IEP Accommodations in Maryland
What IEP accommodations are available in Maryland?
In Maryland, accommodations are supports and adjustments that enable a student with a disability to access the general education curriculum and participate in assessments without fundamentally altering the content or performance expectations. Under COMAR 13A.05.01.09(A)(4) and (A)(6), the IEP must include a statement of supplementary aids and services, program modifications, and the individual appropriate accommodations necessary for the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum and to participate in state and districtwide assessments. For MCAP (Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program) state assessments, the IEP team specifies permissible accommodations consistent with MSDE's Maryland Assessment, Accessibility, and Accommodations Policy Manual, which details standard accommodations (available to any student), designated supports (available based on individual needs), and accommodations requiring IEP or 504 plan documentation. If a student cannot participate in the regular MCAP even with accommodations, the team must determine whether the student will take the Alt-MCAP alternate assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, with a written explanation of why the regular assessment is not appropriate (COMAR 13A.05.01.09(A)(6)). Accommodations differ from modifications: accommodations maintain the same learning standards while providing access supports (e.g., extended time, preferential seating, text-to-speech), while modifications change what the student is expected to learn or demonstrate. All accommodations must be provided at no cost to the family as part of FAPE (COMAR 13A.05.01.02; 34 CFR 300.17). Teachers and service providers must be informed of the child's specific accommodations and their implementation responsibilities (34 CFR 300.323(d)). Maryland LEAs must ensure that accommodations documented in the IEP are consistently implemented across all educational settings, including general education classes, special education settings, and nonacademic activities. MSDE requires that accommodations used during instruction should be the same accommodations used during assessments — the 'use it or lose it' principle documented in MSDE's accommodations guidance.
What Maryland Requires
The IEP must specify all supplementary aids and services, program modifications, and supports for school personnel necessary for the child to be involved in the general education curriculum (COMAR 13A.05.01.09(A)(4); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(4)).
For MCAP state assessments, the IEP must list individual appropriate accommodations consistent with the Maryland Assessment, Accessibility, and Accommodations Policy Manual, or explain why the Alt-MCAP alternate assessment is more appropriate (COMAR 13A.05.01.09(A)(6); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)).
Accommodations must not fundamentally alter what is being learned or tested — they provide access without changing content standards or performance expectations (34 CFR 300.160; COMAR 13A.05.01.09(A)(6)).
All regular and special education teachers and related service providers must be informed of the specific accommodations in the IEP and their responsibility for implementing them (34 CFR 300.323(d)).
Accommodations must be provided at no cost to the family as part of FAPE (COMAR 13A.05.01.02; 34 CFR 300.17).
Assessment accommodations should match those used during instruction — MSDE's 'use it or lose it' principle ensures consistency between instructional and assessment accommodations (MSDE Accommodations Policy Manual).
Accommodations must be consistently implemented across all educational settings, including general education, special education, and nonacademic activities (COMAR 13A.05.01.09(A)(4); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(4)).
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 and revised as needed (COMAR 13A.05.01.08(B); 34 CFR 300.324(b)).
Progress on effectiveness of accommodations should be monitored through periodic progress reports, issued at least as frequently as report cards (COMAR 13A.05.01.09(B)).
For transfer students, the receiving LEA must provide comparable accommodations immediately and develop a new IEP within 30 days (COMAR 13A.05.01.09(E)).
Sources
Related IEP Guides
IEP Accommodations vs Modifications: What Parents Need to Know
Accommodations change how your child learns. Modifications change what — and can affect their diploma. Know the difference before your next IEP meeting.
Sensory Accommodations: The Full List Schools Don't Tell You About
The complete list of sensory accommodations for IEPs — auditory, visual, tactile, movement, oral, environmental, and testing. Sample IEP language included.