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 with or needing psycho-educational evaluations. We also offer a Study Skills 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
Academic Resources

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 requested are ones Eastside Catholic can reasonably provide,
student requests the accommodations in advance,
this is not a 504 Plan or IEP.

The EC Learning Support staff coordinates several direct services for students with disabilities. Accommodations are individualized based on a documented disability and functional limitations of each student.

Steps for Requesting Accommodations

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, provide verification of a disability from a professional medical or mental health provider. Please review our Documentation Guidelines below. Application and documentation may be emailed to SAP@eastsidecatholic.org or submitted in person. If documentation is insufficient, you will receive an email notifying you 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 a 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
College Board Tests: PSAT, SAT, AP and Subject Tests Accommodations

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.

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.

In order 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.

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 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.

Psychological/Emotional

Documentation must be provided by a licensed mental health professional. If medication is required, an evaluation from a psychiatrist is preferred. Documentation must be current (prefer within three years) and must be signed and submitted on official letterhead that states your diagnosis and any limitations you are experiencing as a result of your diagnosis. Recommended documentation includes:

A clear statement of the diagnosis, including DSM-5 diagnosis and a summary of present symptoms
How the symptoms are limiting the student’s functioning
Impact of medications (if any) on the student’s ability to meet the demands of the school academic and social environment
Recommendations or observations to assist in determining accommodations

Learning Disabilities

Documentation must be a report that includes evaluation data and a summary of the disability along with accommodation recommendations. Documentation must be current (prefer within three years).

Chronic Illness/Physical Impairment

Documentation of disability/illness must be from a medical professional such as a physician or other medical specialist with expertise in the area of the diagnosis. Documentation must be signed and submitted on official letterhead that states your diagnosis and any limitations you are experiencing as a result of your diagnosis.

Contact Learning Support Services

Academic Resources Department Chair Brandi Faith