IEP Accommodations in Connecticut
What IEP accommodations are available in Connecticut?
Connecticut IEPs must specify all accommodations that enable the student with a disability to access the general curriculum and participate in state and district assessments. Under Conn. Agencies Regs. § 10-76d-11, the IEP must include a statement of supplementary aids and services and program modifications to support the student in regular education settings. For state assessments — including the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), SAT School Day (grades 11), Science assessments, and alternate assessments — the IEP must specify any individual accommodations, or explain why the student cannot participate and identify the appropriate alternate assessment. The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) publishes an Accommodations Manual that governs permissible testing accommodations, distinguishing between accommodations (permitted for all eligible students) and modifications (requiring IEP or 504 documentation). All teachers and service providers must be informed of their specific responsibilities for implementing accommodations (34 CFR 300.323(d)). Accommodations must be provided at no cost to the family as part of FAPE (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-76d).
What Connecticut Requires
The IEP must specify all supplementary aids and services and program modifications to support the student's access to the general curriculum in regular education settings (Conn. Agencies Regs. § 10-76d-11; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(4)).
For state assessments (SBAC, SAT School Day, Science, alternate assessments), the IEP must list individual accommodations or justify and identify an alternate assessment (Conn. Agencies Regs. § 10-76d-11; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)).
Accommodations must be consistent with the CSDE's published Accommodations Manual and must be regularly used during instruction before being used during assessments.
All regular and special education teachers and related service providers must be informed of their responsibilities for implementing the student's accommodations (34 CFR 300.323(d)).
Accommodations must be provided at no cost to the family as part of FAPE (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-76d(b)).
Key Timelines
Accommodations must be in effect at the beginning of each school year (34 CFR 300.323(a)).
IEP accommodations must be reviewed at least annually by the PPT and revised as needed (Conn. Agencies Regs. § 10-76d-12).
For transfer students, comparable services must be provided while a new IEP is being developed (34 CFR 300.323(e)-(f)).