Learning Services - Hathaway Brown School | All-girls K-12 in Cleveland

At Hathaway Brown, we recognize every student learns differently, and we are committed to helping every girl reach her full academic potential.

Our Learning Services team works closely with students, families, and teachers to provide individualized support, guidance, and accommodations.

Hathaway Brown Educational Plans (HB Plans) provide students in grades 7-12 with accommodations that support their individual learning needs. These plans are designed to help students navigate coursework successfully while building independence and confidence.

Through HB Plans students with documented learning, attention, or psychiatric needs receive personalized support tailored to their strengths, inside and outside the classroom.

Hathaway Brown School has long honored and supported student learning differences. Students with diagnosed learning disabilities, attention disorders, psychiatric disorders, or with a disability that warrants reasonable educational accommodations qualify for HB plans.

Educational Plans

Students on an HB Plan must be able to manage the fast pace and demanding curriculum with basic accommodations in place. Accommodations delivered via HB Plans are extended only to class coursework in grades seven through 12.

A student whose needs would warrant extensive modifications and support beyond the capabilities of Hathaway Brown are encouraged to pursue options through their public or private school which offers Individualized Educational Plans.

Documentation

To be fair and consistent in granting accommodations, HB follows specific guidelines when accepting documentation. These guidelines are based on industry standards, as well as those set forth by formal test administrators such as ACT and The College Board, which administers PSAT, SAT, and AP.

A written report detailing a comprehensive educational evaluation conducted by a qualified professional is necessary to receive classroom and testing accommodations. Reports must be current (within the past three years) and include the following:

The student’s demographic and background information
All relevant developmental, medical and academic history
Assessment of the major domains of cognitive and academic functioning, including a list of tests administered, standard scores, and interpretation of the results
A concise summary of the full diagnostic interview
A clear diagnosis and statement of the disability (including DSM-5 code)
A discussion of how the disability limits the student’s academic function
Recommendations and rationale for specific academic accommodations

ADD/ADHD and psychiatric disorders are not learning disabilities, but they can affect learning. In order to receive accommodations, the evaluation must show the assessments and results used in determining a diagnosis and how the disability specifically negatively impacts the student’s academic skills. A letter or prescription from a treating physician is insufficient documentation.

Testing Accommodations

For testing accommodations on the ACT or The College Board (PSAT, SAT, AP) exams, a separate application must be made to those test administrators. For College Board tests, application is typically made near the end of ninth grade. For ACT, application must be made approximately two months prior to the first time the student takes the test, typically during the first semester of 11th grade.