Psychoeducational Evaluations & Testing

North Metro Psychological Services provides comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations and testing for children, adolescents, and adults in Marietta and throughout the greater Atlanta area.

Assessments can help identify learning disabilities, ADHD and executive functioning differences, gifted or twice-exceptional profiles, and other factors that may affect learning or academic performance. Our evaluations are individualized, strengths-based, and neurodiversity-affirming, with an emphasis on understanding how each person learns, processes information, and approaches academic demands.

All evaluations are completed by experienced doctoral-level psychologists.

When Is a Psychoeducational Evaluation Helpful?

A psychoeducational assessment may be helpful when a child, teen, or adult is experiencing:

• Difficulty with reading, writing, spelling, or mathematics

• Suspected dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia

• Academic performance that does not seem consistent with ability or effort

• ADHD or executive functioning difficulties affecting school or work

• Slow or inefficient academic performance

• Difficulty completing work within expected time limits

• Gifted abilities alongside areas of academic or attentional difficulty

• Concerns about a possible twice-exceptional profile

• Longstanding learning difficulties that were never formally evaluated

• Need for school, college, standardized testing, or licensing accommodations

• Questions about previously identified learning or attention differences

The goal is to understand the pattern behind the difficulties rather than simply assign a diagnosis.

What Does the Evaluation Assess?

The specific assessment is individualized based on age, history, concerns, and the purpose of the evaluation.

Cognitive Functioning

Cognitive testing helps us understand areas such as verbal reasoning, visual-spatial and problem-solving abilities, working memory, and processing speed.

Rather than focusing only on an overall score, we examine patterns of strengths and vulnerabilities that may help explain how an individual approaches learning and problem-solving.

Academic Skills

Academic testing may assess:

• Reading accuracy and fluency

• Reading comprehension

• Decoding and phonological skills

• Spelling

• Written expression

• Mathematics calculation

• Math fluency

• Mathematical reasoning

These results are considered together with cognitive, developmental, educational, and behavioral information.

Attention & Executive Functioning

When clinically appropriate, evaluation may assess:

• Sustained attention

• Working memory

• Organization

• Planning

• Task initiation

• Time management

• Impulse control

• Cognitive flexibility

• Self-monitoring

This can be especially important when ADHD or executive functioning difficulties may be affecting academic performance.

Learning, Memory & Processing

Additional measures may examine:

• Learning and memory

• Processing speed

• Phonological processing

• Visual-motor integration

• Rapid naming

• Other processing skills relevant to the referral questions

Emotional & Behavioral Functioning

Emotional factors can also affect learning, concentration, test performance, and academic functioning.

When relevant, the evaluation may consider concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma-related symptoms, OCD symptoms, emotional regulation, or other psychological factors that may be affecting performance.

Learning Disability Testing

Psychoeducational evaluations can help identify specific learning disabilities involving reading, written expression, mathematics, or a combination of academic areas.

Dyslexia

Dyslexia may involve difficulty with word reading, decoding, reading fluency, spelling, phonological processing, or other foundational reading skills.

Dysgraphia & Written Expression Difficulties

Written expression difficulties may affect spelling, sentence construction, organization, written fluency, handwriting, or the ability to communicate ideas efficiently in writing.

Dyscalculia & Mathematics Difficulties

Mathematics difficulties may involve number sense, calculation, math fluency, mathematical reasoning, or learning and retaining math concepts.

A comprehensive evaluation helps determine whether these difficulties reflect a specific learning disability or whether attention, executive functioning, emotional, educational, or other factors may also be contributing.

Psychoeducational Evaluations for Adults

Adults may seek a psychoeducational evaluation for many of the same reasons as children and adolescents.

Some adults have experienced longstanding difficulties with reading, writing, mathematics, organization, or test-taking but were never formally evaluated during childhood. Others may seek assessment when returning to school, beginning graduate or professional training, preparing for a licensing examination, or trying to better understand persistent academic or workplace difficulties.

Adult psychoeducational evaluations may help clarify:

• Learning disabilities that were missed earlier in life

• Dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia

• ADHD or executive functioning difficulties

• Slow reading or written output

• Difficulty with timed examinations

• Differences between intellectual ability and academic performance

• Need for college, graduate school, standardized testing, or licensing accommodations

ADHD, Giftedness & Twice-Exceptional Profiles

Strong cognitive abilities do not rule out ADHD or a learning disability.

Some individuals are able to compensate for areas of difficulty for many years because of strong reasoning abilities, extensive effort, perfectionism, or other coping strategies. In other cases, learning or attention difficulties may make advanced abilities less obvious.

A twice-exceptional profile refers to an individual who demonstrates areas of advanced ability while also experiencing ADHD, autism, a learning disability, or another area requiring support.

A comprehensive evaluation can help clarify both areas of strength and areas where accommodations or additional support may be beneficial.

What to Expect

Intake

For children and adolescents, parents or guardians participate in an intake session to review developmental, educational, medical, and psychological history and discuss current concerns.

For adults, the clinical interview is generally incorporated into the evaluation process. When appropriate and available, collateral information from a parent, partner, or another person who knows the individual well may also be considered.

Testing

Testing is individualized based on the referral questions.

Children and adolescents: Testing is typically divided into shorter sessions over multiple days to help reduce fatigue and obtain the most representative picture of functioning.

Adults: Testing is generally completed across two days.

Written Report

Comprehensive evaluations include a detailed written report explaining test findings, diagnostic impressions, areas of strength and difficulty, and individualized recommendations.

Feedback Session

Results are reviewed in clear, supportive language, with time for questions and discussion of practical next steps.

Evaluations for Accommodations

Comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations may provide documentation to support requests for accommodations when clinically appropriate.

Depending on the individual's needs and the requirements of the requesting organization, recommendations may include accommodations for:

• Elementary, middle, or high school

• College or graduate school

• Standardized examinations

• Professional or licensing examinations

• Workplace settings

Possible recommendations may include extended testing time, reduced-distraction testing, assistive technology, academic supports, or other accommodations when supported by the evaluation findings.

Documentation requirements vary considerably. We recommend reviewing the specific requirements of the school, university, testing organization, licensing board, or employer before scheduling an evaluation.

Cost of a Psychoeducational Assessment

Children ages 5 and under: $2,500

Children ages 6–17 and adults: $3,500

Autism add-on: +$500

Payments may be divided into two portions, with the first payment due at the beginning of testing and the remaining balance due before the feedback session.

We accept HSA/FSA funds, credit cards, checks, and cash. Documentation can be provided for clients who wish to seek possible out-of-network insurance reimbursement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Next Steps

If you’re wondering whether a psychoeducational assessment is right for you or your child, we encourage you to reach out through our Contact Page to schedule an evaluation. We’re here to help you gain insight, access support, and move forward with confidence.

Wondering if your child might benefit from an assessment? Learn more by reading our detailed blog post here.