Students with disabilities (those covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act) must be provided the appropriate accommodations necessary to participate in the state and district assessments as required for reading and math under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Accommodations are tools and procedures that provide equal access to instruction and assessment for students with disabilities. They are provided to “level the playing field.” Without the right accommodations, students with disabilities may not be able to access grade level instruction and have every opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge in state and district assessments.