[blindkid] PSAT

[EMMOL at aol.com]

Before my son began high school, I called ETS and spoke to them regarding  
the procedure for accommodations and asked that they send me the necessary  
paperwork. I completed the form, provided the necessary proof of  blindness, 
and asked his guidance counselor to complete the school's  portion of the 
form. A committee must review it. My son received a letter,  as did the 
school, of approved accommodations. All of the kids set up an  "account" with the 
College Board where they get general information, sample  questions, and 
test scores. Braille copies of older tests were sent,  for practice, to the 
guidance office. 
FYI... the Braille version of the PSAT is given the Wednesday before the  
Saturday print version. 
 
Eileen Molloy
 
Message: 1
Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:30:24 -0500
From: "Sally Thomas"  <seacknit at gmail.com>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,     \(for parents of blind children\)"
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [blindkid] how would you handle this  PSAT issue?
Message-ID:  <439427389A4F494FA00933ED9421C7B5 at OwnerPC>
Content-Type: text/plain;  format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original

Our school district has decided to give the 8-10  grade students a chance 
to 
practice taking the PSAT (in 8th grade it is a  pre-PSAT) prior to the 11th 
grade "real" test.  The 8th grade test was  new last year when my son was 
in 
8th grade and they told me there wasn't a  braille version.  I asked about 
the PSAT for 9th grade and the assured  me that they were getting the 
accommodations set up and that he would take  the test.  I asked again 
before 
the school year started and they said  that he'd be ready to go.  This 
morning I received an email from the  high school counselor telling me that 
the funding for the test was approved  late so they won't be able to get a 
braille version of the test.  Mind  you the test is next week so they must 
have known this for a  while.

Doesn't the College Board have braille copies of the test on  hand?  Can 
any 
of you tell me what you think the real reason is for the  test not being 
available?  I already told the counselor that I was very  unhappy with this 
and asked for the contact information of the people who  made the decision 
to 
give the test to all but the blind kids (probably not  the most diplomatic 
approach).  Of course I have not had a response but  I am wondering who 
would 
be best to contact on this.  I am trying to  fight the urge to contact 
everyone in authority until I get some feedback  from some of you who are 
informed but a little less emotionally charged  about this.

Thanks for your help.

Sally Thomas