Accommodations Process at OHS—Requesting, Using, and Updating an Accommodation
- Feb 28, 2025
- 11 min read
Updated: Mar 27, 2025
Introduction
Navigating accommodations can be a difficult and confusing process. Maybe you’re confused about how to request an accommodation in the first place, or have an accommodation but struggle to help your instructors understand it.
The OHS Office of Accommodations and Accessibility defines accommodations as reasonable “services that ensure equitable access to our academic and community environments while maintaining academic integrity.” These can include academic accommodations such as extended-time and breaks on exams, extensions on assignments when needed, and in-classroom accommodations. They can also include physical accommodations for OHS in-person events, like safe meal options or accessible mobility and transportation.
We have designed this document in the following order: Contacts & Resources, the General Steps of the Accommodation Process, details on how to complete Accommodation Process, FAQs, and student groups at OHS that can support students with disabilities. You can start at any point that is most relevant for you, but we strongly suggest that everyone reads the FAQs, and if you are new, reading the entire document.
This document was created as a resource to focus on the student and family perspective of the accommodation process, and the questions and worries that may arise. It has been written by students, and in particular, the FAQs were information compiled from multiple students who have disabilities and went through the accommodation process at OHS.
We hope this information can help guide you through the accommodations process. Reach out with any questions!
Accommodations Contacts & Resources
Resources
Stanford OHS Academic Accommodations (Accommodation instructions)
Accommodation Process
Requesting an Accommodation:
To request an accommodation, families can submit an Accommodation Request form through PowerSchool, or request one through your counselor. Counselors can help both with securing accommodations and communicating with teachers, advisors, and others.
After requesting an accommodation, you will need to provide the Director of Student Affairs with documentation of your disability diagnosis, which can be done by emailing the OHS Office of Accommodations and Accessibility. This documentation should be current documentation of the disability from a qualified professional (e.g., educational psychologist, psychiatrist, doctor). The documentation should outline the diagnosis and any recommended accommodations.
When describing your diagnosis, it's important to be specific about what the disability is and how it affects you. Below is a possible template to explain your disability:
Specific medical terminology of disability (e.g., dyslexia, ADHD, daily persistent migraines, etc.)
General overview of disability (e.g., constant pain, trouble focusing, extreme fatigue, etc.)
Specifics of each symptom (e.g., I have a constant nausea that leads to fatigue and continued vomiting, I have trouble reading text on screens and paper due to dyslexia, etc.)
How often symptoms occur (e.g., my symptoms are always present, but the severity fluctuates, my symptoms occur on average three times a week, etc.)
How long you have had this disability (eg, years, whole life, months, etc). You are not required to disclose this, but it might be helpful if your disability emerged during your time in school, especially if it’s in the middle of the year. This will help give your instructors some context as you navigate the Accommodation Process during the school year.
If you do not have a formal disability diagnosis but think you need accommodations, we recommend talking with your family and contacting your counselor as a first step. Set up a time for you and your family to meet together with your Counselor, and explain your situation to them. You can use the suggestions outlined above when describing your circumstances, and why you believe you need accommodations. Your counselor will then direct you on where to go next.
For more information on this step, visit the following link:
Constructing an Accommodation:
Accommodations are very personalized to your specific needs. After receiving your disability documentation, the student/family will work with the Director of Student Affairs to carefully examine how each symptom of your disability affects you at school and determine together what accommodations are best. Here are some potential questions to consider when asking for accommodations:
How do your symptoms affect your ability to participate in classes? (e.g., whenever my symptoms spike due to my disability, I feel ill, and it’s hard to stay on camera in class; therefore, I ask for an accommodation to go off camera when I feel too sick)
How do your symptoms affect your ability to complete homework assignments? (e.g., my disability makes it hard to concentrate and complete assignments; therefore, I ask for an accommodation to be granted extensions when I ask for them due to my disability)
How do your symptoms affect your ability to complete exams? (e.g., my disability makes it difficult to focus for exams and complete them in the set time frame; therefore, I ask for an accommodation to have extra time on exams, and take breaks)
How does the nature of your symptoms affect your ability to complete exams on time? (e.g., my disability includes having symptoms that can spike at any time, making it hard to know if I can complete exams within the expected dates; therefore, I ask for an accommodation to be allowed to reschedule exams outside of the typical exam-reschedule date due to my disability)
Again, which specific accommodations will be best for you is highly dependent on how your disability affects your school life. The more specific you can be when requesting accommodations, the better the result typically is.
Distribution and Uses of an Accommodation:
After an accommodation is constructed, you will receive an email containing your finalized accommodation from the OHS Registrar and the Office of Accommodations and Accessibility. You and your family are responsible for distributing it to your instructors via email. Either you or your parent(s)/guardian(s) can do this—it may be more official or easier coming from a parent/guardian sometimes, or easier to do it yourself as a student, but either is allowed. When emailing your the accommodation to instructors, it may be helpful to consider the following:
It is recommended to give a sufficiently detailed description of your disability that your teacher can understand how it affects your work in their class (you may find answering the questions from Step 2 helpful). However, if you would prefer not to share your specific diagnosis with your teachers, you do not have to.
CC your counselor when you email the letter to instructors, so your counselor can be aware in case they need to assist with the accommodation process later. This is especially important as a counselor can help communicate with instructors if it’s ever necessary.
Using an accommodation is fairly straightforward once it’s set up—essentially it can be used whenever you need it. However, accommodations are not retroactive meaning they cannot be applied to assignments or classwork that have already occurred. In addition, some accommodations require advanced notice to be utilized. For example, scheduling accommodations for a Midterm or Final Exam, or setting up a new deadline for an assignment, will require notice. When possible, it’s best to set up and distribute your accommodations before the start of the school year so they are ready to go when you need them. But, if you find yourself needing additional accommodations during the school year, contact the Accommodations & Accessibility Office.
If you are ever unsure about how to—or whether you can—use your accommodation, or have any situation you find tricky, your counselor can help. Counselors can reach out to instructors about extensions, help you create a plan to catch up if you fall behind on work due to your disability, and keep instructors updated on your situation generally. The communication process is dependent on what best fits your needs, but here are some examples of when it could be helpful to have a counselor either communicate with instructors or be CC’ed on emails:
If you, for whatever circumstance, are unsure or hesitant to ask your instructor if you can use your accommodation
Asking for extensions on major assignments close to a deadline due to unexpected circumstances caused by disability
Rescheduling of a midterms or finals close to the deadline due to unexpected circumstances caused by disability
If you are concerned about enforcing/implementing your accommodation
If you need help managing the personal, social, emotional (or other academic) side effects of your disability
Adjustment and Renewal of an Accommodation:
Before the school year begins, students and families can renew an accommodation in PowerSchool. Click on the “Forms” tab, then the Accommodations Request form (images below). Follow the instructions in the form to renew the accommodation and/or request adjustments to it.
If you need an adjustment to your accommodation during the school year, contact the Director of Student Affairs, and make sure to update your counselor and teachers.
The accommodation process is different for everyone. For some, it may be easy, and for others it can be more difficult and uncertain, especially if this is your first time asking for academic accommodations. Whatever the process is like for you, that’s valid. Know that there are many adults and students at OHS who want to support you, including the contacts listed above. Never be afraid to reach out, even if you just want someone to talk to about the process.
FAQs
Q: How much should I be communicating with my teachers and counselors?
Communicate as much as possible—As mentioned previously, keeping both your counselor and instructors updated is very important to making the accommodation process as smooth as possible. Informing your Academic Advisor that you are seeking academic accommodations is also important. The more you communicate with your instructors about the accommodation process and your needs, the more understanding teachers will likely be if you end up in a difficult situation (e.g., like needing to reschedule a midterm or final close to the exam date). If you ever need assistance communicating (or with anything else) in relation to the accommodation process, reach out to your counselor.
Q: Can I adjust my accommodation mid-year?
If you need something, ask for it—Accommodations may sometimes need adjustment, including during the school year. Maybe something in your disability progresses and you need another accommodation, or as you go through the school year you discover that there’s something else that would be helpful to you. If you need additional accommodations mid-year, then you and your family should contact the Accommodations & Accessibility Office. Never feel that accommodations are not adjustable mid-year, or that you need to push yourself to only work within only a small set of accommodations. If it’s reasonable, you should ask for it.
Q: If my instructor is giving me trouble applying my accommodations, what should I do?
Contact your Counselor, and tell them what’s going on—Your Counselor has your back. If you ever feel like your instructor is not being respectful to your approved accommodations, and asking them yourself is not working, then let your Counselor know what’s going on: send them an email and/or book a meeting with them. Your Counselor can contact your teacher directly about extensions and help arrange them. They are there to advocate for you and help you in this process. Teachers may respond differently to a counselor than they do to students, because the role of a counselor is to support and help with concerns in a way that's separate from classroom dynamics. Understandably, many students can be anxious to do this because they are worried how their instructor will react or treat them. But, remember the following: you were rightfully given an accommodation by going through an official process (submitting documentation, talking with the Director of Student Affairs), and the whole purpose of an accommodation is so you can use it to help your academic needs. You aren’t doing anything wrong.
Q: When should I reach out to my teachers about accommodations, or when should my parents email? Is there a difference?
It depends on the situation, use your best judgement—Sometimes a teacher will take the request more seriously from a parent, sometimes as a student you are physically not able to make the request (eg, you are too unwell, in the hospital, etc), and sometimes it’s completely appropriate and easier for you to ask as a student. For example, if you need a relatively short extension on an assignment, it might be simpler for you to ask as a student because you understand your workload and present situation best. On the other hand, if it’s something more serious like rescheduling a final exam, asking for long or multiple extensions, or extended absences, then a parent communicating might be better. For these situations, your Counselor can also assist as well. Overall, because these times of situations can be so circumstantial, just try and use your best judgement.
Q: I’m feeling hesitant to use my accommodation, even though I have it. I’m not sure how to ask, and I’m worried my teacher will not believe me since my disability is not visible. What should I do?
If you have an accommodation, you have one for a reason—To get an accommodation, you go through an official request, you submit documentation, you meet with the Director of Student Affairs, and you get approved. Whether your disability is visible or not, you have an accommodation because you need it. No one should be questioning that. Part of living with a disability is having to advocate for yourself, which can be stressful, but you should never feel bad about using it. If you ever have trouble navigating these situations, please reach out to resources at OHS that can and are very willing to help you.
Q: I don’t want special treatment. Wouldn’t an accommodation give me an unfair advantage, since not all students get one?
To receive accommodations does not mean you are getting an unfair advantage—You are only giving yourself the chance to fully demonstrate your capabilities in school, by navigating some of the barriers that may be preventing you from doing so. Accommodations are not intended to give you “special treatment” or an “upper hand”. They are merely used to level the playing field so that you have the same opportunities to excel as other students. Everything you do while using your accommodations is still entirely your own effort. Since you know yourself and what you need best, don’t hesitate to communicate with the Director of Student Affairs or your instructors about what type of accommodation would best support you, and that you are also most comfortable with.
Q: Why should I get an accommodation? The process seems complex and I’m unsure how it’s going to benefit me.
Your accommodation is there for you when you need it—Accommodations are extremely individual and can include a broad range of support for both in-person and online situations. Even if you’re not sure whether you need an accommodation, go ahead and request one. This way, you have it to fall back on if you ever need it. If you’re eligible for an accommodation, there’s no reason to suffer when you don’t have to!
Q: I still feel lost about this process, or I have an accommodation already but have questions. Who can I connect with?
Everyone at OHS wants to help—If you have any questions, you can speak with the Director of Student Affairs, the Director of Access and Outreach, or your counselor. All of them are happy to meet or email with you and your family and talk about any concerns you have. Everyone at OHS wants you to succeed!
Stanford OHS Disability Culture Alliance
One place to connect with other students who have disabilities and have gone through the accommodation process is the Stanford OHS Disability Culture Alliance. This is a group for students with disabilities (whether they have accommodations or not), and gives them a place to speak openly about their experiences with others who can often relate. It’s an excellent place to find support. You are in no way required to share your disability or diagnosis if you join the group, the club fully welcomes members just reading the messages in the chat and/or listening to others in the group.
If you are interested in joining, please contact the group's leader or sponsor, or the Director of Access and Outreach.
Stanford OHS Neurodivergent Student Alliance
Another place to connect with other students who have disabilities, specifically neurodivergence, is the Stanford OHS Neurodivergent Student Alliance. This is a group for neurodivergent students (whether they have accommodations or not), and gives them a place to speak openly about their experiences with others who can often relate. It’s another great place to find support if you identify as neurodivergent, and again, you are again no way required to share your diagnosis if you join the group. Similar to the Disability Culture Alliance, the group welcomes members just reading the messages in the chat and/or listening to others.
If you are interested in joining, please contact the group's leader or sponsor, or the Director of Access and Outreach.
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