Assessment Accessibility for Ohio’s Students

This page includes information and resources related to accommodations on state assessments such as:

  • Ohio’s State Tests (OST)
  • Alternate Assessment for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD)
  • Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener (OELPS)
  • Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment (OELPA)
  • Alternate Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (Alt-OELPA)

For assessments developed by entities other than the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, educators should refer to the assessment publisher's accessibility information and resources.

Accessibility Manual for Ohio's State Tests

The Accessibility Manual for Ohio’s State Tests is a comprehensive policy document providing information about the accessibility features of Ohio’s State Tests for grades 3-8 and high school in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
 
The manual helps to define the specific accessibility features available for all students, students with disabilities, students who are English learners, and students who are English learners with disabilities. Ohio’s Assessment Accessibility System consists of accommodations for students with disabilities and students identified as English learners as well as administrative considerations, universal tools, and designated supports.

Accessibility Manual for Ohio's State Tests

Accessibility Manual for Ohio’s Alternate Assessment for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD)

A student who qualifies for an alternate assessment is unable to participate in the state’s regular assessment, even with allowable accommodations. However, it is expected that the majority of students who take an alternate assessment require support and accessibility features to access or respond to the test. Accommodations must be documented in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).

 Accessibility Manuals for Ohio’s English Language Proficiency Assessments (OELPS, OELPA, Alt-OELPA)

The Accessibility Manual for OELPS and OELPA is a comprehensive policy document providing information about the accessibility features of the Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener (OELPS) and the Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment (OELPA). The manual is designed to guide the selection and administration of administrative considerations, universal tools, designated supports, accommodations, and domain exemptions for individual students participating in the OELPS and/or OELPA. The Accessibility Manual for Alt-OELPA was developed to guide the provision of optimal testing conditions and the selection and administration of appropriate universal tools, designated supports, accommodations, and domain exemptions for individual English learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities. The manual is designed specifically for English learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities in kindergarten through high school who are participating in the Alt-OELPA.

Unique Accommodations Requests

The Department of Education and Workforce (Department) is committed to ensuring every student can access state assessments and demonstrate what they know and can do. In rare cases, a student may require an accommodation beyond those already permitted in the state’s accessibility manuals. In these situations, the Department will review unique accommodation requests for the following assessments:
  • Ohio’s State Tests (OST) for grades 3-8 and high-school end-of-course tests
  • Alternate Assessment for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD)
  • Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener (OELPS)
  • Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment (OELPA)
  • Alternate Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment (Alt-OELPA)
A unique accommodation is a non‑standard testing support used only when a student’s documented needs cannot be met by any existing accessibility features or accommodations described in the relevant manuals above. For example:
  • Reading and writing access supports (such as text-to-speech, read-aloud, scribe, or speech-to-text) on Ohio’s State Tests in English language arts do not require a unique accommodation request because they are listed in the Accessibility Manual for Ohio’s State Tests. Some of these accommodations require advanced approval from the Department, so educator teams should refer to Appendices B and C of the Accessibility Manual for Ohio’s State Tests linked above for guidance on reading access and written response accommodations.
District Test Coordinators should submit a unique accommodation request only after confirming that all accessibility features and accommodations listed in the corresponding manuals have been reviewed and found insufficient for the student’s specific, documented needs.

If a student with a disability or an English learner needs an accommodation not included in the relevant accessibility manual, the District Test Coordinator may submit the Unique Accommodation Request Form to the Department for approval of its use during state testing.

Request Timeline and Process

District Test Coordinators should submit the Unique Accommodation Request Form at least four weeks prior to the test window. Within 10 days of submission, the District Test Coordinator and individuals listed on the form will receive an email indicating whether the Department has approved or denied the request. Teams may use this PDF version of the Unique Accommodation Request Form to collaborate and prepare the request for submission.

Questions?

Contact the Office of Assessment at statetests@education.ohio.gov or (614) 466‑1317.
 
Submit a request:

Last Modified: 4/17/2026 9:24:54 AM