REGISTERING FOR ALTERNATIVE TESTING ARRANGEMENTS

Requesting Accommodations

Alternative testing arrangements that are reasonable in the context of this licensing test and supported by documentation may be provided, upon request, to candidates who would not be able to take the test under standard conditions. Candidates who may be eligible for alternative testing arrangements are

• candidates whose religious practices do not allow them to take tests on Saturdays;
  
  
• candidates with physical disabilities (e.g., visual impairments, motor disabilities, illness, or injury); or
  
  
• candidates with disabilities other than physical.

You may make a request for alternative testing arrangements when you register for the MTEL during the regular, late, or emergency registration period. To ensure that there is adequate time to process your request, you are strongly encouraged to register and submit all required information as early as possible, preferably by the regular registration deadline.

Some accommodations (e.g., Braille tests) have specialized production requirements associated with them, and more time for production may be required than is available after the regular registration deadline. Although every effort is made to process all requests in a timely manner, the earlier you submit your request, the more time will be available for specialized production, if needed. Certain production requirements may necessitate rolling over your registration to a future test administration.

Evaluation Systems reviews each request as it is received and determines on a case-by-case basis whether to grant requested alternative testing arrangements. Because of the amount of time required to review requests for alternative testing arrangements and to make necessary changes at the test site or to test materials, there can be no assurance that requests received after the regular registration deadline can be accommodated for the chosen test date or at the assigned test site.

In some cases, the supporting documentation submitted with a request for alternative testing arrangements may not be sufficient to make a determination or may not support the requested accommodation. In such cases, you will need to submit additional documentation. In some cases, Evaluation Systems may contact you directly to discuss suitable testing arrangements.

If you are registering for alternative testing arrangements for the first time, you may register by mail or on the Internet during the regular or late registration period or by telephone during the emergency registration period.

Individuals who registered for the MTEL previously, with or without accommodations, may take advantage of the telephone reregistration service offered during the regular and late registration periods.

If you register by telephone, you should inform the Evaluation Systems representative that you are requesting alternative testing arrangements and specify the arrangements you are requesting. If you are registering during the late or emergency registration period, you should fax, rather than mail, the Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form and supporting documentation to (413) 256-7075. This will help expedite the process.

If you plan to register for consecutive test dates and require alternative testing arrangements, you must call (413) 256-2892 or (866) 565-4894, as early as possible, to discuss your request. This is necessary to allow for the maximum amount of time to process your request. Please see "Test Fees and Payment Policies" for information regarding test registration fee waivers for testing on consecutive test dates.

What to Submit

Initial requests for alternative testing arrangements. The first time you request alternative testing arrangements for an MTEL examination, you must

1. complete your test registration and submit the correct payment;
   
   
2. submit a completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, found in the printed registration bulletin and available to download and print out by selecting "Print Bulletin and Forms (PDF)" at www.mtel.nesinc.com; and
   
   
3. submit supporting documentation, if required. Write your name or Department-issued identification number and telephone number on each piece of correspondence.
   

The documentation is kept confidential to the extent required by law.

Subsequent requests for alternative testing arrangements. If you register for a subsequent test date and your condition, disability, or religious conviction and the recommended accommodation(s) for it have not changed, you must

1. complete your test registration and submit the correct payment and
   
   
2. submit a completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, found in the printed registration bulletin and available to download and print by selecting "Print Bulletin and Forms (PDF)" at www.mtel.nesinc.com.
   

If your condition or disability and/or the recommended test accommodations have changed, you may need to submit additional documentation in support of your request.

Requests for Additional Time

The four-hour test session is designed to allow sufficient time to complete any of the tests in the MTEL program. Examinees may find the four hours of testing time to be more than enough to complete their test, even if they have needed extra time on other tests they have taken in the past. Please keep in mind that you are automatically given four hours to take one subtest of the Communication and Literacy Skills test, the General Curriculum test (effective as of the March 7, 2009, test administration), or the Vocational Technical Literacy Skills Test if you register for only one subtest per test session or test administration (see “Test Selection” for information about test availability by test session).

If, however, you have a documented disability and you feel you need extra time for testing, you may submit a request for alternative testing arrangements when you register for the MTEL. Also, you may wish to register for only one test per test date, which will allow you to use the second test session for additional time to complete the test, providing your request for additional time is approved. Registering for two tests on the same test date limits the additional testing time you can be allowed because testing must be completed within one test administration day. Please note that all requests for additional time require appropriate documentation and are subject to approval by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Registering for an Alternative Test Date for Religious Reasons

An alternative test date may be arranged for candidates whose religious practices do not allow them to take tests on Saturdays. An alternative test date may be arranged only for religious reasons. Alternative test dates are available only at the following sites (subject to enrollment): Boston area (001), central Massachusetts/Worcester County area (004), and Springfield area (005).

The alternative test date will be the Sunday following the regular Saturday test date. To request an alternative test date, you must

1. complete your test registration and submit the correct payment; and
   
   
2. submit a completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, found in the printed registration bulletin and available to download and print by selecting “Print Bulletin and Forms (PDF)” at www.mtel.nesinc.com.

Documentation Requirements and Review of Requests

The following alternative testing arrangements may be requested because of a disability (e.g., visual impairment, motor disability, illness, injury) and can be accommodated at all test sites:

• Wheelchair-accessible facilities
• Frequent breaks (e.g., for those with hypoglycemia or diabetes)
• Use of a magnifying glass, color overlays, or a ruler (e.g., for those with a visual impairment)
• Use of a pen for a written response to an open-response item (e.g., for those with a motor impairment)

To request any of the alternative arrangements listed above, you must

1. complete your test registration and submit the correct payment; and
   
   
2. submit a completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, indicating the nature of and reason for the request (forms can be found in the printed registration bulletin and are available to download and print by selecting “Print Bulletin and Forms [PDF]” at www.mtel.nesinc.com).

If you wish to request arrangements other than those listed above, please review the instructions that follow.

If you require alternative arrangements other than those listed above, and the alternative testing arrangements are being requested due to a physical disability (e.g., visual impairment), you must

1. complete your test registration and submit the correct payment;
   
   
2. submit a completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, identifying the disability and the specific arrangements requested (forms can be found in the printed registration bulletin and are available to download and print by selecting “Print Bulletin and Forms [PDF]” at www.mtel.nesinc.com); and
   
   
3. submit a statement by a licensed professional, on that person’s professional letterhead, whose license or credentials are appropriate to diagnose the disability (e.g., ophthalmologist for visual impairment or physical therapist for mobility impairment). This information is important to ensure that the appropriate accommodations are made for you. The statement must indicate the following:
   
   
1. The disability for which alternative testing arrangements are being requested
   
   
2. Recommended test administration modifications that are specifically related to the disability and are reasonable in the context of this licensing test

If you are requesting alternative testing arrangements due to a cognitive or emotional disability (e.g., learning disability), you must

1. complete your test registration and submit the correct payment;
   
   
2. submit a completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form, identifying the disability and the specific arrangements requested (forms can be found in the printed registration bulletin and are available to download and print by selecting “Print Bulletin and Forms [PDF]” at www.mtel.nesinc.com); and
   
   
3. submit a statement by a professional, on that person’s professional letterhead, whose license or credentials are appropriate to describe or diagnose the disability. The statement must indicate the following:
   
   
• The disability for which alternative testing arrangements are being requested, with supporting documentation in the form of one of the following, which must be included as part of the statement or as separate documentation:
  
  
• A full educational history with complete documentation of special education services, including other disability-related testing modifications received within the past five years, along with the name, date, and results of the test(s) or evaluation(s), designed for purposes other than screening, administered within the past five years, used to document the disability (test results should demonstrate a significant discrepancy in your performance and your expected capability level and demonstrate the current functional impact of your disability)

or

• Results of a psychological, neuropsychological, or psychoeducational test battery, designed for purposes other than screening, administered within the past five years, interpreted by a qualified professional whose license or credentials are appropriate to diagnose the condition (test results should demonstrate a significant discrepancy in your performance and your expected capability level and demonstrate the current functional impact of your disability)

or

• Results of an evaluation interpreted by a licensed professional verifying physical abnormalities as evidenced by a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalogram (EEG), or brain topography mapping test administered within the past five years

and

• Recommended test administration modifications that are specifically related to the disability and are reasonable in the context of this licensing test

PLEASE NOTE: If your test(s) or evaluation(s) were administered prior to the past five years, a full battery of testing may not be required. Instead, you may wish to consult with a qualified professional to determine which diagnostic test(s), related to your disability, would indicate the current functional impact of your disability.

Making Determinations

Evaluation Systems reviews requests for alternative testing arrangements individually upon receipt to determine if the request and supporting documentation are complete and that any required tests and diagnostic documentation are current (conducted within the past five years). Evaluation Systems also reviews documentation to determine that it supports the requested accommodation(s) and that the requested alternative testing arrangement(s) are reasonable in the context of the selected MTEL test. Please be aware that your request form and supporting documentation may be shared with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in order to process your request. The documentation will be kept confidential to the extent required by law. Evaluation Systems may grant or deny all or some of the requested accommodations. Evaluation Systems will notify you in writing as to whether your requested accommodation(s) can be provided for the requested test administration and the assigned test site. If you do not receive a written notice about your request for alternative testing arrangements from Evaluation Systems by the Wednesday before the test date, please call (413) 256-2892 or (866) 565-4894.

In certain cases, your requested alternative testing arrangements may be granted, but they may not be able to be accommodated at the test site you requested or during a particular test administration. In such a case, an Evaluation Systems representative may contact you to discuss suitable testing arrangements. You will be given the choice of taking the test with accommodation(s) at an alternative test site, taking the test without accommodation(s) at the assigned test site, applying your registration and test fees to the next available test date, or receiving a refund. If you have any questions or wish to check on the status of your request, you may call (413) 256-2892 or (866) 565-4894.

Unprocessed requests. Evaluation Systems may return your request to you unprocessed if the required information is reviewed and determined to be incomplete. This will cause delays in the review process.

Denied requests. Evaluation Systems may deny your request for alternative testing arrangements if (1) the documentation does not support the request for alternative testing arrangements or (2) the requested accommodation(s) are not reasonable. If your request is denied, you will be notified in writing and provided with the reason for the denial.

If your request is returned to you unprocessed or denied, Evaluation Systems will contact you and will offer you the opportunity to take the test on the date requested without all or some of the requested alternative testing arrangements. Or you may provide additional supporting documentation and/or information to Evaluation Systems in support of your request, and you may request that your registration and test fees be applied to a future test date.

Unable to accommodate requests. Because of the amount of time required to adequately review requests for alternative testing arrangements and because of test site and staffing constraints, there can be no assurance that requests for alternative testing arrangements received after the regular registration deadline can be accommodated for the chosen test date or at the requested test site. If your request cannot be accommodated for these reasons, Evaluation Systems will contact you and offer you the opportunity to take the test on the date requested without all or some of the requested alternative testing arrangements. Or you may request to apply your registration and test fees to the next available test date or receive a refund.

If your request for alternative testing arrangements was denied and you wish to have the decision reviewed, you may submit a written request for a review to the Commissioner of Education. Requests for review should be received no later than 30 days after denial of the request for alternative testing arrangements. To facilitate the Commissioner’s review, requests must include all supporting documentation submitted to Evaluation Systems as part of your original request for accommodation(s). Any new, updated, or additional information should first be submitted to Evaluation Systems for consideration and decision, prior to submitting a request for a Department review.

With the copies of your Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form and your supporting documentation, you should submit a cover letter that includes the following information: your name, address, and date of birth; the date on which you are making the request for review; the date of the test administration for which you are requesting a review; the reason you believe that the requested accommodation(s) should be granted; and your signature.

Send your request for review to Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, MTEL Alternative Testing Arrangements Review, 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5023. You may also fax your request for review to the Department at (781) 338-3317. Requests for review received by the Department less than 30 days prior to the test date for which you seek the alternative testing arrangements may not be processed by the test date. The decision of the Commissioner or the Commissioner’s designee shall be final.

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