Psychoeducational evaluations at Child and Family Development

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Child and Family Development psychologists and educators offer comprehensive evaluation services.  

What is a comprehensive psychoeducational assessment?

  • The model of a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation includes a psychologist and an educator working as a diagnostic team.
  • A typical battery of psychological tests assesses cognitive domains (e.g., attention, language, memory, visual processing, reasoning ability, speed, and fine motor skills), and social/emotional functioning. The parents are given a selection of behavioral questionnaires at the time of intake which they and the primary teacher complete and return to the psychologist. These measures assess social and behavioral functioning and gather information about the child‚Äôs performance in multiple environments on a daily basis.
  • The Educational Specialist will assess academic achievement (e.g., reading, writing, math), as well as visual-motor functioning (e.g., handwriting), phonological processing abilities, and organization skills necessary for performing academic tasks. Educational Specialists must, at minimum, hold a master‚Äôs degree and have extensive clinical experience developing their skill set. Educational Specialists have expertise in the treatment of learning disabilities and academic interventions. They are well connected with the educational resources of our community.

Why is a comprehensive evaluation necessary for my child?

  • Both psychological and educational data must be gathered in order to provide the following:
    o diagnostic clarification for a variety of conditions (e.g., ADHD, dyslexia),
    o targeted treatment interventions for specific areas of weakness,
    o providing documentation for the purpose of receiving accommodations in school settings or for standardized tests (e.g., SAT)
  • Private evaluations are designed to provide high quality clinical services to ensure that children are able to reach their highest potential. This differs from the kinds of evaluations and services that are available through special education supports at local public schools. Public schools are able to provide high quality evaluations to students that meet formalized eligibility requirements, and these students typically must have a history of learning deficits which are negatively impacting their ability to meet grade-level expectations.

Read more about the psychoeducational evaluations here