Executive function accommodations: 24 examples for the IEP

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

Executive function accommodations support the skills a student uses to start, plan, organize, remember and check work, without changing what the student must learn. Examples include a written first step at the start of work, chunked assignments with separate due dates, visual timers, checklists for multi-step tasks and weekly binder checks. Write each with what, when, how much and who.

Executive function is the set of skills that lets a student hold directions in mind, start a task, shift between tasks and keep track of time and materials. The Harvard Center on the Developing Child describes three core parts: working memory, mental flexibility and self-control.^[1] When those skills lag, a student can know the content and still fail the class.

Accommodations work around the gap so the student can show what they know. Goals and instruction build the skill itself. A good IEP usually has both, and plans for the accommodation to fade as the skill grows. The 24 accommodations below are grouped by the skill they support. Each is checked as an accommodation or a modification, with its effect on grading and testing. They are examples; the team chooses from data.

For students with ADHD, the classroom-wide view is in ADHD accommodations in the classroom. The goals that pair with these supports are in executive functioning IEP goals. The general method for any accommodation is in the pillar on IEP accommodations.

Match the accommodation to the skill

"Disorganized" is not a need statement. Name the skill that breaks down, then choose the support.

What you see	Skill that breaks down	Accommodation type	Goal area to pair
Sits for 10 minutes before writing anything	Task initiation	Presentation and timing	Task initiation
Starts the essay the night before it is due	Planning	Timing and organization	Planning
Loses track of time during tests	Time management	Timing	Time management
Forgets step 3 of a 4-step direction	Working memory	Presentation	Working memory
Binder holds 6 weeks of loose papers	Organization	Setting and materials	Organization
Turns in work with skipped items	Self-monitoring	Response	Self-monitoring

The legal basis

The IEP states the supplementary aids and services, program modifications and supports provided so the student can make progress in the general curriculum.^[2] Accommodations used on state and district tests must follow the state's guidelines.^[3] Some executive function supports, such as frequent breaks or a separate room, are allowed on most state tests. Others, like a checklist with content hints, may not be. Check the state manual before copying a classroom support into the testing section; testing accommodations explains how.

24 executive function accommodations written for the IEP

Starting work (task initiation)

Accommodation as written in the IEP	Type	Effect on grading and testing
1. During independent work in all core classes, the teacher gives the student the first step in writing within 2 minutes of the work period starting.	Accommodation	None
2. The student receives a "start card" listing materials and step 1, placed on the desk by the para before independent work.	Accommodation	None
3. The teacher checks in with the student within the first 3 minutes of independent work, once per work period.	Accommodation	None
4. For writing tasks, the student receives a sentence starter or a completed first sentence in English and social studies.	Accommodation	None, if the graded skill is content, not composing the opening

Planning and long-term work

Accommodation as written in the IEP	Type	Effect on grading and testing
5. Assignments longer than 1 week are broken into 3 or more parts with separate due dates, written into the planner by the teacher.	Accommodation	None; the full assignment is still required
6. The student receives a project timeline with dates when any project is assigned, in all classes.	Accommodation	None
7. The case manager reviews upcoming due dates with the student for 15 minutes every Monday.	Accommodation	None
8. The student receives a graphic organizer for any writing assignment longer than 1 paragraph.	Accommodation	None

Time management

Accommodation as written in the IEP	Type	Effect on grading and testing
9. A visual timer shows remaining time during independent work and tests, on the student's desk or the board.	Accommodation	None; check state rules for state tests
10. During tests of 30 minutes or more, the teacher tells the student the remaining time at the halfway point and at 10 minutes left.	Accommodation	None
11. The student receives up to 1.5 times the standard time on tests and quizzes in all classes.	Accommodation	None; follow the state manual for state tests
12. The student uses a written daily schedule with times, reviewed at the start of the day with the homeroom teacher.	Accommodation	None

Working memory

Accommodation as written in the IEP	Type	Effect on grading and testing
13. Directions with more than 2 steps are given in writing as well as aloud, in all classes.	Accommodation	None
14. The student has a printed copy of class notes or slides at the start of each lesson in science and social studies.	Accommodation	None
15. The student may use a math formula sheet the teacher provides to the whole class, for classwork and unit tests.	Accommodation if the formulas are not the tested skill; modification if recalling them is	Check what the test measures
16. The student may repeat directions back to the teacher and ask once for clarification without penalty during tests.	Accommodation	None

Organization and materials

Accommodation as written in the IEP	Type	Effect on grading and testing
17. The student uses one color-coded binder with a pocket for each class and a "to turn in" folder.	Accommodation	None
18. The para or case manager checks the binder with the student for 10 minutes every Friday and helps sort loose papers.	Accommodation	None
19. The student keeps a set of class materials in each classroom so supplies do not travel.	Accommodation	None
20. All assignments are posted online the same day with due dates and digital copies of handouts.	Accommodation	None

Self-monitoring and checking work

Accommodation as written in the IEP	Type	Effect on grading and testing
21. The student uses a written checklist for multi-step tasks such as lab reports and essays, provided by the teacher.	Accommodation	None, if the checklist lists steps and not answers
22. Before turning in a test, the student is prompted once by the teacher to check for skipped items.	Accommodation	None
23. The student uses a self-monitoring card during independent work, marking on-task or off-task at each 5-minute tone.	Accommodation	None

When the expectation changes

Accommodation as written in the IEP	Type	Effect on grading and testing
24. The student completes a shorter version of research projects with 2 sources instead of 5 and is graded on a reduced rubric.	Modification	Changes what is graded; note as district policy requires

Item 24 is the only modification. It lowers the standard the student is graded against. Item 5 keeps the full project but changes the timeline, which is why it stays an accommodation. Item 15 can go either way, and the answer depends on what the test measures.

Weak vs better wording

Weak: "Help with organization."

Better: "The case manager checks the student's binder with the student for 10 minutes every Friday during advisory, sorting papers into class pockets and listing missing work."

Weak: "Chunk assignments."

Better: "Assignments longer than 1 week are broken into 3 or more parts with separate due dates. The teacher writes the dates in the student's planner on the day the assignment is given."

The better versions can be checked. If the binder check did not happen on Friday, anyone reading the IEP can see that.

A worked example: chunking a research paper

Maya is an 8th grader (fictional) with ADHD. Her baseline over the first quarter: 1 of 4 long-term projects turned in, and that one was 6 days late. Short assignments came back at 85% completion. The gap pointed to planning, not content.

The team added items 5, 7 and 21. For the 3-week history paper, the teacher set 4 checkpoints: topic and 3 sources by day 4, outline by day 8, draft by day 15 and final by day 21. The case manager reviewed the checkpoints every Monday.

Maya met 3 of 4 checkpoints on time and turned in the final paper 1 day late. On the next project, she met all 4. The team then wrote a planning goal for Maya to set her own checkpoints, with the teacher-made timeline fading over the next semester. The numbers are an illustration of the method, not a target.

Tracking and fading

Each accommodation should come with a plan for what happens when the skill grows. A checklist given by the teacher can become a checklist the student writes. A Monday review led by the case manager can become a Monday review the student leads with a check.

Track use with a quick tally: did the support happen, and did the student use it? The accommodation tracking sheet has a format for this. Track the skill itself with the matching measure, such as latency to start work on the latency data sheet or completion on the work completion guide.

Homework is a common place executive function breaks down; the homework accommodations page covers supports that reach home. For task initiation goals and on-task behavior goals, see the executive functioning guides.

Frequently asked questions

What are examples of executive function accommodations?

A written first step at the start of work, chunked assignments with separate due dates, visual timers, written directions, copies of notes, checklists for multi-step tasks, a color-coded binder with weekly checks and prompts to review work before turning it in.

Do executive function accommodations need a diagnosis?

No specific diagnosis is required. The student must be eligible for an IEP or a 504 plan, and the team chooses accommodations based on the needs shown in the evaluation and present levels.

Should executive function accommodations fade over time?

Many should. Pair each accommodation with a goal that builds the skill, then shift the support from adult to student. A teacher-made checklist can become one the student writes. Keep any support the student still needs to access the work.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

A Guide to Executive Function, Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University
34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.160: Participation in assessments, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.