Why Assessment is Important…And Why You Shouldn’t Wait
1 OCTOBER 2015 | DR. ALICIA VICTORY, PSY. D.
School has started, and you are already seeing your child struggle. This can be a difficult time as they adjust to the school demands of a new year, but this could also be a long term struggle that you have been watching year after year, semester after semester. You may think: why is this so hard for them, why can’t it just be easy like it is for ____? You may think this is the way it is always going to be and that your child just doesn’t like school, or they aren’t a school “type” of child. What you may not realize is that there might be more going on than that, and NOW is the time to find out.

Each year, children go through the school year with undiagnosed learning disorders, ADHD, and even intellectual disabilities. They may fly under the radar or be “just above the line” on the standardized assessments that look at their achievement. They may have been in RTI but each time they improve, they are removed from getting assistance and the struggle starts over again. What you may not realize is that there may be significant learning disabilities, attention issues, or they may not be capable to handle the demands of what they are being asked to do in the classroom. NOW is the time to get them assessed, do not wait, do not put it off hoping that things will improve.
Psychoeducational Assessment is important in understanding the academic needs of your child, and whether they need additional assistance, accommodations, or modifications in the academic environment. It can also be very useful in guiding after school tutoring. Assessment can identify whether your child has attention issues, working memory deficits, and processing speed impairments, all of which will affect their learning, retention of information, and academic success. So don’t wait, don’t assume that things will get better, don’t watch your child struggle.
A full psychoeducational evaluation will include an IQ test, academic achievement testing, and other assessments deemed necessary for a full and complete evaluation. Other specific assessments are also available including Dyslexia evaluations, ADHD evaluations, and many more. We pride ourselves on the depth of information that we provide and the quality, quantity, and utility of our recommendations. You will have information in hand to get the assistance that your child needs and information you can use to advocate for them.