Psychoeducational Evaluations

A psychoeducational evaluation is the process of using a combination of different tests, interviews, observations, and background information to help determine an individual’s preferred learning style, learning potential, and strengths and weaknesses. It is helpful when a student is struggling academically to help determine the nature of their difficulty in such areas as reading, writing, arithmetic, memory, attention, organization, time management, executive functions, processing speed, or learning new information. The evaluation is tailored to address the individual student’s learning challenges by uncovering the barriers to achieving their academic potential.

Psychoeducational evaluations are provided for individuals ages 6 and older, including adults, to help identify and diagnose:

Learning Disabilities
- Reading – Dyslexia
- Math – Dyscalculia
- Writing – Dysgraphia
ADHD
Eligibility for Gifted Programs
Learning / Processing Problems

Learning challenges and behavioral/emotional issues can be complex, and have many components that may affect the ability to acquire and apply knowledge. Information about how a student learns, and what their strengths and weaknesses are, will guide the development of the best treatment and intervention strategies. The results from psychoeducational testing can help save time by avoiding ineffective strategies and help develop – when and where appropriate, and as allowed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) – recommendations about teaching approaches, remediation, accommodations, interventions, and compensatory techniques.

Psychoeducational evaluations are frequently required for school interventions or accommodations at all school levels, including college, graduate school, law school, and medical school. The Georgia Board of Regents requires a psychoeducational evaluation must have been conducted within 3 years for college students to receive additional time for tests, tutoring, and other accommodations needed to optimize learning. A psychoeducational evaluation is also required for accommodations on standardized tests such as the PSAT, AP, SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, MCAT, and LSAT exams.

Additionally it may be used for adults in the workplace to support work place accommodations consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities.

ADHD should not be diagnosed with a simple behavior checklist or an interview with a psychologist or psychiatrist, as ADHD can mimic other conditions such as mood or behavioral disorders. Also, more than 80% of individuals with ADHD have at least one other diagnosis. Additionally, other learning disabilities such as reading, math, or auditory processing problems, co-occur in up to 40% of individuals with ADHD. Therefore, a cognitive assessment and an achievement assessment should be included in a comprehensive ADHD evaluation for students. A comprehensive evaluation will help determine if the person really has ADHD, to what degree, and identify the areas of functioning that are affected. It is important to determine the exact nature of the condition so that the most effective interventions, accommodations, or modifications can be implemented.

Psychoeducational testing plays a key role in identifying a person’s strengths, as well as their weaknesses, so that they may learn skills to succeed in school and in life. Whether the problem is ADHD, a learning disability, or another mental health condition, treatment options are recommended. In the case of learning disorders, tutoring and or therapy may also be helpful.

It is important to note that most insurances do not pay for learning disability testing, although they pay for ADHD testing. The cost for a full assessment is determined by the total number of hours required to complete the full evaluation process, including testing time, scoring, interpreting, writing up the results, and meeting with parents for the feedback session. The psychologist will discuss the fee during the intake session. Fifty percent of the fee is required on the day of testing, with the balance due on the date of the feedback appointment. Accepted forms of payment include HSA, FSA, credit card, debit card, cash, or check.