Extra Time on Tests: Fair Access for Neurodivergent Students

If you've ever watched a neurodivergent student freeze under the pressure of a ticking clock, you've seen firsthand how timed tests can become barriers rather than measures of knowledge. Extra time on exams isn't about giving an advantage - it's about removing the invisible obstacles that prevent brilliant minds from showing what they truly know.

Welcome to a conversation that's transforming how we think about fair assessment. Let's explore why extended time is one of the most powerful tools for creating genuinely equitable testing environments.

The Executive Function Bottleneck Under Time Pressure

For neurodivergent students, timed tests create a unique challenge that goes far beyond the material being assessed. The brain's 'mental manager' - the executive function system - is responsible for:

• Planning and organising the steps to complete a task
• Initiating action and maintaining focus
• Tracking progress through multiple steps
• Staying emotionally regulated under pressure

When you add a ticking clock to this equation, something fascinating and frustrating happens. The executive function system, already working overtime, can become overwhelmed by the dual demands of processing complex material and managing time pressure. It's like trying to run whilst someone keeps adding weight to your backpack - eventually, your performance drops not because you lack the ability, but because the system managing your effort has hit capacity.

Research has shown that when adolescents with neurodivergent traits receive extended time on reading comprehension tests, their scores improve significantly. This isn't because extra time magically provides answers - it's because removing the time pressure allows their true understanding to emerge.

What Extra Time Actually Does

Here's the truth that transforms how we view this accommodation: extra time doesn't add knowledge or skills that weren't there. Instead, it removes the bottleneck that was blocking access to existing knowledge.

Think of it this way - a neurodivergent student taking a timed test is simultaneously:

• Processing the questions
• Retrieving relevant information from memory
• Organising their thoughts into coherent answers
• Managing anxiety about the ticking clock
• Fighting their brain's natural tendency to drift or hyperfocus
• Constantly redirecting attention back to the task

With extended time, that last three items on the list ease considerably. The student's mind - not the stopwatch - becomes the primary decision-maker in their performance. This creates space for their actual knowledge and understanding to shine through.

Fair Access, Not Special Treatment

One of the most important shifts happening in education is the reframing of accommodations from 'special favours' to 'fair access'. When we understand that neurodivergent students aren't asking for an easier test - they're asking to be assessed on what they know rather than how well their executive function performed that particular day - the conversation changes entirely.

Fair tests should measure learning and understanding, not measure how hard someone's brain had to work to manage the testing process itself. Extended time levels the playing field by removing an arbitrary barrier that has nothing to do with the subject being assessed.

Building Confidence and Future Success

Perhaps the most beautiful outcome of providing appropriate accommodations is watching students begin to trust themselves again. When neurodivergent students consistently have the time they need to demonstrate their knowledge, they start to build genuine confidence - not in getting special treatment, but in their actual abilities.

This confidence becomes the foundation for approaching future challenges with optimism rather than dread. It shifts their internal narrative from 'I can't do this' to 'I can do this when I have the right support in place'.

At Brainzyme, we're passionate about supporting neurodivergent students through evidence-based approaches. Our scientifically proven plant-powered focus supplements work alongside accommodations like extended time to help students access their full potential.

Visit our homepage to discover how Brainzyme supports focus, clarity, and cognitive performance.