A psycho-educational assessment is a battery of individually administered tests that measure a person’s level of intelligence, academic achievement and behavioral and emotional functioning relative to normative standards. These evaluations are used to assess for learning disabilities and can also be used to explain behaviors such as inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, poor organization, and low motivation and frustration tolerance. 

If a child has difficulties in one or more areas of academic functioning or demonstrates inconsistencies in learning, then a psycho-educational evaluation may be warranted. A psycho-educational evaluation provides information regarding individual strengths and weaknesses among various processing abilities. This information can be used to help parents and teachers understand how a child learns best, allowing for strengths to be capitalized and weaknesses addressed. Whether used to identify the intellectual-academic profile of a child or to assess the possibility of an underlying disability, a psycho-educational assessment provides valuable information that can significantly contribute to learning success. 

A psycho-educational evaluation plays a crucial role in the clinical diagnosis of ADHD due to the fact that attention disorders share many common symptoms with other underlying conditions. Additionally, it is not uncommon for individuals with ADHD to also have co-occurring conditions that may impact their learning, behavior and/or social-emotional functioning. A comprehensive evaluation helps to rule out other conditions that may be contributing to symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity, and it also allows for more accurate diagnosis and treatment of attention problems and related difficulties. 

Possibly. Your child may be eligible for special services and/or accommodations if a disability is identified. Please refer to the “Learning Disability Terms” section on our website for more information on services and accommodations offered within public school districts. 

Parents have a right to seek independent psycho-educational evaluations, and the assessments employed by Sprouting Minds are acceptable under state guidelines for identifying disabilities and Special Education needs. We will work with you and your child’s school to promote a successful collaboration in our effort to ensure that your child’s needs are met in the classroom. 

Some insurance plans offer medical coverage for testing when the referral concern relates to an underlying medical condition, such as ADHD. They do not, however, typically cover testing that is being conducted to rule out a learning disorder. Please contact your insurance company with specific questions regarding reimbursement for psycho-educational testing.