More disabled students from low-decile schools will get extra help when they sit NCEA exams this year.
The Education Ministry and Qualifications Authority are making it easier for students to apply for assistance such as reader-writers and extra time to complete exams.
The changes follow figures from last year showing that only a few of the 4000 teenagers who qualify for special assessment conditions are from low-decile schools.
That is partly because independent assessment of students' disabilities costs up to $700.
The Qualifications Authority says it will make it easier for schools to apply for assistance for their students without paying for expensive assessments of their disability.
The Education Ministry says it will target 250 schools to ensure their eligible students apply.