Which statement correctly describes the difference between accommodations and modifications in assessments?

• A. Modifications alter how a student is assessed.
• B. Accommodations alter what the student is expected to demonstrate.
• C. Accommodations alter how a student is assessed; modifications alter what the student is expected to demonstrate.
• D. Both accommodations and modifications alter the grade level expected.

Answer: (C)

Accommodations and modifications are two ways to support a student in an assessment, but they affect different parts of the task. Accommodations change how the student is tested without changing what is being measured. They keep the same content and standards but adjust the format or supports, such as extra time, breaks, reading items aloud, large print, or using speech-to-text or other assistive technology. Modifications, in contrast, change what the student is asked to demonstrate by altering the task itself or its level of difficulty. This can mean simplifying questions, reducing the number of items, or using an alternative task that aligns with the student’s current skills, which can also change the expected outcome or grade-level alignment.

So the best description is that accommodations alter how the student is assessed, while modifications alter what the student is expected to demonstrate.