Accommodation language you can copy

Two scheduled sensory breaks per 45-minute instructional block, taken in [the sensory room / the counsellor’s office / a designated quiet space], no requirement to ask permission. Length: 5 minutes minimum.

Access to noise-reducing headphones or earplugs at all times during the school day. Student does not need to request use.

Permission to use a fidget tool (provided by family) during direct instruction without it being treated as off-task behavior.

Permission to stand, kneel, or use a flexible seating option (wobble cushion, kneeling pad, standing desk) during work tasks.

Lunch in a low-stimulation environment when needed (small group room, library, classroom with one staff member present): student requests directly without explanation.

Reduced fluorescent light exposure: classroom uses partial natural light or task lighting whenever instructionally feasible.

Advance warning before fire drills, lockdown drills, or any unscheduled loud announcement, when possible.

Sensory tools provided in the classroom: weighted lap pad, chewable necklace, textured wristband, as appropriate to the student.

Permission to leave the classroom and walk to a designated reset location (water fountain → sensory room → return) without first asking, up to twice per period.

Visual daily schedule posted at the student’s desk and updated by [staff member] each morning. Schedule includes transitions, not just academic blocks.

Two-step task chunking: assignments broken into a maximum of two steps before the student begins, with the second step delivered after the first is complete.

Assignment notebook checked and signed by [staff member] at the end of each day. Family receives a photo of the page via [communication app] by 4:00 p.m.

Extended time on all tasks and assessments: time-and-a-half (1.5x) standard. Extended time available without student needing to request it.

Materials kept at school: a complete second set of textbooks and supplies remains in the classroom so transitions and homework are not disrupted by forgotten items.

Daily check-in with case manager or designated staff member at start of school day. Check-in is no longer than 3 minutes and reviews schedule, materials, and any anticipated challenges.

Long-term project planning: any project assigned more than 5 days out is broken into milestones with intermediate due dates provided to student and family.

Use of digital organization tools (Google Calendar, reminders, planning apps) permitted on school device.

End-of-day organization routine: 5 minutes at the end of the day with [staff member] to pack the bag, confirm homework, and identify materials needed for tomorrow.

Access to a designated calm-down space with no time limit when emotionally dysregulated. Staff do not require the student to verbalize what’s wrong before allowing access.

Co-regulation protocol: when the student is escalating, staff use [agreed-upon scripted approach: ‘I see this is hard. You can take five minutes in the quiet space. I’ll come find you.’]. No demands or consequences delivered during escalation.

Recovery time after an emotional event: minimum 15 minutes before the student is required to rejoin instruction or engage with new academic demands.

Meltdown-to-classroom re-entry protocol: student re-enters with a designated staff member, not alone, and is given a low-demand task for the first 10 minutes.

No requirement to apologize or ‘process’ an event in the moment. Reflection conversations happen the next day, not within an hour of dysregulation.

Lunch and recess support: student has access to a designated supervised space at recess that is not the playground (library, classroom, sensory room) when they choose to use it.

Friendship and social skills support delivered by [counselor/SLP/learning support teacher] in a small group setting, not in isolation.

Home-school communication log to flag emotional events at home that may impact the school day, used by parent to inform staff at drop-off.

Reduced quantity of independent practice: when the assignment is to demonstrate mastery, student completes [50% / fewer than 10 / odd-numbered] problems rather than the full set.

Choice in demonstrating mastery: when assessing a concept, student may choose between [written response / verbal response / drawing / creating / typing].

Read-aloud accommodation: any text presented to the class for instructional purposes is also read aloud or available in audio format, including assessments.

Scribe or speech-to-text for written tasks longer than [5 sentences / 1 paragraph]. Speech-to-text software available on the student’s device.

Spelling: spelling is not graded on tasks where the focus is content (writing across the curriculum). Student is not penalized for spelling on rough drafts, math word problems, or science responses.

Math: visual supports provided (number line, hundred chart, multiplication chart) on assessments, not just instruction.

Extended deadlines: standard 2-day extension available on any major assignment with no need to provide a reason.

Test administration: assessments taken in a small group or individual setting in a separate room when the student requests it. No prior approval required.

Note-taking support: student receives a copy of teacher notes or peer notes for any unit longer than 2 instructional periods. Student is not required to take their own notes during direct instruction.

Behavior plan tied to the IEP: any behavior intervention plan or safety plan is developed collaboratively with the family and revised at least annually.

Pre-correction over consequence: staff use proactive cuing (‘we’re about to switch to math, do you want to grab your fidget?’) rather than reacting after dysregulation.

No exclusion from preferred activities (recess, specials, field trips, classroom rewards) as a behavior consequence.

No public consequences: corrections delivered privately, not in front of peers.

Family contacted within 24 hours of any incident requiring office referral, restraint, seclusion, or removal from class. Contact is in writing.

Staff consistency: behavior responses are documented and shared across the team so substitute teachers and specialists use the same approaches.

Restorative approach instead of punitive when conflicts occur with peers. Student is supported through repair, not isolated.

Crisis plan in writing: a specific protocol for what staff do if the student escalates to crisis, including who is called, where the student goes, and how the family is notified.

Pre-teaching: instructional content for the next day is provided to the student the afternoon before so they can preview it at home.

Visual supports: schedules, transitions, and instructions are presented visually in addition to verbally.

Wait time: staff provide a minimum of 7 seconds of wait time after asking the student a question before rephrasing or moving on.

Choice over verbal participation: student is not required to respond aloud in front of the class. Alternative responses (writing, gesturing, pointing, AAC device) are accepted.

Permission to communicate via writing or device when verbal communication is not accessible (during dysregulation, in unfamiliar settings, with unfamiliar staff).

Communication device (if applicable): AAC device travels with the student and is available across all environments: classroom, recess, lunch, specials, field trips.

Extended time on all assessments: time-and-a-half minimum, double time available on standardized assessments.

Separate room for assessment when requested by student or family.

Frequent breaks: student may pause an assessment for up to 5 minutes per 30-minute testing block without it being scored as time used.

Read-aloud on assessments where reading is not the construct being measured.

Use of calculator on math assessments where computation is not the primary skill being assessed.

Use of word processor with spell-check disabled on writing assessments where spelling is not being measured.

Test format adjustment: multiple-choice options reduced to three when possible, fill-in-the-blank converted to multiple choice when the construct allows.