Information & Applications » ADA » ADA Accommodations on the Bar Examination in Missouri
It is the policy of the Missouri Board of Law Examiners to provide accommodations in testing conditions to qualified applicants with disabilities, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, to the extent such accommodations are reasonable, consistent with the nature and purpose of the examination, and necessitated by the applicant's disability. If you have a disability for which you need to request accommodations to take the bar examination, read the General Instructions for Requesting Test Accommodations. Every request for accommodations must include a complete Application Request for Accommodations, including all required supporting documentation, and be submitted with your Application for Bar Examination in accord with the filing deadlines for the exam. Each applicant's request for accommodations is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
The Americans with Disabilities Act
The ADA defines a person with a disability as someone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
The Purpose of Test Accommodations
The purpose of test accommodations is to provide equal access to the bar examination. Test accommodations means an adjustment or modification to the standard testing conditions that alleviates the impact of the applicant's functional limitation on the examination process without fundamentally altering the nature of the examination; imposing an undue administrative or financial burden on the board; compromising the security, validity, or reliability of the examination; or providing an unfair advantage to the applicant with the disability. While the use of accommodations on the bar examination presumably will enable the applicant to better demonstrate their knowledge mastery, test accommodations are not a guarantee of improved performance, test completion, or a passing score.
How to Request Accommodations
Applicants must submit a complete request for accommodations as discussed in the General Instructions for Requesting Test Accommodations, including the Application Request for Accommodations (Form 1), the applicable disability verification form(s) (Forms 2-6), and if necessary, the Certification(s) of Accommodations History (Form 7).
Instructions: General Instructions for Requesting Test Accommodations
Form 1: Application Request for Accommodations
Form 2: Learning Disability Verification
Form 3: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Verification
Form 4: Psychological Disability Verification
Form 5: Visual Disability Verification
Form 6: Physical Disability Verification
Form 7: Certification of Accommodations History
Please note that the board may have any request for test accommodations, together with all supporting documentation, reviewed by an expert(s) in the appropriate area of disability for a fair and impartial professional opinion. After review of your request is completed, you will receive a letter advising whether you have been granted test accommodations. If your request is granted, the letter will detail the accommodations that are being provided and you will be required to affirmatively accept the accommodations. If your request is denied, the letter will explain the reasons and will set out the procedures and time limit for seeking reconsideration.