Documentation Requirements

Documentation Requirements for All Diagnoses

  • Identification of a specific diagnosis; vague descriptions such as “learning issues” or “anxiety problems” are not sufficient
  • Explanation of diagnosis from an authorized agency, individual or medical source
  • Description of how your disability may affect you in an academic setting
  • Names, titles and professional credentials of the evaluators included on official letterhead
  • Summary of Performance (SOP) and most recent IEP or 504 Plan, if available

Documentation Requirements for Specific Diagnoses

In addition to the documentation required for all diagnoses (see above), here is a list of additional documentation requirements for specific diagnoses.

Learning Disabilities

  • Full, comprehensive diagnostic report, including subtest scores and interpretation of results
  • Testing should include both Standardized Cognitive Testing – examples include Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities, Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale – and Standardized Achievement Testing – examples include  Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT), Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement

ADHD

Documentation must come from a clinical psychologist, licensed counselor, psychiatrist, neurologist or certified school-based evaluator; we do not accept documentation from pediatricians or family physicians. Documentation should include:

    • History of attention deficit symptoms, including how it affected you in an educational setting
    • List of evaluation methods, such as rating scales, interviews, and observations, used to diagnose the ADHD and rule out other diagnoses
    • Specific diagnosis based on DSM-V diagnostic criteria
    • Interpretive report that summarizes results and makes specific recommendations based on these results

Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • A diagnostic report from either a neurologist, a psychologist or a psychiatrist
  • Standardized cognitive testing, such as the WAIS (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) or Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC)
  • Achievement testing, if available

Low Vision or Blindness

An ocular evaluation from an ophthalmologist with:

    • Supporting numerical description including visual acuity with and without correction
    • Description of any visual aids currently used
    • Description of educational impact of your visual impairment
    • Specific recommendations for accommodations

Deaf or Hard of Hearing

An audiological evaluation or audiogram documenting:

    • The type, degree, and configuration of hearing loss
    • Description of any audiological technologies currently used, including hearing function with these technologies
    • Description of educational impact of your hearing impairment
    • Specific recommendations for accommodations

Physical, Mobility, or Chronic Medical Conditions

A letter from your treating physician documenting:

  • A specific diagnosis using ICD-10 criteria
  • A description of how your diagnosis affects you in an educational setting
  • Specific recommendations for accommodations

Mental Health Conditions

A letter from your treating mental health professional (e.g., licensed clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, neurologist, marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional counselor) which contains:

  • A specific psychiatric diagnosis using DSM-V criteria
  • A description of how your diagnosis affects you in an educational setting
  • Specific recommendations for accommodations
  • Date of last clinical contact (should have been within the last year)

“Emotional Disturbance” (ED) or “Serious Emotional Disturbance” (SED) are not acceptable diagnoses at the post-secondary level.

Last updated .