Step 1: The student completes the Registration Form and submits documentation supporting their request for accommodations.

While each request is handled on a case-by-case basis, please note the following documentation guidelines:

• Documentation must be typed or written legibly in English, signed, and dated by a professional who is qualified to conduct assessments, render diagnoses, and recommend accommodations. The name, title, and credentials of the evaluator shall be included. Documentation may not be provided by family members.
• Documentation must describe the current severity and limitations of a student’s functional abilities that rise to the level of a disability as defined by ADA, as well as a direct link between the functional limitations and request for accommodations.
• Documentation must be submitted for each disability. A DSM-5 or ICD-10-CM diagnosis alone does not necessarily warrant accommodations under the ADA.
• Documentation should include a relevant history, background information and/or compensatory strategies related to a student’s disability. We understand that some students may not have access to this history if a diagnosis happened later in life.

Timing

A student may submit documentation at any time. Documentation must be submitted at minimum ten business days before the accommodation is to be implemented. With that said, it can take 3-4 weeks to review documentation, consult with providers, determine reasonable accommodations, and implement those accommodations. Students are encouraged to submit accommodation requests and supporting documentation at least one month before the requested accommodation would be implemented. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive. A student may not present documentation and ask for accommodations or special consideration after a grade has been reported. After a grade has been reported, it may be re-examined only as outlined in the Student Handbook of Academic Policies.

Learning Disabilities and/or Attention Disorders

Students with learning disabilities and/or attention disorders requesting permanent accommodations must submit a psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluation report including a diagnostic interview and relevant testing, including standard scores to help assess functional limitations, severity, etc. In general, learning disabilities evaluations should be completed using an adult-normed instrument within five years of a student’s registration with the office. Attention disorders evaluations should be completed using an adult-normed instrument within three years of a student’s registration with the office. A student’s scores from a battery of tests administered during an evaluation are one set of data reviewed as part of the holistic process. If a student does not have a current evaluation for learning disabilities and/or attention disorders, we encourage the student to submit any documentation that may support a request for temporary accommodations. 

Chronic, Physical and Mental Health Disabilities

Documentation of chronic health, physical and mental health disabilities should be within six months of a student’s registration with the office and indicate current treatment information and prognosis (if relevant).

Supporting Documentation

Supporting documentation provides additional information to support a student’s request for accommodations. It is important to note that students with functional limitations that rise to the level of a disability as defined by ADA may not receive the exact same accommodations at Georgetown Law as they received at a previous institution. Examples of supporting documentation may include:

• Approval forms for national standardized exams (e.g., GRE, LSAT, GMAT, SAT, ACT)
• Letters verifying prior accommodations (e.g., high school, college, law school)
• IEP and/or 504 Plan verifying previous accommodations

Step 2: The student meets with a member of the Accessibility Services team for an intake meeting.

The purpose of accommodations is to remove access barriers for students who have limitations of their functional abilities that rise to the level of a disability as defined by ADA. Reasonable accommodations are determined following documentation review, an intake appointment, and clinician consultation (when necessary and with approval). We carefully consider a student’s access needs while balancing learning preferences. Following documentation review and an intake meeting, the Accessibility Services team will inform the student of approved accommodations via email. A student who disagrees with an accommodation determination may appeal as outlined in the Policy for Requesting Disability Accommodations at the Law Center.