondisabled peers.
What Alabama Requires
The IEP must include supplementary aids and services, program modifications, and support for school personnel to enable the child to be educated in the least restrictive environment (Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-8-9-.05; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(4)).
Individual appropriate accommodations for state and district-wide assessments must be consistent with Alabama's Accessibility Supports and Accommodations Policy (ASAP) manual (ALSDE ASAP Manual 2024).
If the child will take an alternate assessment, the IEP must explain why the regular assessment is inappropriate and which alternate assessment will be used (34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)(ii)).
The IEP team must consider whether the child needs assistive technology devices and services (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(v)).
Services and accommodations must be based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable (Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-8-9-.05).
The IEP must specify the extent to which the child will not participate with nondisabled peers in regular classes, extracurricular activities, and nonacademic activities (34 CFR 300.320(a)(5)).
The ASAP manual organizes ACAP accommodations into four categories: presentation, response, timing/scheduling, and setting; accommodations used on assessments must be routinely provided during classroom instruction.
Key Timelines
Accommodations must be reviewed and updated at each annual IEP meeting (34 CFR 300.324(b)).
Assessment accommodations must align with the current Alabama ASAP manual to ensure eligibility during state assessment windows (ALSDE ASAP Manual 2024).