From a first preschool readiness question to a graduate school application, educational testing follows a student across two decades of transitions. My approach is built to follow them too.
How I Approach Educational Testing
Every educational evaluation starts with the same discipline, regardless of the student’s age or the question being asked: gather information from multiple sources before drawing a conclusion from any one of them. The National Association of School Psychologists’ position on identifying specific learning disabilities is explicit that comprehensive evaluation should draw on multiple measures and data-gathering methods, rather than a single test score or classroom observation in isolation.1 In practice, that means a thorough developmental and academic history, input from parents and teachers where relevant, standardized cognitive and achievement testing, and, when the referral question calls for it, measures of attention, executive functioning, or social-emotional functioning layered on top.
The same discipline applies at the other end of the spectrum. Identifying giftedness well has the same requirement in reverse: the National Association for Gifted Children’s identification standards call for multiple criteria, gathered over time, using both objective and subjective information, specifically so that a single test on a single day doesn’t end up excluding a gifted learner who didn’t perform to their ceiling that morning.2 I apply that same “more than one data point” standard whether the question is a possible learning disability, a giftedness referral, or a school-readiness question for a four-year-old.
Two commitments run through every educational evaluation I conduct: the report has to connect results to real, functional recommendations a parent or teacher can actually use, and it has to name strengths with the same rigor it names challenges. A number on a page is only useful once it’s translated into what to do differently on a Tuesday afternoon during homework time.
What I Evaluate
Preschool and Pre-K Evaluations
Early developmental and readiness assessment for the youngest learners, well before formal school testing typically begins.
Early Kindergarten Readiness Testing
Assessing whether a child is developmentally prepared for kindergarten, or would benefit from an additional year or targeted support.
College Readiness Testing
Evaluating the cognitive and executive functioning skills that predict a smoother transition into the independence of college academics.
Dyslexia Testing
Evaluating reading and spelling difficulties consistent with the current definition of dyslexia, which characterizes it as a specific learning disability involving accuracy and speed of word reading that persists despite otherwise effective instruction.3
Dysgraphia Testing
Assessing difficulties with written expression, from handwriting mechanics to organizing thoughts on the page.
Dyscalculia Testing
Evaluating math-specific learning difficulties that go beyond a simple dislike of the subject.
Learning Disability Testing
Comprehensive testing when a learning difficulty doesn’t fit neatly into one category, or when several may be overlapping.
Psychoeducational Testing
An overview of what psychoeducational testing measures and how the results translate into school-based support.
Giftedness Testing
Identifying giftedness using multiple criteria, consistent with current best-practice standards for equitable identification.2
Learning Style Assessment
Clarifying how a student learns most effectively, to guide both instruction and independent study habits.
IEP and 504 Plan Testing
Evaluations designed specifically to meet the documentation standards schools require to establish eligibility for an IEP or 504 Plan.
How an Evaluation Works, Start to Finish
Comprehensive intake
A detailed conversation covering developmental, academic, and family history, plus the specific concerns that prompted the referral.
Individualized testing battery
Standardized measures selected specifically for the referral question, whether that’s cognitive, achievement, attention, executive functioning, or social-emotional testing, alone or in combination.
Feedback session
Results are explained in plain language before the final report arrives, so there are no surprises and questions get answered directly.
Actionable report
A written report that names both challenges and strengths, and translates scores into specific, usable recommendations for home and school.
School collaboration
Support connecting the report to an IEP, 504 Plan, or classroom accommodations, so the evaluation actually changes what happens day to day.
- School Accommodations: When to Get an Outside Evaluation
- Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) Services
- Twice-Exceptional Testing
- Accommodations Evaluations for Work, School, and Exams
- Cognitive Educational Therapy — for ongoing support after testing, through our sister practice
Not sure which evaluation fits your situation?
A free consultation is the fastest way to find out which type of educational testing, if any, answers your specific question.
Schedule a Free Consultation Read Psychological Testing FAQsHow do I know which type of educational testing my child needs?
The right starting point depends on the question: a reading struggle points toward dyslexia or learning disability testing, a school-eligibility question points toward IEP/504 testing, and an underperforming but clearly bright student might call for giftedness or twice-exceptional testing. A free consultation is often the fastest way to match the concern to the right evaluation.
What’s the difference between school testing and independent educational testing?
School testing is typically free and scoped specifically to determine eligibility for special education services like an IEP. Independent testing is more flexible in scope, often faster to schedule, and can address questions, such as giftedness or a specific diagnosis for outside documentation, that a school evaluation isn’t designed to answer.
At what age can educational testing begin?
Developmental and readiness testing can begin as early as the preschool years, well before formal school-based testing typically starts. The specific measures used are selected based on the child’s age and the referral question.
Do your educational evaluations satisfy school and legal documentation requirements?
Evaluations are designed to meet the documentation standards schools typically require for IEP and 504 Plan eligibility, and can also serve as independent educational evaluations (IEEs) when a family is seeking a second opinion on a school’s own findings.
How does giftedness testing differ from standard cognitive testing?
Giftedness identification follows current best-practice standards calling for multiple criteria gathered over time, rather than a single test score, since one assessment on one day can understate a gifted student’s true ability. This is especially important for twice-exceptional students, whose giftedness can mask or be masked by a coexisting learning difference.
What happens after I receive my child’s educational testing report?
The report translates results into specific, actionable recommendations for home and school, and I’m available to help connect those recommendations to an IEP, 504 Plan, or classroom accommodations so the findings lead to real changes rather than sitting in a drawer.
- National Association of School Psychologists. “Position Statement on the Identification of Students with Specific Learning Disabilities.” nasponline.org
- National Association for Gifted Children. “Identification.” nagc.org
- International Dyslexia Association. “2025 Dyslexia Definition Project.” dyslexiaida.org
