Perhaps one of the biggest challenges faced by educators is how best to teach students who present with difficulty learning. Even gifted children often possess an uneven set of cognitive abilities, which in turn could negatively affect learning and academic performance. Obtaining a profile of a student’s learning strengths and weaknesses through professional assessment is essential to understand how best to teach such a student and to determine appropriate interventions, accommodations and/or school or classroom placement.

Psychoeducational testing evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of a student’s abilties, learning style and educational achievement. Through Psychoeducational testing Reading, Writing and Mathematics Disorders are determined. Standardized educational testing will also reveal the extent to which a student’s problems fall in the mild, moderate or severe range when compared to same aged peers and whether other factors are contributing to or exacerbating functioning. It is well established that children and adolescents with learning disorders have a much higher rate of ADD and ADHD, as well as behavioral problems. Thus, it is essential to further identify or rule-out potential processing problems such as: Dyslexia, AD(H)D, Auditory Processing Disorder, Auditory and Visual Memory difficulties, Sensory Processing Disorder, Executive Functioning Disorder, Nonverbal Learning Disability and Visual-Motor Integration Disorder.

After assessing an individual’s test results, Ashburn Psychological and Psychiatric Services (APS) will provide a comprehensive report, an in-depth feedback session and specific recommendations to address diagnosis and treatment. APS will serve to determine if the student is eligible for education services under IDEA or ADA. Such accommodations could include: preferential seating, 1:1 certified tutoring, extended time on tests and/or alternative examination formats. Depending on the child or adolescent’s needs, APS clinicians are trained to work closely with parents, schools, tutors, educational consultants, and other specialists to implement a plan of action to get the student back on track.

Summer is an ideal time for parents to have their child assessed/tested. A child’s stress level is usually down during the Summer, and the parents will have a report (and a roadmap for direction) in hand prior to the start of the school year.

APS also provides admissions testing for independent, private schools, as well as gifted testing.

We are certified independent evaluators for Loudon, Fairfax, Prince William, Stafford, and Fauquier counties.

APS has the area’s finest team of evaluators who conduct testing in a variety of areas in addition to psychoeducational testing. Our highly credentialed doctors and evaluators conduct developmental testing, ADHD testing, Autism testing, Asperger’s testing, neuropsychological testing, emotional testing, auditory processing testing, speech and language testing, forensic testing, custody evaluations, parenting capacity evaluations.

For more information on psychoeducational testing and other testings conducted at APS, we invite you to call our office manager, Christine Kutt, at (703) 723-2999.