Choosing Between Private and School-based Psychological Evaluations
The decision to have your child evaluated is an important one, as it is intensive of your time, effort, energy, and money! Once you’ve decided to have your child evaluated, you need to decide how you’d like to proceed. If your child is in public school, you can request an evaluation through the school system. If your child attends public or private school, you can also hire a private evaluator (that’s what I am!). Each option has benefits and drawbacks, and deciding which one is best for you will depend on your child’s needs, accessibility of services, and your preferences. This post will outline some information about each type of evaluation while trying to remain as objective as possible! At the end, I’ll include a table to break down the pros and cons of each type of eval.
Note: the information I include here is specific to Georgia, US! If you live in another state or abroad, I encourage you to explore more specifics in your area.
The Basics
While both school evaluations and private evaluations often provide helpful information, there are some considerable differences. The primary purpose of a school evaluation is to determine whether or not a student presents with a disability that impairs their ability to access the curriculum and fully participate in school. Once a student has been referred for special education, an IEP, a 504 plan, or other services, the special education team (sometimes called the Student Support Team or SST) convenes to determine if, when, and how the student should be evaluated. They (the team and the state) decide which instruments will be used for the assessment and who will be responsible for administering them. This is often a school psychologist who is administering a variety of tests at once or over a number of sessions. School psychologists are certified and sometimes have master’s degrees or specialists degrees, while some hold doctorates. After testing, a report is written and results are presented to the eligibility team to determine next steps. The timeline of this process varies but does have a time limit once it begins. School evaluations in Georgia are performed at no cost to the family, though wait times vary by district, county, and school. Typically, school evaluators do not provide diagnoses, though school reports are used to provide accommodations in the learning environment or access to special education services through IDEA.
When a child or teen participates in a private psychological evaluation (sometimes called a psychoeducational evaluation), the child and their family work closely with the evaluator through the entire process, from the intake to feedback and beyond. A comprehensive psychological evaluation consists of many elements and is conducted by a licensed psychologist (PhD or PsyD) or a doctoral student under direct supervision by a licensed psychologist. Most evaluations consist of a detailed developmental and family history, teacher observations, cognitive, academic, processing (auditory, visual, language), memory, fine motor, attention, executive function, and social-emotional assessment. Depending on the referral question(s), the evaluation may include other specific, individualized measures to assist with making a differential diagnosis. Diagnoses can be (and often are) provided in these evaluations. Generally, the assessment is conducted by a single evaluator and is paid out of pocket or using insurance (depending on provider, location, and type of testing - see my FAQ on why I don’t take insurance for more info!). The timeline of a private evaluation varies by provider, though most testing psychologists in private practice do this as their primary profession and offer quick turnaround. The data from a private evaluation, including data from prior testing, is synthesized into a detailed report with specific recommendations for school, home, and community life when appropriate. Private evaluators usually remain available for future consultation and collaboration, as well as providing referrals.
Pros and Cons
What’s it like to work with Dr. Katie?
If you choose to work with me as your psychologist, here’s what my evaluations offer that may not be available in every setting:
1. Formal diagnoses: If applicable and relevant, I will provide official diagnoses or rule outs (for example, if a child is very young or further monitoring/evaluation is needed for an area of concern)
2. Extended battery of tests: I have the time and resources to create an individualized, comprehensive assessment using gold standard, highly validated, empirical tests. I give minimum 15 different assessments regardless of age, with the ability to personalize some aspects for every client. I get to know your child well enough to recognize what would be additionally helpful and I do that at no extra cost.
3. Time intensity of feedback meeting: a 90-minute parent/caregiver feedback meeting included in the cost of testing with me. During this time, we go in depth on every aspect of the report so that I can explain data, answer questions, and discuss next steps.
4. Fast turnaround of a digestible report: Yes, my reports average at 25 pages long, but I like to think they are approachable regardless of length. I also typically complete the process from start to finish in 2-3 weeks, so you aren’t waiting endlessly for documents.
5. Accessibility for consultation: I don’t disappear when we’re done! If a parent needs me down the line, needs resources, has questions, anything - I’ll help. I’m also very timely, usually responding to any inquiry in 24 business hours.
6. Shorter wait times: Usually, I have availability within a month of someone calling me, with the exception of a few busier times of year where I might get booked up (these are usually December-February and summer). Because I am my own business and make my own schedule, I do my best to accommodate your needs!
7. Collaboration: I want to engage with everyone! Therapists, schools, doctors, OT, speech, anyone! I will collaborate in advance of testing, during, after… whatever folks need.
Ultimately, my goals when working with you and your family include thoroughness, efficiency, accessibility, and personalization of care. I also want to note that many psychologists in private practice, like myself, charge the rates they do because of the time intensity of our work, the training required to administer, interpret, and integrate data, and the cost of our “gold standard” materials. I mention this out of transparency and a desire for your investment of time, effort, energy, and money to be satisfactory!
Questions? Thoughts? Reach out to me through the contact form on my website if you’d like to discuss whether a private evaluation is right for you!
