View CartRequesting Alternative Testing Arrangements
Alternative testing arrangements that are reasonable in the context of the certification test and supported by documentation may be provided for the following examinees who would not be able to take the test or assessment under standard conditions:
- Examinees with disabilities
- Individuals for whom English is not a primary language
- Nursing mothers
All timely and complete alternative testing arrangements requests and accompanying documentation are reviewed on a case-by-case basis upon receipt. In some cases, the submitted documentation may not be sufficient to make a determination regarding the requested alternative testing arrangement(s) or may not support the requested alternative testing arrangement(s). Additional information or diagnostic test results may be needed.
Accommodations available without pre-approval. All Pearson-owned test centers and most Pearson partner test centers are wheelchair accessible. For Pearson partner centers, test takers are able to preview site details during the scheduling process. Test takers have access to font enlargement for all exams, either as a function of the exam itself or via keyboard control functions. Other visual enhancements such as color contrast may be available as a function of the exam.
Additionally, test centers allow a variety of comfort aids; see the complete list at Pearson VUE's Comfort Aids page 
. These features are available without prior approval.
All examinees are permitted to take breaks to use the restroom, take medication, use an inhaler, etc., without prior approval. Any time taken for these breaks is considered part of the examinee's available testing time.
Accommodations requiring pre-approval. Please be aware that the Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form and supporting documentation that you submit may be shared with the Virginia Department of Education Division of Teacher Education and Licensure in order to process your request. The documentation will be kept confidential to the extent required by law.
Some alternative testing arrangements may be accommodated at selected test centers only.
In some cases, you may be contacted directly to discuss suitable testing arrangements.
To request alternative arrangements, you must follow the "Procedures for Requesting Alternative Testing Arrangements" below.
Alternative testing arrangements that are reasonable in the context of the certification test and supported by documentation may be provided for the following examinees who would not be able to take the test or assessment under standard conditions:
- Examinees with disabilities
- Individuals for whom English is not a primary language
All timely and complete alternative testing arrangements requests and accompanying documentation are reviewed on a case-by-case basis upon receipt. In some cases, the submitted documentation may not be sufficient to make a determination regarding the requested alternative testing arrangement(s) or may not support the requested alternative testing arrangement(s). Additional information or diagnostic test results may be needed.
Accommodations available without pre-approval. Please note that all examinees will be able to enlarge the font size by pressing ctrl + and can decrease the font size by pressing ctrl − minus . Additionally, a variety of comfort aids are available without prior approval; see the complete list at Pearson VUE's Comfort Aids page .
Accommodations requiring pre-approval. Please be aware that the Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form and supporting documentation that you submit may be shared with the Virginia Department of Education Division of Teacher Education and Licensure in order to process your request. The documentation will be kept confidential to the extent required by law.
In some cases, you may be contacted directly to discuss suitable testing arrangements.
To request alternative arrangements, you must follow the "Procedures for Requesting Alternative Testing Arrangements" below.
Procedures Overview
- Review "Documentation Requirements" below and collect any necessary documents.
- Register for the test. Be sure to declare your intent to request alternative testing arrangements during registration. Do NOT schedule your test appointment until you receive notification of resolution.
- Submit your completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form and supporting documentation to the examination program. Once you submit your Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, you will receive confirmation of your submission via email.
- Check your email for your notification of resolution (usually between 1–3 weeks after your completed request is received).
- Follow the instructions provided in your resolution email to schedule your appointment with any approved alternative testing arrangements.
Timeline for requests. Examinees who wish to request alternative testing arrangements should register as early as possible in advance of their desired test date because of the additional time needed to process the registration and to schedule the test administration date. After registering, you must submit a completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form and any required documentation. Most examinees will be contacted regarding the resolution of a request for alternative testing arrangements within three weeks after the request form and all required documentation have been received.
Some alternative testing arrangements (e.g., Braille tests) have specialized production requirements associated with them, and more time for production may be required. Your test appointment will be scheduled based on the time needed for production of materials.
Notification of resolution. When you submit a request for alternative testing arrangements, you should wait to receive confirmation of resolution before scheduling your test appointment at the test center. If you schedule your test appointment before receiving this confirmation, you will be required to cancel and reschedule it in order to ensure that your alternative testing arrangements will be appropriately applied. This could result in a delay of your desired test date.
When your request for alternative testing arrangements has been resolved, you will be contacted via email regarding the resolution and given important information about scheduling your test appointment. You should carefully review your resolution of alternative testing arrangements, as only accommodations listed as "Approved" will be available for you at your test appointment.
Scheduling your test appointment. Once you have received confirmation that your alternative testing arrangements request has been resolved, you will be directed to sign in to your account for instructions on how to schedule your appointment with any approved accommodations. You may be instructed to schedule your appointment online or by telephone as some accommodations require special arrangements for staff, space, and materials.
If you are instructed to schedule by telephone, you must identify yourself as a candidate who needs to schedule a test appointment with alternative testing arrangements. If you do not indicate that you have been approved for alternative testing arrangements at the time that you call to schedule your test appointment, you will be scheduled for a test appointment without your approved alternative testing arrangements.
When you call to schedule a test appointment, you should be prepared to identify your preferred test date and test center. Test appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Please schedule your test appointment as soon as possible after your request has been resolved in order to allow time for such arrangements to be made and to avoid a potential delay in your test date.
If you need to make a change to your requested alternative testing arrangement(s). If you wish to modify your request for alternative testing arrangements after receiving resolution of your request, you must submit a new Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, along with any supporting documentation, prior to scheduling your test appointment. If you have already scheduled a test appointment, you will be required to cancel your appointment and submit a new Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form along with any supporting documentation.
Procedures Overview
- Review "Documentation Requirements" below and collect any necessary documents.
- Register for the test. Be sure to declare your intent to request alternative testing arrangements during registration. Do NOT schedule your test appointment until you receive notification of resolution.
- Submit your completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form and supporting documentation to the examination program. Once you submit your Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, you will receive confirmation of your submission via email.
- Check your email for your notification of resolution (usually between 1–3 weeks after your completed request is received).
- Follow the instructions provided in your resolution email to schedule your appointment with any approved alternative testing arrangements.
Timeline for requests. Examinees who wish to request alternative testing arrangements should register as early as possible in advance of their desired test date because of the additional time needed to process the registration and to schedule the test administration date. After registering, you must submit a completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form and any required documentation. Most examinees will be contacted regarding the resolution of a request for alternative testing arrangements within three weeks after the request form and all required documentation have been received.
Some alternative testing arrangements have specialized production requirements associated with them, and more time for production may be required. Your test appointment will be scheduled based on the time needed for production of materials.
Notification of resolution. When you submit a request for alternative testing arrangements, you should wait to receive confirmation of resolution before scheduling your test appointment. If you schedule your test appointment before receiving this confirmation, you will be required to cancel and reschedule it in order to ensure that your alternative testing arrangements will be appropriately applied. This could result in a delay of your desired test date.
When your request for alternative testing arrangements has been resolved, you will be contacted via email regarding the resolution and given important information about scheduling your test appointment. You should carefully review your resolution of alternative testing arrangements, as only accommodations listed as "Approved" will be available for you at your test appointment.
Scheduling your test appointment. Once you have received confirmation that your alternative testing arrangements request has been resolved, you will be directed to sign in to your account for instructions on how to schedule your appointment with any approved accommodations. You may be instructed to schedule your appointment online or by telephone as some accommodations require special arrangements for staff, space, and materials.
If you are instructed to schedule by telephone, you must identify yourself as a candidate who needs to schedule a test appointment with alternative testing arrangements. If you do not indicate that you have been approved for alternative testing arrangements at the time that you call to schedule your test appointment, you will be scheduled for a test appointment without your approved alternative testing arrangements.
When you call to schedule a test appointment, you should be prepared to identify your preferred test date. Test appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Please schedule your test appointment as soon as possible after your request has been resolved in order to allow time for such arrangements to be made and to avoid a potential delay in your test date.
If you need to make a change to your requested alternative testing arrangement(s). If you wish to modify your request for alternative testing arrangements after receiving resolution of your request, you must submit a new Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, along with any supporting documentation, prior to scheduling your test appointment. If you have already scheduled a test appointment, you will be required to cancel your appointment and submit a new Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form along with any supporting documentation.
The Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form (below) must be submitted each time you register. The first time that you request alternative testing arrangements, you will need to submit the required documentation to support your request for alternative testing arrangements.
To request alternative testing arrangements for subsequent registrations, you only need to complete a registration and submit a completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, as long as your condition and the requested alternative testing arrangements have not changed. If your requested alternative testing arrangements have changed, you must submit documentation to support any new requests.
Documentation, in itself, does not automatically support the granting of alternative testing arrangements.
Candidates that request select alternative testing arrangements may be eligible to use the Institutional Verification of Documentation as an alternative to providing documentation directly to Evaluation Systems for review. Please see "Institutional Verification of Documentation" below for more information.
All documentation must meet all of the following requirements and must:
- include a signed statement by a qualified professional, written on that person's professional letterhead, whose license or credentials are appropriate to describe or diagnose the disability.
- include recommended alternative testing arrangements that are specifically related to the disability and that are reasonable within the context of the test, or verification that the examinee has received the requested alternative testing arrangement(s) at the high school or college/university level.
- include a diagnosis of the disability or disabilities.
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include results of diagnostic tests used to diagnose the disability. One of the following must be submitted:
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Results of a psychological, neuropsychological, or psychoeducational diagnostic test battery, designed for purposes other than screening, administered within the past five years*, interpreted by a qualified professional whose license or credentials are appropriate to diagnose the condition (test results should demonstrate the current functional impact of your disability)
OR -
A full educational history with complete documentation of special education services, including other disability-related testing modifications, received within the past five years*, along with the name, date, and results of the diagnostic test(s) or evaluation(s), designed for purposes other than screening, administered within the past five years*, used to document the disability (test results should demonstrate the current functional impact of your disability)
OR - Results of an evaluation interpreted by a licensed professional verifying physical abnormalities as evidenced by a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalogram (EEG), or brain topography mapping test administered within the past five years*
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Results of a psychological, neuropsychological, or psychoeducational diagnostic test battery, designed for purposes other than screening, administered within the past five years*, interpreted by a qualified professional whose license or credentials are appropriate to diagnose the condition (test results should demonstrate the current functional impact of your disability)
- be current, according to the Documentation Currency Policy
*See the "Documentation Currency Policy" below for exceptions.
Documentation Currency Policy
Documentation must be considered current in order for it to be reviewed in support of a request for alternative testing arrangements. In order to be current, your documentation must meet one of the following:
-
Be dated within the past five years
OR - If not dated within the past five years, include a recommendation for the requested accommodation(s) dated no earlier than the high school level
The Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form (below) must be submitted each time you register. The first time that you request alternative testing arrangements, you will need to submit the required documentation to support your request for alternative testing arrangements.
To request alternative testing arrangements for subsequent registrations, you only need to complete a registration and submit a completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, as long as your condition and the requested alternative testing arrangements have not changed. If your requested alternative testing arrangements have changed, you must submit documentation to support any new requests.
Documentation, in itself, does not automatically support the granting of alternative testing arrangements.
Candidates that request select alternative testing arrangements may be eligible to use the Institutional Verification of Documentation as an alternative to providing documentation directly to Evaluation Systems for review. Please see "Institutional Verification of Documentation" below for more information.
All documentation must meet all of the following requirements and must:
- include a signed statement by a qualified professional, written on that person's professional letterhead, whose license or credentials are appropriate to describe or diagnose the disability.
- include a diagnosis of the disability or disabilities.
- include recommended alternative testing arrangements that are specifically related to the disability and that are reasonable within the context of the test, or verification that the examinee has received the requested alternative testing arrangement(s) at the high school or college/university level.
- meet the Documentation Currency Policy.
Documentation Currency Policy
Documentation must be considered current in order for it to be reviewed in support of a request for alternative testing arrangements. In order to be current, your documentation must meet one of the following:
-
Be dated within the past five years
OR - Provide confirmation of a permanent physical condition
The Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form (below) must be submitted each time you register. The first time that you request alternative testing arrangements, you will need to submit the required documentation to support your request for alternative testing arrangements.
To request alternative testing arrangements for subsequent registrations, you only need to complete a registration and submit a completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, as long as your condition and the requested alternative testing arrangements have not changed. If your requested alternative testing arrangements have changed, you must submit documentation to support any new requests.
Documentation, in itself, does not automatically support the granting of alternative testing arrangements.
Individuals for whom English is not a primary language may request an extension of testing time, up to one-and-a-half times the standard test session length. Please note that testing must be completed within one test administration day and that all requests for additional time require appropriate documentation and are subject to approval.
To request additional time for this reason, you must
- complete your test registration; and
- submit a completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form (below); and
-
submit documentation that certifies that English is not your primary language. This documentation should be
- in the form of a statement by an authorized representative of your institution of higher education (e.g., bilingual program coordinator, dean) who is able to certify that English is not your primary language;
- presented on official institution letterhead; and
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signed by the authorized individual, including his or her printed name and position;
OR - (for individuals born outside of the United States, in a country where English is not the primary official language) a copy of your birth certificate, visa, or passport.
Examinees who are requesting any of the following alternative testing arrangements due to a disability or health condition may use the Institutional Verification of Documentation as an alternative to providing documentation directly to Evaluation Systems for review.
- 50% extra time (time and one half)
- Sign language interpreter (for communication with test center staff in a computer-based test center only)
- Braille test format (for computer-based delivery in a test center only)
- Screen magnification software allowing for magnification greater than 200% (all candidates have access to visual enhancement features, including color contrast and font enlargement up to 200%, without prior approval)
For all other alternative testing arrangements requests, supporting documentation must be submitted directly to Evaluation Systems for review.
Verification Requirements
In order to be accepted for review in support of a request for alternative testing arrangements for the alternative testing arrangements listed above:
- The Institutional Verification of Documentation must be printed on official institution letterhead.
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The Institutional Verification of Documentation must be completed and signed by an authorized professional representing one of the following:
- Office of Disability Services at the candidate's college or university
- Department of Vocational Rehabilitation office in the candidate's state of residence
- The institutional representative must be able to verify that the examinee is eligible to receive the requested alternative testing arrangement(s) at the institution and that the institution has on file the examinee's documentation supporting the requested alternative testing arrangement, a copy of which must be supplied to Evaluation Systems upon request.
- The institutional representative must be able to provide specific information contained in the documentation and certify that the documentation meets program requirements, including certifying that the documentation is complete and current according to program requirements (see "Documentation Requirements" and "Documentation Currency Policy" above).
Please note that this form cannot be completed by a medical professional or health-care provider. It may only be completed by the Office of Disability Services at the candidate's college or university or the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation office in the candidate's state of residence.
Before submitting your Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, please:
- Review the Documentation Requirements section of this website (above).
- Register for your test. Do not schedule your test until you submit your request form and receive further instruction.
Then submit your form. Include all required documentation as described in the Documentation Requirements section of this website (above).
Evaluation Systems will notify candidates of the determination made with regard to their requests for alternative testing arrangements. You may appeal the denial of some or all of your requests for alternative testing arrangements. Before you submit your appeal, it is suggested that you review "Documentation Requirements" above. This section describes the documentation requirements for different types of alternative testing arrangements requests. If after reviewing the information in this section you still wish to proceed with an appeal of the decision, you may do so by submitting your appeal, in writing, to the Office of Candidate Services. The appeal should include the following information:
- Your name, address, and candidate ID number
- The date of the appeal
- Any documentation, in addition to the documentation that you submitted with your Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, that supports your alternative testing arrangements requests
- A brief summary of the reasons why your alternative testing arrangements requests should be granted
- Your signature
Your appeal should be submitted as soon as possible. Please be advised that most appeals will be resolved in 30 calendar days. If you schedule your test date before the appeal is resolved and the appeal is later granted, you will be scheduled for a test appointment without your approved alternative testing arrangements.
After your appeal is reviewed, you will be notified as to whether your appeal has been granted or denied. All appeal determinations are subject to the approval of the Virginia Department of Education Division of Teacher Education and Licensure. In addition, all appeal determinations are final.
Accommodations for Nursing Mothers while Testing at a Test Center
Nursing mothers who need to make arrangements for bringing specialized equipment or storage materials should follow the Alternative Testing Arrangements process outlined below to ensure prior approval and the ability of a test center to meet your specific needs. Please note the following:
- Children will not be allowed in the testing center or into the secure testing room.
- You will not be able to leave the test center once testing has begun.
- Time taken for breaks is considered part of your available testing time.
Accommodations for Nursing Mothers in an Online-Proctored Exam
Nursing mothers who need to make arrangements for using specialized equipment or storage materials should follow the Alternative Testing Arrangements process outlined below to ensure prior approval.
Please note that children will not be allowed in the testing room.
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