Here are educational assessment guidelines so you can know what to expect from a private psychoeducational or neurological assessment.
Three basic options for finding out more about your child’s learning profile:
a) if your child has “garden variety” learning challenges, it may be wise to skip extensive testing, and simply begin working with an educational therapist or tutor
b) as a tax payer, you are entitled to a free educational assessment from your local public school. This assessment will look for a gap between your child’s potential and school performance. If the gap is big enough, your child may be eligible for special education services. However, children with “too small” a gap will not be offered services — even if they struggle mightily to reach grade level performance.
c) for a fee, you can get a private educational assessment which can be a either a regular “psychoeducational evaluation” or an enhanced “neuropsychological assessment.”
A good private formal assessment:
– asks a clear question about your child’s challenges
– collects stories, facts, and history,
– administers standardized tests, and
– observes student behavior in the testing environment.
From a good private formal assessment you should get:
– a clear description of the information collected
– a portrait of your child that is consistent with your own understanding
-a readable, practical list of recommendations.
Please call us for referrals.
Already have an assessment you don’t understand?
Have us “translate” your report’s findings into a “letter” from your student explaining how his or her brain works — addressed to his parents and teachers.