Learning Support Services
We want every student to succeed in Eastside Catholic’s academically challenging environment. Therefore, we offer several structured programs for students who may need additional learning support.
Learning Support Services at Eastside Catholic School serves the entire community by providing support to the diverse learning needs of students and guidance to families and faculty on a wide range of topics, including learning differences, giftedness, stress and anxiety, and adolescent development.
Additionally, we assist students and faculty with classroom and testing accommodations, tutor referrals and an Academic Resources class for students who would benefit from high-frequency, individualized support.
We believe that student potential can occur in various combinations, with students excelling in some areas but needing support in others. We support a learning environment where students are surrounded by people who may not think the same way. This variety helps prepare students for the real world, where they will interact with individuals with a wide range of abilities and different approaches to working.
Accommodations
Eastside Catholic School is a Catholic, college preparatory school committed to the development of the whole person in an environment dedicated to academic excellence and faith formation. We enroll a diverse student body and welcome students with different learning styles. Eastside Catholic offers college-approved accommodations to those students who qualify.
Within our mission as a private, Catholic school, Eastside Catholic will provide support to qualifying and admitted students, acknowledging that:
- Current and eligible testing exists,
- There is a notable and demonstrated need for accommodation in the school setting,
- Accommodations do not include modification of learning standards and are specific to our available resoures and school policies
- Student requests the accommodations in advance,
- The SAP is not a 504 Plan or IEP.
Learning Support Services at Eastside Catholic begins as an interactive process with each enrolled student who requests accommodations. After an application is reviewed, an intake meeting between the family and the Director of Academic Resources helps determine accommodations.
Steps for Requesting Accommodations
- At Eastside Catholic
- For Standardized Tests
- For UW Classes at EC
- For Classroom and Test Accommodations at EC
At Eastside Catholic
Steps for Requesting Accommodations at Eastside Catholic School
Step 1:
Complete the Request for Accommodations application. Please make sure to complete every section. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
accommodations request application
Step 2:
Along with your application, upload verification of a disability from a professional medical or mental health provider. Please review our Documentation Guidelines below. Application and documentation may alternatively be emailed to bfaith@eastsidecatholic.org or submitted in person. If documentation is insufficient, you will receive an email notification so that you can resubmit appropriately.
Step 3:
Please be aware that not all accommodation requests will be approved. EC is limited regarding the accommodations that we offer as a school. Learning Support staff will review the request and refer students to appropriate resources if disability-related accommodation is deemed unreasonable.
The accommodation approval process may take up to 30 days. Upon approved accommodations, you will receive an email with your official Student Accommodation Plan (SAP) and a request for a meeting to review and sign your SAP. Once your SAP is signed and activated, it will be emailed to the appropriate EC faculty and/or staff.
Once accommodations are established, they are applied proactively rather than retroactively, so planning is very important. If you do not submit the required documentation within 30 days of applying, or the documentation is insufficient, your application will become inactive. You may re-apply at any time.
For Standardized Tests
How to Request Accommodations for Standardized Tests
ACT Testing Accommodations
Eastside Catholic high school students with a Student Accommodation Plan (SAP) may be eligible to receive testing accommodations when taking the ACT. Having testing accommodations at EC does not guarantee that ACT will provide the same accommodations.
Prior to submitting an accommodations request, students must be registered for ACT testing and given an ACT ID number. When registering on the ACT website, a prompt for “National” or “Special” testing will need to be selected.
Once you have completed the registration process, please forward the following to lfarmer@eastsidecatholic.org:
- Signed copy of the ACT Consent to Release form
- ACT ID number email
- Diagnostic documentation
Criteria for Diagnostic Documentation:
- State the specific diagnosis including the DSM code
- Current – no more than 3 years old
- Describe the disability and developmental history
- Describe the limitations and their adverse effect on learning along with the results of relevant educational, medical and psychological testing
- Describe the requested accommodations and support the need for the accommodation
- Professional credentials of the examiner must be included
Eastside Catholic will submit the accommodations request and notify the student when a response is received. If a request is denied, ACT will provide a reason and instructions for an appeal. Once accommodations are approved, they apply to all ACT tests moving forward.
College Board Tests: PSAT, SAT, AP and Subject Tests Accommodations
Eastside Catholic high school students who have a Student Accommodation Plan may qualify for accommodations when taking College Board exams. Receiving accommodations at EC does not guarantee accommodations on College Board exams.
To request accommodations on College Board exams, a student must have documentation showing evidence of the following:
- The disability
- The degree to which the student’s activities are affected (functional limitation)
- The need for the specific accommodations requested
Documentation must be no more than five years old.
According to the College Board, the information provided on documentation must include the following:
- Clearly state the diagnosis
- Must be current
- Must include medical, developmental and educational history
- Documentation must describe the comprehensive testing and techniques used to arrive at the diagnosis, including evaluation dates and test results with subtest scores from measures of current academic, achievement and information processing
- The functional limitation must be described and requested, and the accommodations must be justified
- The evaluators professional credentials must be established, including information about license and/or certification and area of specialization
Eastside Catholic will submit all requests for accommodation once the necessary documentation has been provided. Signed consent forms and documentation should be sent to lfarmer@eastsidecatholic.org. Approval may take up to seven weeks.
After the request has been reviewed, College Board will send a letter to the student/family detailing the approved/not approved accommodations. This letter will also contain an SSD number that is used when registering for College Board tests. Students must always use their SSD number when registering online, as it is their link to the approved accommodation.
Prior to submitting the Request for Accommodations Form to the College Board, we ask that your student take advantage of the Testing Center at EC within four months of submitting the request, as documentation of prior use of testing accommodations may be required.
For UW Classes at EC
High school students who have a Student Accommodation Plan may qualify for testing accommodations when taking exams while enrolled in UW classes at EC.
To be approved for testing accommodations students must submit a request to the Disability Services Office at the University of Washington.
The request must include:
- A copy of the current Student Accommodation Plan
- Copies of the appropriate documentation to support the request – for specific guidelines visit: UW DRS Documentation Guidelines
Please include your student’s name, name of the school, the class(es) they are taking and the name and email of the teacher. Requests should be sent to DSO@UW.edu.
For Classroom and Test Accommodations at EC
Along with a completed Accommodations Request Application we require additional information from other sources to verify a disability and understand the impact it has on a student’s learning environment. Even in cases where a disability is obvious and no documentation for a diagnosis is sought by Learning Support, a medical provider’s analysis of the individual’s functional limitations may still be requested to help us assess the accommodation needed.
Applicants must provide current verification of the diagnosis or health condition from a licensed medical or mental health provider. Many distinct types of disability-related documentation may be acceptable such as:
- Neuropsychological or educational evaluation (for learning disabilities)
- Educational records, such as an educational service plan (IEP or 504 plan)
- Signed and dated letter from a qualified healthcare professional which confirms a diagnosis and the impact of the disability
- Audiology report
- Vision assessment
Documentation should include the following when applicable:
- Name, title and signature of professional qualified to make the diagnosis
- Professional credentials, License Number, Signature and contact information
- Date of report or letter
- Impact of the condition in an educational setting (narrative or through evaluations administered)
- The name of tests administered, and a summative narrative of results or data tables attached.
Documentation Should Be Current
The date of the documentation should be within the past three years for disabilities that may be transitory in nature such as learning disabilities, ADHD, and mental health disorders. Some physical conditions (vision, hearing) may require an exam within the past year.
Students with No Documentation
Our Learning Support Services Team can work with students who have never been formally diagnosed with a disability or cannot afford to get documentation. We recommend these students schedule an information session with our Director of Academic Resources to discuss their specific situation and identify options to move forward with obtaining documentation.
How to Submit Documentation
You can submit documentation in any of the following ways:
- Submit as part of your online Application for Accommodations. Upload your document within the application. (Most secure method)
- Email Director of Academic Resources Brandi Faith at bfaith@eastsidecatholic.org.
- Drop off at Eastside Catholic School. Please use a sealed envelope addressed to Brandi Faith.
Documentation Guidelines
Along with your completed Accommodations Request Application, you will be asked to provide verification of the diagnosis from a professional medical or mental health provider. Please select the applicable link below for specific documentation requirements.
Academic Resources
The Academic Resources course is designed to teach and reinforce basic study skills. It is also designed to support students in their core courses by incorporating a guided study session. During the guided study time, students have the opportunity to work with a teacher or peer tutor on an individual or small-group basis. Weekly, the course includes opportunities for goal setting, assistance with organization and support in tracking homework assignments. Students in this course earn a letter grade.
Contact Learning Support Services
Academic Resources Department Chair Brandi Faith