A comprehensive assessment of a child's cognitive, academic, emotional, and behavioral functioning. It helps identify why a student may be struggling with learning, attention, or behavior — going beyond grades and classroom performance to explore brain-based functions like memory, executive functioning, processing speed, language, and more.
A student may be referred for a neuropsychological evaluation when there are concerns about their learning, attention, behavior, or emotional functioning that are not fully explained by classroom observations or standard academic testing. These evaluations help answer questions about whether a student's challenges may be linked to differences in brain development or neurological functioning.
Common reasons for referral include:
- Suspected learning disabilities (e.g., reading, writing, or math difficulties)
- Ongoing attention or executive functioning difficulties (e.g., trouble with focus, organization, or impulse control)
- Concerns about neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, or intellectual disability
- Behavioral or emotional regulation difficulties that don't respond well to typical interventions
- History of medical, genetic, or neurological conditions (e.g., epilepsy, premature birth, brain injury, cancer, or genetic syndromes)
Teachers play a key role by identifying concerns and providing classroom context.
If a student continues to struggle with learning, attention, emotional regulation, or behavior despite targeted classroom interventions—and you suspect there may be underlying challenges beyond what school-based assessments have identified—the first step is to consult with your school psychologist or student support team. They can help you review the student's profile, determine whether a neuropsychological evaluation might be helpful, and guide next steps. If appropriate, the school psychologist can support you in having that conversation with the family or may speak with them directly. Starting with this team-based approach helps ensure that concerns are clearly communicated and that families receive consistent, informed guidance.
If you believe a student might benefit from a neuropsychological evaluation, here are some recommended next steps:
- Discuss your concerns with the school psychologist or student support team to review the student's needs and available resources.
- Document your observations of the student's learning, behavior, and emotional challenges with specific examples.
- Collaborate with parents or guardians by sharing your concerns and suggesting they talk with the school team or consider a neuropsychological evaluation.
- Provide input by completing any requested behavior rating scales or questionnaires to help inform the evaluation.
- Follow up on the student's progress and stay involved in planning supports based on evaluation results.
Your proactive communication can make a significant difference in connecting the student to the right supports.
When a parent brings up concerns, it's important to listen thoughtfully and validate what they're noticing. You can share your own observations from the classroom and suggest they speak with the school psychologist or another member of the school team to explore next steps. If the concerns seem more complex—such as ongoing struggles with attention, learning, or behavior despite support—it's appropriate to mention that a neuropsychological evaluation may provide a deeper understanding of their child's needs and help guide more targeted supports at school and home.
No. Their primary role is evaluation. They collaborate with therapists and schools to ensure the evaluation leads to effective supports and can recommend therapy providers if needed.
Children, adolescents, and young adults ages 6 months until 24 years of age with:
- Developmental conditions (ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, learning disability, global developmental delay, intellectual disability)
- Medical conditions (stroke, traumatic brain injury, cancers, epilepsy, premature birth)
- Genetic conditions (Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Turner's syndrome)
Psychoeducational Evaluation
- Typically conducted by school psychologists
- Often used to determine eligibility for special education services, accommodations, or supports under IDEA or Section 504
- Focuses primarily on how a student is performing academically and whether there is a significant gap between their potential (IQ) and current achievement
- Usually includes IQ testing and academic achievement (reading, writing, math)
- May touch on areas like attention or memory, but usually at a basic level, and in relation to school performance
- Does not typically include formal diagnoses of conditions like ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, or learning disabilities
Neuropsychological Evaluation
- Typically conducted by clinical neuropsychologists
- Focuses on how a student's brain is functioning across multiple domains—not just academic performance
- Designed to understand the underlying causes of learning, behavioral, or emotional difficulties
- Much more comprehensive than a psychoeducational evaluation
- Can lead to a formal diagnosis when appropriate (e.g., ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, intellectual disability)
- Especially helpful when a student's struggles go beyond academic performance, the cause of difficulties is unclear, there is a known or suspected neurological condition, or more in-depth insights are needed
Psychological Evaluation
- Typically completed by a clinical psychologist
- Focuses on understanding a student's emotional and behavioral functioning
- Often used to assess concerns like anxiety, depression, trauma, and behavioral challenges
- May include interviews, behavior checklists, and sometimes brief cognitive testing
- Helps identify and clarify behavioral health concerns and guide therapy or counseling support
Neuropsychological Evaluation
- Typically conducted by a clinical neuropsychologist
- Focuses on how the brain is functioning across multiple areas, especially those that impact learning and daily functioning
- Includes in-depth testing of intelligence, academic functioning, attention and focus, executive functioning, memory, language processing, visual-spatial, fine motor, emotional/behavioral/social functioning, and adaptive functioning
- While pediatric neuropsychologists do assess emotional and behavioral functioning, these are not the main focus. Instead, emotional and behavioral challenges are looked at as part of a larger picture of how the child's brain is working.
In short: A psychological evaluation helps answer questions about a student's emotions and behavior. A neuropsychological evaluation looks more deeply at how the brain is functioning overall, and how that relates to learning, thinking, behavior, and emotions across settings.
Intake
The evaluation begins with an intake session, which is an initial meeting between the neuropsychologist and the child's caregivers. During this session, parents share their concerns about the child's learning, behavior, attention, and emotional functioning, as well as provide important background information such as medical history, developmental milestones, and school performance. School records, including report cards, IEPs or 504 plans, and any prior testing results, are typically requested.
Testing
The testing portion usually takes place over one or two days, totaling approximately 4 to 6 hours. During testing, the child completes a variety of tasks and activities designed to assess a broad range of skills including attention, memory, language, executive functioning, academic abilities, emotional and behavioral regulation, motor skills, and visual-spatial processing. Teachers are also often asked to complete questionnaires and/or provide input via an interview regarding the student's classroom behavior and functioning.
Feedback
After testing is complete, the neuropsychologist meets with the parents (and sometimes the student) to discuss the results. With parent or guardian consent, the neuropsychologist may also meet briefly with the school team—such as the teacher, school psychologist, or special education staff—to summarize key findings and recommendations. A detailed written report is provided that summarizes the findings and recommendations, which can then be used by the school team to develop or adjust IEPs or 504 plans and inform instructional strategies.
A neuropsychological evaluation typically looks at a wide range of areas of function. This helps the neuropsychologist understand how a child's brain is developing overall and how it may be influencing their behavior, learning, and daily functioning.
Teachers play a crucial role by:
- Completing behavior rating scales
- Providing academic work samples
- Sharing observations via interview on the child's functioning in the classroom
- Participating in school meetings after results are shared
Your input helps ensure that the evaluation reflects how the student performs in real-world educational settings—not just during testing.
The goal of a neuropsychological evaluation is to understand how a student's skills are developing compared to other children their age. To do this, neuropsychologists use something called normative data—this is information gathered from a large group of children who are the same age and often from similar backgrounds. This group serves as a baseline or "norm" for comparison. By looking at how most children in that age group perform on various tests, the evaluator can determine if the student's scores fall within the expected range or if they are significantly higher or lower. This helps identify specific strengths or challenges and provides valuable information to guide recommendations, such as what types of supports might be needed in the classroom or what therapies could benefit the student.
After the evaluation is complete and the results have been shared during the feedback session, the family will receive a detailed written report. This report includes background information, test results, any diagnoses (if applicable), and clear, personalized recommendations. Teachers and school teams are often involved in reviewing this report, as it provides important insights that can help guide academic supports such as IEPs or 504 Plans. Sharing the report with other professionals involved in the student's care—like pediatricians or therapists—can also support coordinated efforts to meet the student's needs both in and out of school.
Following a neuropsychological evaluation, a variety of supports may be recommended to help meet the student's unique learning needs. These can include:
- Teaching methods tailored to the student's strengths, such as using visual supports for visual learners.
- Accommodations like extra time on tests or assignments to address processing speed challenges.
- Targeted interventions, for example, strategies to improve executive functioning skills like organization and planning.
- Behavioral supports and specific classroom strategies to help manage attention, regulation, or social-emotional needs.
These recommendations are designed to support the student's success in the classroom and help them reach their full potential.
- Provides a detailed understanding of how the student learns, processes information, and manages emotions to ensure current supports match their needs.
- Acts as a tool to monitor progress over time and evaluate the effectiveness of existing interventions.
- Identifies subtle learning difficulties or emotional challenges that may not be obvious despite current supports.
- Helps clarify overlapping symptoms and supports accurate diagnosis for cognitive, memory, attention, or learning issues.
- Offers clear, objective data that can strengthen advocacy during school meetings and support requests for additional or adjusted accommodations.
- Guides future planning, especially during key transitions (e.g., moving to middle or high school), by informing decisions about supports, classroom environment, and therapy options.
- Monitors cognitive effects of medications or medical treatments (e.g., chemotherapy, antiseizure drugs).
- Assesses baseline functioning before medical interventions like brain surgery are conducted.
Yes, neuropsychologists are qualified to diagnose these conditions. They use a combination of standardized test results, clinical observations, developmental and medical history, behavior rating scales, and criteria from the DSM-5 to determine if a diagnosis is appropriate.
No; only with parent or guardian consent. The report is considered private health information, so it is not automatically shared with the school. Parents may choose to share the report with the school team to advocate for supports and accommodations. Neuropsychologists typically encourage families to share the report with educators and other professionals involved in the child's care to support continuity of services and ensure that recommendations are consistently implemented across settings.
- Attend feedback meetings when invited
- Implement suggested classroom strategies
- Reach out (with parent consent) for clarification or collaboration
- Use the report to guide instructional planning and document efforts in progress monitoring
You might say:
"A neuropsychological evaluation gives us a deeper understanding of how your child thinks and learns — things like attention, memory, and problem-solving. It can help identify whether challenges in school might be related to something like ADHD, a learning difference, or another underlying issue. The results can guide us in creating a more targeted and effective plan to support your child's success."
- If there is a noticeable change in the student's functioning
- Before major school transitions (e.g., moving to middle or high school)
- When new concerns about learning, behavior, or emotions arise
- If the student continues to struggle with learning despite ongoing interventions and supports over an extended period
We hope you find this information helpful. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.