Private Clinic vs. Public School: What You Should Know About Psychoeducational Evaluations

Education is critical to the development and optimal health outcomes for children. Without access to quality education and educational resources, children are at risk to face barriers to employment and earning potential. Additionally, children who lack access to quality education are more likely to suffer adverse health outcomes, and in some cases, are more likely to make uninformed and riskier decisions as they mature, that can have a long lasting impact on several aspects of their lives. 

Understanding the limitations children can experience, derived from a lack of access to quality education, is vitally important, and it is imperative for parents, caregivers, and educators to recognize when a child may need extra support. Psychoeducational testing is a way to identify where a child stands in their learning journey and is helpful in recognizing their strengths and weaknesses.  

This article will work through what psychoeducational testing is, who should receive it, and where parents and caregivers should look for testing services. Our hope is that this post will serve as a guide to navigating psychoeducational testing, and will provide more clarity for parents, caregivers, and educators alike. 

Let’s begin with what is psychoeducational testing?

What is Psychoeducational Testing?

Psychoeducational testing is a type of non-invasive evaluation that is administered by a licensed healthcare professional to assess a child’s strengths and weaknesses as it relates to learning. Evaluations can support answers to the following sample questions:

• Why is my child struggling with one subject, but not others?
• Why is my child misbehaving during class?
• Why have my child’s grades declined?
• How best does my child learn?

Additionally, while every evaluator is different, and length of sessions may vary based on the child, the evaluation typically involves five core areas of questioning and evaluating.

• Background and development history – allows the evaluator to gain a comprehensive understanding of the child’s developmental, medical, academic, social/emotional, and family history. This is key to identifying areas of concern and when they first become apparent. 
• Assessment of cognitive ability – supports the evaluator in determining how a child learns and their ability to process information and compose a response. This often includes the use of verbal and visual tests to assess verbal and non-verbal reasoning, memory, and speed of information processing and formulation of a response. 
• Assessment of processing – builds upon what an evaluator has learned from the cognitive ability test and goes on to identify how a child does with speech and language processing, auditory processing, and others such as attention span, memory, and visual-motor processing. 
• Assessment of academic functioning – helps to identify the educational strengths and weaknesses of a child. The activities with this assessment include reading, writing, spelling, and math with the addition of fluency and efficiency. 

This assessment may also include additional testing as needed. For example, a child who may have trouble reading a word, may also have a test for speech and reading efficiency administered as well. 

• Assessment of social/emotional functioning – often tailored based on a child’s age; if the child is younger, the parent, caregiver, or educator will receive a questionnaire to complete in regards to a child’s social and emotional functioning. If the child is older, they may be prompted to complete the assessment themselves. 

By assessing these five core areas, children are placed in a better position to receive the help they need. This testing option provides parents, caregivers, and educators with the information necessary to provide greater support and resources to a struggling child. 

Next let’s dive into who should consider this type of testing.

Who Should Consider Psychoeducational Testing?

In most cases, a parent, caregiver, school counselor, healthcare provider, or teacher will suggest psychoeducational testing based on interactions with the child, or observations of the child in different environments. It is encouraged to try other learning strategies and interventions prior to moving forward with psychoeducational testing. If a child does not respond to these efforts, this may be a key indicator that psychoeducational testing should be considered, as there may be a neurological-based learning disability that is going untreated. 

Common issues that may indicate the need for psychoeducational testing: 

• Speech delays
• Poor academic performance in one or more subjects 
• Poor organization
• Difficulty expressing thoughts verbally and/or in-writing
• Difficulty with follow-through or long-term projects
• Poor memory and focus

Note: This list is in no way comprehensive, and there are several other indicators, with these being the most common.

For Parents and Caregivers – What to Expect

If a child is experiencing issues that require testing, parents and caregivers may have concerns about the evaluation stemming from fears of a child being labeled, being pressured to take medication, and/or having a stigma associated with their diagnosis. If you are a healthcare professional or educator, we recommend giving parents and caregivers time to process the scenario that their child may have a learning disorder, and gently letting them know the benefits of having their child tested.

As we continue to examine psychoeducational testing, one final area that can be helpful is identifying where testing should take place. This is important because evaluations that take place in a school setting vs. a clinical setting may have some differences.

Where Should Psychoeducational Testing Take Place – In a School or Clinical Setting?

A widely used definition of a learning disorder is having a severe difference in a child’s cognitive ability and their academic achievements. This means understanding the difference between a school assessment vs. a clinical assessment is key to getting the optimal support for a child. 

School assessments are conducted by a licensed school psychologist, and have been noted to be more successful with older children due to their symptoms being more pronounced. This does not rule out assessments for younger children but note the school assessment may miss subtle symptoms with younger children.

 The following provides brief pros and cons for school assessments: 

Pros: 

• Helpful to determine a child’s eligibility to receive additional special services
• Becomes a part of the child’s school record (which can be a con to some with privacy concerns)

Cons:

• Limited time devoted to testing
• Usually does not result in a diagnosis

Clinical assessments are conducted by licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, or other clinical professionals. 

The following provides brief pros and cons for clinical assessments: 

Pros: 

• Clinics can better determine if child meets specific criteria for a clinical diagnosis such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism, and/or anxiety
• Can be used to support a child’s eligibility to receive special services, although this is not guaranteed
• Remains in your child’s medical record (with more control over your privacy)

Cons: 

• More time can be devoted to the child
• Costs can vary based on clinic (while psychological assessments can typically be billed through insurance, psychoeducational services are usually out-of-pocket expenses)
• School may still require evaluation by a school psychologist for continued support in school.

It is important to speak with a licensed healthcare professional to learn more about school vs. clinical psychoeducational testing to determine the best option for your child.

 Takeaways

There are several factors to consider when deciding to pursue psychoeducational testing for your child. Having knowledge of the many nuanced areas of testing will help to simplify navigating through a child’s educational journey, while ensuring you support them in receiving optimal access to quality education. 

Sources

“Education”, Unicef, https://www.unicef.org/education 

“A Parent’s Guide to Psychoeducational Evaluations

”, American Foreign Service Association, https://bit.ly/3arvbCv 

https://georgetownpsychology.com/2016/06/what-is-psychoeducational-testing/ 

“UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL EVALUATIONS”, Pathfinders for Autism, https://pathfindersforautism.org/articles/education/understanding-psychoeducational-evaluations/ 

“School Versus Private Psychoeducational Evaluations: Things to Consider When Making Your Decision”, Your IEP Source, https://youriepsource.com/school-versus-private-psychoeducational-evaluations/2020/6/22/school-versus-private-psychoeducational-evaluations-things-to-consider-when-making-your-decision