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Psychoeducational Evaluations

Understanding Learning & Academic Success

Psychoeducational evaluations are most often initiated when there are concerns from school or parents about a student’s academic performance or behavior in a learning environment. In this type of evaluation, I thoroughly assess how a student's cognitive (intellectual) abilities, academic achievement levels, emotional well-being, and information processing skills impact their success at school.

These evaluations are crucial for:

Informing eligibility for educational services.
Guiding educational placement decisions.
Developing effective instructional objectives.
Clearly identifying both academic strengths and weaknesses.

learning school classroom students learning raising their hands

What Questions Can a Psychoeducational Evaluation Answer?

My evaluations aim to provide clarity on key questions, such as:

Does the student have a learning disorder, developmental disability, or an attentional problem (like ADHD) that affects their functioning at school?
Based on a student’s unique cognitive and behavioral profile, how can caregivers and the school best assist in educational planning and support?

While learning and academic achievement are the primary focus, I also address behavioral, emotional, and medical issues as they relate to learning. When appropriate, I'll provide referrals to other specialists, such as occupational therapy for fine motor skills, speech and language pathology for communication difficulties, or therapy for behavioral concerns.

What questions can a psychoeducational evaluation answer?

Why Families and Individuals Seek Psychoeducational Evaluations

Families and individuals often seek these evaluations to understand what is impacting their or their child’s learning, allowing them to access appropriate services and interventions. If an evaluation concludes that a student meets the criteria for certain diagnoses, they may then be able to access valuable educational resources that were previously unavailable.

Additionally, psychoeducational evaluations provide tailored recommendations for:

Classroom Accommodations: These are adjustments to how material is taught, made accessible, or assessed (e.g., extended time on tests, preferential seating).
Modifications: These refer to changes in what a student is taught or expected to learn (e.g., reduced workload, altered curriculum).
Interventions: These are specific programs or steps designed to help a child improve in an area of need (e.g., specialized reading programs).

Why do families and individuals seek psychoeducational evaluations?

Evaluations for Admission Test Accommodations (SAT, ACT, etc.)

I conduct evaluations necessary for students to apply for accommodations on admissions tests like the SAT or ACT. Organizations such as the College Board require a formal diagnostic evaluation conducted by a qualified professional. My reports detail the comprehensive testing and techniques used, include full test results with subtest scores, and describe how the student's disability affects their ability to participate in the test. I provide specific recommendations, such as the amount of extended time required.

Please note: While my evaluation provides the necessary documentation, receiving a diagnosis does not automatically guarantee a student will qualify for accommodations. The final decision rests with the testing organization. Visit the College Board website for additional information.

Can psychoeducational evaluations assist in obtaining admission test (e.g., SAT, GRE) accommodations

How Are Psychoeducational Evaluations Different from Other Assessments?

While psychoeducational evaluations utilize many of the same measures as psychological and neuropsychological evaluations, their primary goal is to understand a student’s ability to learn and to guide the development of educational accommodations, placement, and other supports from an educational perspective.

This type of evaluation requires specialized knowledge about learning disabilities, state and federal laws regarding education, and the specific accommodations or services that effectively support students with disabilities in school settings.

How do psychoeducational evaluations differ from other assessments?

Advantages Over School-Based Evaluations:

It's important for you to understand the distinctions between my private psychoeducational evaluations and those provided by school districts:

Medical Diagnosis: My evaluations provide a medical diagnosis, which school evaluations typically do not.
Comprehensive Training: As a doctoral-level clinical psychologist, I have extensive training in personality and neuropsychological measures, offering a broader and deeper understanding of test interpretation compared to master-level school psychologists.
Integrated Perspective: My evaluations provide a synthesized, comprehensive understanding of your child's profile, rather than fragmented assessments done by multiple professionals.
Objective Recommendations: I provide objective recommendations that are not biased by the school or school district's resources or policies.

What are the advantages of private evaluations over school-based evaluations?

The Evaluation Process

Psychoeducational evaluations follow a comprehensive process to ensure a thorough understanding of your or your child's needs. The first step is often a free 15-minute phone call to discuss your needs. If more time is needed, we can proceed directly to an initial meeting.

Initial Meeting (Telehealth): This initial meeting is conducted via telehealth with caregivers (or the adult client, if applicable) and typically lasts 50 to 90 minutes. This is a crucial time to review the student's history and collaboratively determine the assessment needs and next steps.
Detailed Questionnaire: Following our initial meeting, you'll complete a detailed questionnaire to provide comprehensive background information, which helps me prepare for subsequent steps.
Rating Scales: Parents will be asked to complete rating scales. You will receive two or three emails with a separate link for each form. There will be separate emails for each parent.
Record Review: I ask that you share all relevant records via PDF files before the first testing session These records might include:
- Report cards, progress reports, and transcripts.
- Standardized testing results and attendance records.
- Detentions, suspensions, and incident reports.
- Documentation related to SST (Student Success Team), 504 Plans, IEP (Individualized Education Program), or other plans.
- Assessment plans, requests, and referrals for evaluation.
- Notes and reports from teachers, resource specialists, psychologists, speech and language therapists, and other personnel who have provided services.
- Classroom observations of the student by any school or district personnel.
Collateral Information: With your permission, I'll speak to individuals who know you or your child well. These often include family members, mental health professionals, medical providers, or teachers.
Test Administration (In-Person): This usually involves 9 face-to-face hours, broken down into several testing sessions. This testing helps me understand abilities such as intelligence, attention, memory, social skills, language, and academic skills at the time of the evaluation.
School Observation (Optional): Depending on the questions we're addressing, I may need to observe how a child behaves in school and speak with their teachers.
Feedback Session (Telehealth): The final appointment is a feedback session, lasting between 50 to 90 minutes. This is our opportunity to sit down, discuss the test results and findings, and for me to provide recommendations and answer any questions you may have.
Report: You'll receive a comprehensive report that incorporates all the relevant information, including testing results and explanations of the findings. I'll provide individualized recommendations tailored to your concerns, resources, and unique profile of interests, strengths, and weaknesses.

What's the psychoeducational evaluation process?

How much do evaluations cost?

For detailed information regarding the cost of psychoeducational evaluations and my insurance policies, please visit my fees page.

Please note that insurance companies do not cover psychoeducational evaluations or evaluations solely for learning disorders. However, they sometimes provide partial reimbursement if a client is also being evaluated due to concerns about other diagnoses such as depression, anxiety, or ADHD.

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How much do psychoeducational evaluations cost?

Disclaimers:

Testing does not guarantee that a student will receive a specific diagnosis.
There is no guarantee that a student will qualify for accommodations; this decision is made by the school or school district.
I am not a special education lawyer or an educational advocate. I provide only my professional opinion. If you would like to attend a school meeting or speak to school personnel, my opinion will be provided objectively, regardless of whether it supports the position of the school district, the student, or the family.