Reasonable Testing Accommodations

The Idaho State Bar (“Bar”) welcomes persons with disabilities to use the services of the Bar, including taking the Idaho Bar Examination. Reasonable testing accommodations will be made for qualified applicants with disabilities. The offices of the Bar are fully accessible, as are the locations of the bar exam. The Bar Examination is a timed examination administered over two days in a quiet environment. Applicants are allowed to use small foam earplugs, which are provided by the Bar. Applicants may leave the testing area to stretch and use the restrooms. The first exam day consists of six essay questions in a three-hour morning session. The afternoon session consists of two performance test questions to be answered in a three-hour session. The second day consists of 200 multiple choice questions answered on a computer grid sheet; 100 answered in each three-hour session. The Bar is a “public entity” covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).

It is the policy of the Bar to administer the bar examination and all other services of this office in a manner that does not discriminate against qualified applicants with disabilities. A qualified applicant with a disability who is otherwise eligible to take the bar examination, but who cannot demonstrate under standard testing conditions that he/she possesses the knowledge and skills to be admitted to the Bar, may request reasonable testing accommodations.

The Bar will make reasonable modifications in any policies, practices, and procedures, which might otherwise deny equal access to individuals with disabilities. The Bar will furnish additional testing time, auxiliary aids, and services when necessary. No additional charges will be assessed to individuals with disabilities to cover the costs of reasonable accommodations.

Please see Idaho Bar Commission Rule 214.

Print an Application

All requests for reasonable testing accommodations must be submitted on the following forms. Some of the forms may not be applicable depending on the nature of your condition or the history of your accommodations. These forms, along with complete information for this process, are available in PDF format.

Please print the following:

Information Sheet
Form A – Eligibility Questionnaire – Completed by the applicant.
Form B – Physical Impairment Verification – Completed by a licensed professional with specific expertise in this area, describing the type and extent of the disability and specifying the effect of such disability on the applicant’s ability to be examined. The professional should be specific about any recommendations for extra testing time.
Form C – Learning Disability – Including problems with reading or other specific skills or cognitive problems related to the history of illness or injury. Completed by a licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist with specialized expertise in the assessment of learning disabilities. This form should be accompanied by copies of the evaluation and psychological testing scores, which were administered within three years from the date the application for reasonable testing accommodations is filed.
Form D- Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder Verification – Completed by licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist with specialized expertise in the assessment of learning disabilities. This form should be accompanied by copies of the evaluation and psychological testing scores, which were administered within three years from the date the application for reasonable testing accommodations is filed.
Form E – Consent to Release student Records and Statement of Law School Official – Completed by law school official.
Form F – Consent to Release Applicant Records and Statement of another Bar Jurisdiction – Completed by jurisdiction official.
Form G – Consent to Release Student Records and Statement Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination Official – Completed by MPRE official.

Accommodations for Breastfeeding

Under Idaho Bar Commission Rule 214, an applicant with a physical impairment may seek reasonable testing accommodations for taking the Idaho Bar Exam. “Physical impairment” is defined as a “disorder or condition or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the body’s systems.” I.B.C.R. 214(a)(4). Pursuant to I.B.C.R. 214, reasonable testing accommodations for applicants who are breastfeeding may be available to enable such applicants to express breast milk during the examination.

Process for submitting requests: Applicants should submit a request for accommodations for breastfeeding in writing to Maureen Ryan Braley, Director of Admissions of the Idaho State Bar. Applicants should list all accommodations they believe will be necessary on the day of the exam with as much specificity as possible. Accommodations may typically include:

Permission to bring a breast pump and accompanying equipment, storage containers, and a cooler if necessary.
A private location for expressing milk (other than a bathroom), with an electrical outlet.
Exam room seating that affords the swiftest possible route between the test room and the lactation area during breaks.
Additional off-the-clock break time if existing breaks are insufficiently frequent for an individual’s circumstances.

Your written request must be accompanied by medical documentation from your child’s pediatrician or your qualified medical provider verifying the child’s date of birth and that you are breastfeeding. You must also submit a written recommendation from your child’s pediatrician or your qualified medical provider regarding specific accommodations to be provided to you on the bar exam.

Please be advised that applicants may, upon request of the Idaho State Bar, be required to submit additional medical documentation to support a request.

Except in extraordinary circumstances or due to a recently emergent event, requests for lactation-related accommodations must be received by the Idaho State Bar at least four (4) weeks prior to the first day of the bar examination.

Questions or Problems with the Forms: Contact the Admissions Department at (208) 334-4500.

Order an Application

Please send a written request for a Reasonable Accommodations Application to Admissions Department, Idaho State Bar, PO Box 895, Boise, ID 83701. If you wish to order by phone, please call (208) 334-4500 and ask for Tasha Sorrells-Landeros in the Admissions Department.