Testing Accommodations
Assessment Accommodations
BCSI is committed to providing qualified individuals with disabilities equitable access to credentialing assessments. Our process is grounded in a straightforward principle: we will provide accommodations that remove barriers to participation, while preserving the performance standards and safety expectations that give BCSI credentials their value to employers, institutions, and the candidates who earn them.
This page is for candidates, schools, and institutional partners. If you have questions not addressed here, contact us at info@bcsi.bio.
Understanding BCSI Credentials
BCSI credentials are performance-based assessments. Each credential certifies that a candidate independently demonstrated a specific bioscience or biotechnology skill to an industry-validated standard under observed conditions. The criteria, safety expectations, and performance thresholds embedded in each assessment reflect real employer requirements, not arbitrary benchmarks.
This context matters for accommodations. An accommodation is appropriate when it changes the conditions under which a candidate demonstrates a skill. It is not appropriate when it changes the standard to which that skill is judged, or when it removes a step that is itself the skill being assessed.
What BCSI Can Accommodate
BCSI reviews all accommodation requests individually. The following types of accommodations are generally available when they do not conflict with assessment criteria:
- Alternate formats for written instructions
- Assistive or adaptive equipment, where equivalent tools are reasonably available in comparable employer settings
- Modified testing environment, including adjusted lighting, seating, or room setup
- Scheduled rest breaks, where endurance is not a component of the skill being assessed
Accommodations that would waive a critical assessment criterion, remove an essential job function, or alter the performance standard itself are not available under this policy. This includes modifications that would require another person to perform a portion of the assessed task on behalf of the candidate.
BCSI does not automatically extend accommodations approved in academic or other credentialing settings. Each request is reviewed against the specific credential and its assessment rubric.
For full details, download the BCSI Assessment Accommodations Policy below.
How to Request an Accommodation
Step 1: Download and complete the BCSI Accommodation Request Form. The form collects information about the accommodation sought and the functional limitation relevant to the assessment.
Step 2: Gather supporting documentation. Documentation from a qualified professional describing the functional limitation relevant to the assessment is required. A specific diagnosis is not required; documentation of the functional limitation is sufficient.
Step 3: Submit your request. Email the completed form and supporting documentation to info@bcsi.bio no later than 10 business days prior to your scheduled assessment date.
Step 4: Receive a determination. BCSI will review your request and issue a written determination within five business days of receiving complete documentation. Approvals will specify the exact accommodation to be implemented. If a request cannot be approved as submitted, BCSI will provide the basis for the decision in writing.
Step 5: Appeals. Candidates who receive a denial or partial approval may submit a written appeal to info@bcsi.bio within 10 business days of notification. Appeals must identify the specific determination being challenged, state the basis for the appeal, and include any new documentation not previously submitted.
For Schools and Institutional Partners
BCSI works closely with colleges, secondary schools, employer training sites, and workforce programs that administer BCSI assessments. Partner institutions have a role in the accommodations process and should be aware of the following:
- Candidates should be informed of their right to request accommodations prior to enrolling in a BCSI assessment.
- Accommodation requests and supporting documentation should be facilitated and submitted to BCSI within the required timeframe.
- Approved accommodations will be coordinated with the institutional partner and the assigned BCSI Certified Evaluator prior to the assessment date.
- BCSI’s accommodation determination does not substitute for the institution’s independent obligations under Title II of the ADA or Section 504 of the
- Rehabilitation Act. Institutions with questions about their responsibilities should consult their own legal counsel.
BCSI is available to answer questions and support partners throughout the process. Contact us at info@bcsi.bio.