WHO SHOULD BE TESTED Evaluation serves students in public or private schools who are struggling in one or more of the following areas: learning to read, reading comprehension, phonics, reading speed, spelling, mathematics, written expression, remembering information, handwriting, following directions, concentrating, focus and sustained effort, staying on task, planning and organizing, homework, tests, frustration tolerance, hypersensitivity to sound or touch, impulsivity, executing tasks, ability to complete homework, classwork and tests within expected timeframe, and meeting grade/age level academic benchmarks and expectations.

Parents of increasingly bored and disinterested students may also consider testing in order to identify students' true strengths and abilities--perhaps these students have an undetermined learning disorder and/or are exceptionally bright and unchallenged. 

 

Parents of homeschool students often choose testing as well in order to provide a roadmap for future goal setting and direction.

Parents of students who are consistently struggling to sustain effort in school, home and work/play. Such struggles are interfering with the achievement in school, ability to maintain positive relationships with children and/or adults, and child's perspective of self.

Students in transition such as those moving from elementary to middle, from  middle to high, or high school to college and in need of additional school support may also consider testing.

WHEN TO TEST Testing should be considered for students:

(1) needing initial evaluation (perhaps school district has denied evaluation, perhaps parents wish to move forward with the process and receive results more quickly than school system's pace, or perhaps independent school requires comprehensive evaluation to afford access to resources) for special education and support services and accommodations in schools preK-12; 

(2) needing a re-evaluation because previous testing is outdated, specifically three years or more;

(3) requesting consideration for standardized test accommodations*

Testing accommodations may include: extended time, preferential seating, small group environment for test taking, having directions read, having test read, using a different format (large print, Braille, another language), assistive equiptment (word processor, calculator)

Students may wish to apply for accommodations on one of the following:

         College Board admissions: SAT, ACT, PSAT, SAT subject     tests, AP exams, CLEP, ASVAB;

        Graduate school admissions: LSAT, MCAT, GRE, GMAT, MAT, DAT, PCAT, OAT;

       High school admissions: SHSAT, SSAT, ISEE;

       Medical licensing: USMLE, COMLEX; 

       State standards achievement: such as Virginia SOL, Colorado CSAP, etc.;

      Nursing Domestic/International: NCLEX-RN, NCLEX-PN;

     Other Health Tests: NAPLEX, NBDE, PANCE/PANRE, EMS/EMT, Medical Assistant, Radiolog Exam, Dental Hygenist;

    Other tests: Educational Certificate, Civil Service, Real Estate Licensing, IT Certification, US Citzenship

(4) appealing Gifted Talented (GT, TAG) review for admission request from public school system;

(5) applying for services through University/College student disability services;

(6) requiring cognitive ability testing for independent school admission requirement including WISC-IV, WAIS-IV or WPPSI-III;

(7) desiring additional concrete data, such as a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation in order to either validate and confirm clinically significant attentional deficit or to rule out the possibility of a competing learning issue, before beginning trial of stimulant medication as first line of intervention for suspected deficit in attention.

DIAGNOSIS Testing may determine diagnosis including Learning Disability (Math, Reading, or Writing), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-Inattentive Type, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder- with Hyperactivity,  Executive Functioning Disorder, Fluency Disorder, Processing Disorder, Dyslexia/Reading Disorder, Gifted and Talented, Nonverbal Learning Disorder, and re-determination of Developmental Disorder/Autism spectrum.

ELIGIBILITY for accommodations through American Disabilities Act (ADA) or Individuals with Disabilities education Act (IDEA) and for educational planning, services and placement may be determined.

TESTS ADMINISTERED Typically the Woodcock Johnson-III (Achievement and/or Cognition), and the WISC-IV (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children), WAIS-IV (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale), or WPPSI -III (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence) are administered. Then depending on the presenting need, age and issues of the youth, abilities and aptitudes may be further assessed using one or more of the following: Lindamood Auditory Conceptualization Test (LAC-3),  Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning (WRAML-2), Nelson-Denny Reading Test (NDRT), The Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, Gray Oral Reading Test(GORT4), Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS), Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTTOP), Test of Language Development (TOLD-3), Connors Rating Scale- Revised (CRS-R), Learning Styles Inventory, The Nelson Denny Reading Test (NDRT), Test of Language Competence (TLC), Test of Written Spelling (TWS-4), Test of Early Written Language Skills(TEWL-2), Test of Written Language (TOWL-3), Test of Reading Comprehension (TORC-3), Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE), Test of Early Reading Ability (TERA-3), Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF), Behavior Assessment System for Children-Second Edition (BASC2), Slosson Oral Reading Test-Revised (SORT4), Child Behavior Checklist (CBC), Test of Phonological Awareness Skills (PAT-2), Test of Auditory Processing Skills (TAPS-3), Key Math Revised NU (KM-RNU), Rapid Automatized Naming and Rapid Alternating Stimulus Test (RAM/RAS), Kaufman Test of Education Achievement- 2^nd Edition (KTEA-II), Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), Test of Variable Attention (TOVA), Cognitive Abilities Test (COGAT),  (CELF-4), and Conners Test of Continuous Performance Test (CPT-II).  Note: Students will not be required to take all tests listed here.

LENGTH OF EVALUTION Depending on the age and specific needs of your child, the hours of testing will be determined. We will meet in half day segments (8:30-12:00 or 12:00-3:30) several times, or we will meet together one full day (8:30-3:30). Generally an evaluation (face to face time with examiner and your child) will be completed within 5-8 hours. Parents will help determine scheduling needs of their child. Reports are typically returned within a few calendar weeks. However findings may be take up to eight weeks to be returned depending on a variety of circumstances.

FEES and PAYMENTS The fee for a comprehensive evaluation includes approximately 1-2 hours of parent/client consultation (email, phone, face to face), 4-8 hours of assessment, 4-12 hours of data interpretaton/analysis including 1 hour of licensed clinical psychologist collaborative supervisory review, 4-12 hours report preparation and writing, 1-2 hours of face-to-face, email and/or telephone discussion of findings and recommendations.  If traveling to the child's school to complete the evaluation, additional travel fees will be included.  The fee for the comprehensive evaluation is $2500.

Master Card and Visa are preferred. Personal checks, cashier checks, and cash are also accepted.  Payment plans may be considered (One, two, three or four equal payments; First payment due first meeting and each subseqent payment due the first of each following month) and will include an additional 10% administrative fee. Without exception, findings will be shared once final payment has been received.

Clients requesting simply a WISC-IV, WPPSI-III or WAIS-IV for the purpose of independent school or program admissions requirement will be charged an hourly rate for the administration, scoring, and interpretation/feedback of the findings.  Findings will be reported and emailed to parents.

INSURANCE At this time Tochterman Muir Educational Consulting, LLC (TMEC) does not accept assignment of insurance benefits. The client is responsible for payment. Due to the ever changing health insurance laws and regulations, TMEC will not guarantee that services will be covered by your insurace policy. However clients are encouraged to submit receipt for services to their insurance company for possibility of reimbursement. Once the evaluation is completed, and paid in full, a receipt  with diagnosis and CPT codes required by insurance companies will be provided.

PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY Be assured that confidential information will be protected. Without written consent, requests (from schools, non-custodial parent or other) to discuss findings will not be honored. Please note that a licensed clinical psychologist will be collaborating with Suzie Muir,Ed.D throughout the interpretation and analysis of the data to ensure quality reporting.  This office is HIPAA compliant.
 

SCHOOL GROUPS. There are instances where a school, or school system, may wish to have a group of students evaluated in order to compare ability with achievement. Perhaps schools wish to establish a baseline, measure growth,  identify students with learning disabilities, or determine effective research-based academic interventions. Dr. Muir is available for these contract services. If determined necessary, Dr. Muir  is available to travel so that she can work on-site. Should the contract require, Dr. Muir is also able to  coordinate a team to deliver service on location.

To schedule an appointment with Suzie Muir, or to learn more about services, please call  703-728-8676 or email smuir@testingld.com. You will speak directly with Suzie Muir. There are no answering service companies or administrative assistants with whom you will be asked to leave a message. However should Suzie Muir be with a client, or unavailable to answer the call at that time, you will be asked to leave a message through voicemail -- all calls and emails are returned promptly. Your family can expect personalized and professional attention throughout the process.