Does my child need a learning evaluation, and how do I find the right evaluator?
Signs that point to an evaluation, what it actually involves, and how to choose an evaluator who understands a yeshiva day.
An evaluation is a set of tests, done by a psychologist or educational specialist, that explains how a child learns: where he is strong, where he struggles, and why. It is not a label. Used well, it is a map.
Signs an evaluation may help
- He is bright in conversation but reading or writing lag far behind.
- Homework takes two or three times longer than it should, most nights.
- Teachers describe him as not trying, and you know he is.
- He has started to call himself stupid.
- Kriah is still slow in 3rd or 4th grade, in either language.
- Attention is a daily battle at school and at home, not just in one setting.
One of these on a bad week is normal. Several of them for months is worth a conversation with the school and then with a professional.
What it involves
A full psycho-educational evaluation usually takes two to four sessions and includes cognitive testing, academic testing, and a history from parents and teachers. The report explains results in plain language and ends with recommendations: accommodations, tutoring, therapy, or a different program.
Ask for the report to be written so that a rebbe can read it. The best evaluators do this without being asked.
Finding the right person
- Ask the school first. Many yeshivos work with evaluators who understand a dual curriculum and a long day.
- Ask whether the evaluator has tested children in yeshiva or Bais Yaakov settings before, and whether he or she has read Hebrew reading in a kriah context.
- Ask how long the report takes and whether there is a feedback meeting for parents, and a second one with the school if needed.
- Ask about cost up front, and whether a school district evaluation is an option where you live.
After the report
Share it with the school. Schools can only help with what they know. Ask the evaluator which two or three recommendations matter most, and start with those. Then check in after a few months to see what changed.
Written by the ChinuchPlace team
Educators and administrators who work in yeshivos and mesivtas, writing what we tell friends who ask. Nothing here is sponsored, and no school is named.
Questions parents ask
- What's the difference between an evaluation and tutoring?
- An evaluation explains why a child struggles; tutoring addresses the struggle. Often you need the first to choose the right second.
- How much does a psycho-educational evaluation cost?
- It varies widely by region and provider. Ask up front, and ask whether a school district evaluation is an option where you live.
- Will an evaluation hurt his chances at a mesivta?
- Schools would rather know what helps a boy learn. A clear report with recommendations is a tool for them, not a mark against him.
Ready to look?
Every program on the shelf, with the facts families ask about first.