When accommodations exist on paper but not in practice: How ACT testing fails students with disabilities

I was fully prepared to take the ACT by August of my senior year. I had studied for over a year, my practice scores reflected my readiness, and I had an approved 504 plan that clearly outlined my testing accommodations. On paper, everything was in place.

In reality, it took four more months for me to actually sit for the exam.

Despite qualifying for accommodations, navigating the ACT testing process became a confusing and time-consuming ordeal. Instructions conflicted, responsibilities were unclear and the burden of securing a proctor, and submitting requests fell largely on me. The result was repeated delays, rescheduled test dates, and, ultimately, taking the exam only once during winter finals week — long after I was academically ready and many college application deadlines had passed.

My experience is not unique. Across the country, students with disabilities face similar barriers when attempting to access standardized testing accommodations. As schools reinstate SAT and ACT requirements, it is critical that these students are given genuine, not theoretical, access.

While the system promises equal opportunity, in practice it often favors students with strong adult support networks, leaving others to navigate a process not designed for independent use.

How the system is supposed to work

The ACT’s Test Accessibility and Accommodations System is intended to provide reasonable accommodations, such as extended time or separate testing locations, that align with a student’s documented IEP or 504 plan. In order to receive accommodations, students must register for the exam, coordinate with their school to submit documentation through ACT’s online system, and secure an approved testing site and proctor, a process that involves multiple steps and strict procedural requirements.

[Related: SAT start times: A simple systems change]

In practice, the process assumes that a school official or parent submits and manages requests. Students who attempt to navigate the system independently, including teens whose parents work full-time or lack familiarity with the process, are left without clear guidance. Even students who fully qualify can struggle to complete the steps correctly.

Where the system breaks down

At my high school, only one individual was available to proctor accommodated testing, creating a structural bottleneck. ACT guidance instructed students to schedule through their school, yet limited capacity led to repeated delays.

When I initially attempted to submit my accommodation request on my own using the online instructions, it was denied. When a school official later submitted the same request, it was approved immediately. The barrier was not whether I qualified for accommodations but how the process was structured. That distinction matters because it shows how easily access can be blocked by systems that prioritize procedure over student need.

THE EQUITY ISSUE

Access to accommodations should not depend on adult advocacy, yet it often does. Students with consistent parental or counselor support can navigate the system with relative ease. Capable students without that support face disproportionate obstacles. Success depends less on legal entitlement and more on access to guidance, reinforcing inequities in a system meant to level the playing field.

Academic and emotional consequences

Repeated rescheduling disrupted my study schedule, forced me to restart preparation multiple times and pushed testing into finals week, likely affecting both my ACT performance and academic grades. Research consistently shows that testing anxiety and stress can lower performance, particularly for students already navigating disability-related barriers.

ACT data indicates that students with approved accommodations often score lower than peers without accommodations, with scores varying by disability type and contextual factors.

Confusing and delayed accommodation processes compound stress and may contribute to these outcomes. When access itself becomes a challenge, performance suffers.

Legal and ethical context

Federal law makes clear that accommodations must be meaningful, not symbolic. Disability rights statutes require schools and testing systems to provide equal access and prohibit procedures that effectively exclude students with disabilities. When accommodations exist only in theory but not in practice, institutions fall short of both legal and ethical obligations.

How we can fix it

Schools and testing systems can take concrete steps to improve access and equity:

1. Provide clear, student-facing instructions for independent applicants.
2. Ensure adequate proctor availability and transparent scheduling.
3. Offer proactive guidance for students without consistent parental or counselor support.
4. Regularly review procedures to identify and eliminate structural barriers.

Making access real: A call to action

The current system for ACT accommodations creates unnecessary obstacles, but it does not have to. Accommodations should level the playing field, not introduce new hurdles. By clarifying procedures, expanding support and addressing structural inequities, schools and testing systems can ensure that students with disabilities have a fair opportunity to demonstrate their abilities.

Equal access is not just a legal requirement. It is an educational and moral imperative. By closing the gaps between policy and practice, we can finally make the promise of accommodations a reality.

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Mira Mikulka is a senior at Corona del Mar High School who writes about disability access and education equity. She has firsthand experience navigating standardized testing accommodations and working with children with disabilities.