Primary Documentation
Please start by reviewing SAS' general documentation guidelines.
It is most helpful when students provide an evaluation report (such as a psychoeducational evaluation or neuropsychological assessment) that was completed no more than five years prior to the student's request for accommodations. More current documentation is always preferred since it puts SAS in a better position to determine reasonable accommodations and support. It is generally not necessary to update an evaluation after age 18. Diagnostic reports should be completed by qualified professionals, and should include the following minimum requirements:
- A clear statement and explanation of the diagnosis and/or functional impacts. Statements that the student has a "learning difficulty" or "learns differently" are often not, by themselves, sufficient.
- Scores from the tests administered using age-based norms. The battery of tests used should contain widely accepted instruments such as the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Fourth Edition, the Woodcock Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Ability and Achievement, etc.
- A history and background section detailing developmental milestones and relevant medical history, any previous evaluations and diagnoses, and any previously utilized accommodations or interventions.
- Any medication(s) the student is prescribed and a clear statement as to whether the student was taking the medication(s) during the evaluation.
- Recommendations and rationale for appropriate academic accommodations showing a clear relationship with the student's particular type of disability. This is especially critical if the accommodations being requested include course requirement substitutions.