IEP Accommodations in North Carolina
What IEP accommodations are available in North Carolina?
North Carolina IEPs must include a statement of any individual appropriate accommodations necessary for the child to participate in state and districtwide assessments, including the NC End-of-Grade (EOG) tests, NC End-of-Course (EOC) tests, and the NC Final Exams (34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)(i); NC 1503-5). Accommodations are changes to materials, procedures, or the testing environment that enable students with disabilities to participate meaningfully in instruction and assessment without altering the content or rigor of what is being taught or assessed. The IEP Team is responsible for determining all accommodations for both classroom instruction and state assessments, and must document these decisions in the student's IEP. For state testing, NC DPI publishes a Testing Students with Disabilities (TSWD) handbook that specifies allowable accommodations. The IEP Team must select only those accommodations that do not invalidate the test score (34 CFR 300.160(b)(2)). Testing accommodations documented on the IEP must correlate to classroom accommodations used routinely throughout the academic year; accommodations that are listed on the IEP must be used on a routine basis in classroom instruction, not introduced solely for testing. Accommodations are recorded in ECATS and on state testing accommodation forms. If the IEP Team determines that a student cannot participate in the general state assessment even with accommodations, the IEP must include a statement explaining why the student cannot participate in the regular assessment and why the NCEXTEND1 alternate assessment is appropriate (34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)(ii)). The decision to use NCEXTEND1 must be based on specific eligibility criteria including that the student has a significant cognitive disability, is instructed using the NC Extended Content Standards in all assessed areas, and is enrolled in qualifying grades (3-8, 10, or 11). For classroom instruction, the IEP must describe supplementary aids and services, including accommodations, to enable participation in general education classes, extracurricular activities, and nonacademic activities with nondisabled peers (34 CFR 300.320(a)(4)). The IEP Team must also consider assistive technology devices and services for every student (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(v)).
What North Carolina Requires
The IEP must include a statement of individual appropriate accommodations for state and districtwide assessments (NC EOG, EOC, NC Final Exams) necessary to measure academic achievement and functional performance (34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)(i); NC 1503-5)
Testing accommodations must correlate to classroom accommodations used routinely throughout the academic year — accommodations cannot be introduced solely for testing
The IEP Team must select only those testing accommodations that do not invalidate the assessment score, following NC DPI's Testing Students with Disabilities (TSWD) handbook (34 CFR 300.160(b)(2))
If the student cannot participate in general state assessment even with accommodations, the IEP must explain why and justify selection of NCEXTEND1 alternate assessment (34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)(ii))
NCEXTEND1 eligibility requires significant cognitive disability, instruction using NC Extended Content Standards in all assessed areas, and enrollment in grades 3-8, 10, or 11
Classroom accommodations including supplementary aids and services must be documented in the IEP to enable participation in general education, extracurricular, and nonacademic activities (34 CFR 300.320(a)(4))
The IEP Team must consider assistive technology devices and services for every student with a disability (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(v))
Key Timelines
Accommodations must be reviewed and updated at least annually as part of the IEP Team's annual review (34 CFR 300.324(b)(1))
The decision regarding participation in alternate assessment must be made and documented in the IEP at least 120 school days before the testing window to ensure adequate exposure to content standards
Accommodations in the IEP take effect on the projected start date for services documented in the IEP (34 CFR 300.320(a)(7))