Special assessment conditions guidelines

These guidelines do not constitute further rules and procedures but seek to clarify in greater detail those requirements to help schools make appropriate applications.

Entitlement

1. Candidates with a permanent or long-term
   
   1. medical or physical condition and/or
   2. specific learning disability that directly impacts on their ability to be assessed fairly in assessments for National Qualifications may apply for entitlement to Special Assessment Conditions.
2. NZQA grants entitlement to Special Assessment Conditions so that approved candidates may be fairly assessed and have access to assessment for National Qualifications. Special Assessment Conditions are approved so that entitled candidates can demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding, without providing unfair advantage over other candidates.
3. Candidates identified with "low intellectual ability" only and no specific learning disability or medical disability are not entitled to Special Assessment Conditions. They must have an identified specific learning disability or a medical disability before they are entitled to special assessment conditions.
4. Candidates identified and funded as speakers of English as a Second Language are not entitled to Special Assessment Conditions even in conjunction with a specific learning disability.

Supporting Documentation

5. Where the need for Special Assessment Conditions arises from:
   
   1. a permanent or long-term medical or physical condition or disability, a report from an appropriate registered medical professional providing evidence of need based on the functional impact of the condition or disability is required. The report should be completed in the year of the application, detail exactly how the candidate's access to assessment is impaired by their medical or physical condition and detail any suitable assessment conditions. This could be a physical inability to write for themselves or to see an examination paper
   2. specific learning disabilities, a current report on an assessment carried out by an appropriately qualified registered professional, (such as an NZCER level C assessor, speech/language therapist or a medical professional) providing evidence of need based on the functional impact of the condition or disability is required. The report should be completed in time for the first year of assessment for national qualifications, and remains valid for four years. The report must explain exactly how the candidate's access to assessments is impaired by the functional impact of their specific learning disability and detail suitable assessment conditions. Screening Checklist for Identification of a Possible Specific Learning Difficulty for Special Assessment Conditions (DOC, 71KB).
6. Where schools do not have evidence from a suitable independent professional (as outlined above) but have appropriate alternative documented evidence, this should be submitted annually to NZQA with the application for approval of entitlement. Contact your SRM for further guidance if required. Applications made under these circumstances will be considered against the same criteria as those relating to an appeal against a decision to deny the entitlement to Special Assessment Conditions.
7. Schools are responsible for retaining current copies of the documented evidence of need.
   
   

Application Process

8. Before making an Application for Entitlement to Special Assessment Conditions schools are recommended to:
   
   1. review the list of candidates and conditions from the previous year to:
      
      1. establish whether the arrangement is still required
      2. check that any report on record is valid for the current year
      3. obtain new reports on evidence of need based on functional impact where the previous report has expired
      4. review the efficacy of the support provided to date by carrying out an annual needs analysis. This includes determining whether:
         
         • the candidate should continue with the assessment conditions previously offered
         • modifications to the assessment conditions are required
         • whether changes should be made to the number and nature of standards to be assessed.
         Documentation of this review and the decisions made must be kept as part of the evidence of need and made available to NZQA in the case of an audit.
   2. screen new applicants to identify:
      
      1. a medical or physical condition or disability or possible specific learning difficulty (See the SLD screening checklist) and establish the appropriate conditions to apply for
   3. obtain evidence of need for candidates new to assessment for National Qualifications or new to the school.
9. Schools must obtain the candidate's consent to provide personal information to NZQA.
10. Schools and NZQA can offer appropriate Special Assessment Conditions from the list below:
    
    

    Assessment Conditions	Note
    Reader assistance	See exclusions
    Writer assistance	See exclusions
    Separate accommodation	This is provided only for a candidate who has a specific reason not to be with other candidates.
    Computer use	This must be the student's normal means of working and not just used for assessment. No extra time is provided to students using a computer.  Candidates approved to use a computer must complete the Use of a Computer in Examinations (PDF, 374KB) form for every external examination.
    Extra time	The usual length is 30 minutes. Any time beyond that needs to be discussed with NZQA. Extra time is not available when the time allowed for external standards entered is 150 minutes or less.
    Enlarged papers	Enlarged to A3 only.
    Rest breaks	For candidates with physical and medical conditions, such as chronic fatigue or diabetes.
    Braille papers
    Exceptional Conditions	Note
    Special papers	For candidates with special vision issues or where a plastic overlay cannot be used to mitigate their vision problem.
    Signer	For deaf candidates.
    Home supervision	For candidates whose disbility prevents them from attending their scheduled examination session

11. Schools make an Application for Entitlement to Special Assessment Conditions on behalf of their candidates. The application form must be emailed to the SAC mailbox in the year the conditions are required. When approval is granted, this establishes entitlement for Special Assessment Conditions for both internally and externally assessed standards except those on the exclusions of assistance list.
12. Applications must be made on the Application for Entitlement to Special Assessment Conditions form and contain:
    
    1. the candidate's full name, date of birth and NSN
    2. conditions required (refer to list above)
    3. summary of the needs analysis supporting the application
    4. either the name and qualifications of the  independent registered professional and date of report providing the supporting evidence and/or the list of tests, etc. used to generate alternative evidence, the name/s and/or position/s of the person who administered these tests and the date/s on which they were administered.
       
       BOTH SECTION A (DOC, 66KB) and SECTION B (DOC, 83KB) MUST BE COMPLETED.
       
       
13. Schools can anticipate NZQA approval to provide appropriate special assessment conditions for internally assessed standards that might be assessed before applications are processed.
14. Entries into externally assessed standards for candidates approved as entitled to Special Assessment Conditions can be made from 1 May in the school's data file submission. Schools must then enter and confirm Special Assessment Conditions sought for specific externally assessed standards through their school's high security facility on the NZQA website in August before final entries for externally assessed standards are due at NZQA (1 September).
15. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority reserves the right to amend and/or decline Special Assessment Conditions applications for externally assessed standards which do not meet its criteria. Approval in one year does not necessarily mean that approval will be given in subsequent years.
16. Late notification of an application for Special Assessment Conditions is possible for a candidate who has a newly-identified condition or arrives from another school:
    
    1. A candidate with a newly-identified condition must provide a copy of the report from the appropriate registered professional or the alternative evidence used to support their application.
    2. A newly enrolled candidate from another New Zealand school must, on enrolment, provide a copy of the report from the appropriate registered professional or the alternative evidence used to support their application at their former school. The new school must contact NZQA to advise of the change of enrolment and seek approval for conditions if this has not already occurred.
    3. A newly enrolled candidate arriving from overseas must, on enrolment, provide the school with existing documented evidence of need, to be sent to NZQA to be considered as alternative evidence to support their application.
17. All applications must be made by the school and be endorsed by the Principal's Nominee and processed by the due date(s).
18. NZQA will consider each candidate's application for entitlement to Special Assessment Conditions. All inquiries should be directed to the School Relationship Manager.
    
    

    Valid assessment

19. Although a candidate may be entitled to Special Assessment Conditions, these may not offered for each standard entry, as schools must first ensure the validity of assessment, taking into account the relevant explanatory notes and any exclusions of assistance.
20. Special Assessment Conditions must not be offered where they compromise the assessment objectives of the standard in question.
    
    1. Candidates need to be aware when they are choosing a course that they may not be able to demonstrate attainment in all standards assessed in that course (e.g. a deaf candidate would not be able to achieve a listening standard or a colour blind student may not be able to read the maps in a geography paper).
    2. Schools must ensure that Special Assessment Conditions are appropriate before they undertake to enter candidates for standards requiring skills to be demonstrated that are beyond the physical or learning capacity of the candidate (e.g. a physically disabled candidate may not be able to achieve some performance-based standards in Physical Education).
21. Special Assessment Conditions are not available for externally assessed achievement standards for Technology, Graphics, and Visual Arts, and those standards for which Special Assessment Conditions are specifically excluded.
    
    

    Record Keeping

22. Throughout the year schools must keep detailed records of Special Assessment Conditions provided to entitled candidates, including any feedback from candidates or their teachers about the appropriateness and usefulness of these conditions, and make them available to NZQA on request.
23. Each year a selection of schools will have their special assessment policies and procedures audited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority to determine if they are complying with these guidelines.
    
    

    Appeals

24. A school or candidate may appeal the decision made about Special Assessment Conditons by writing to the Manager, School Quality Assurance and Liaison within 15 business days of the notification of the decision.
25. If not satisfied with the outcome of the appeal the school or candidate may write to the Chief Executive within 15 business days of the date of the notification of the decision. The Chief Executive will make a judgement and that decision will be final.