• How might this assessment differ from other testing my child has received?
  Our model is interdisciplinary and collaborative, which means that our clinicians will assess your child individually and then integrate their findings as a team to provide a comprehensive profile of your child's strengths and weaknesses that directly links to academic performance. In addition, we are not limited by standardized tests and will interact with your child and test strategies during the assessment day. Most students enjoy this experience and families often tell us it’s their first experience in which someone finally understood their students’ learning needs. Read more about the advantage of our assessments.
• What is a Neurodevelopmental Assessment?
  Our assessment determines your child’s profile of neurodevelopmental functions and links these functions to his/her academic skills to explain how he/she learn. Neurodevelopmental functions are the basic brain processes that affect learning: attention, memory, language, spatial ordering, sequencing, higher order thinking, social thinking, and neuromotor skills. Understanding a Learning Profile helps reveal why your child is struggling in school.
• What will our day be like? How long does it take?
  Your child will spend several hours with the clinical team. The clinical team consists of a learning specialist, a pediatrician, and a neurodevelopmentalist (who may be the same pediatrician or a psychologist). Breaks and snacks will be provided. You will view your child’s entire assessment from a separate room. Following the assessment, your clinical team will conference while you go to lunch. When you return, a clinician will meet with you for “demystification,” a summary of your child’s neurodevelopmental findings that affect learning. A typical day begins at 8:45 and ends at 4:00pm. Read more about what to expect once you’ve scheduled your appointment.
• What kind of report will we receive? Can we use the report to get school services?
  A detailed report includes relevant background information, summary of medical and neurological examinations, a summary of the findings of the neurodevelopmental and educational assessments, the educational assessment of academic concerns, a Learning Profile, and a Learning Plan that includes specific recommendations for home and school. It is generally mailed within three weeks of the visit. Because of the dynamic nature of our assessment, no standard scores (e.g., I.Q. or achievement) or diagnostic labels are generated. We can advise you about specialized services, but cannot mandate that a school use our report. Typically, parents share the Learning Profile and Learning Plan with teachers, most of whom are receptive to specific recommendations.
• Is this type of evaluation appropriate for all children?
  We focus primarily on learning problems within the general classroom for students in grades 1-12. Our model is not suitable for children with more severe needs. We do not address significant emotional or behavioral conditions. Children with low cognitive functioning would benefit from specialized assessments related to their needs.
• Should my child take prescribed medication? What if we have medical concerns?
  If your child typically takes medication on school days, he/she should do so for this assessment, in order to evaluate representative performance. If you have questions about the effectiveness of medication (e.g., stimulant), please check with us in advance of the assessment so that a pediatrician can address the need for administering the medication in the morning prior to an assessment. A pediatrician will meet with you to review any medical issues that are relevant to learning. If your child wears glasses, make sure you bring them!
• Will Dr.Mel Levine be part of my child’s clinical team?
  As a Senior Clinical Consultant with Success in Mind, Dr. Levine is instrumental in refining our clinical model, but he does not assess students at the office. All of our clinicians, however, are trained to replicate his approach.
• Are scholarships available? Is financial assistance available?
  Scholarships are not available at this time but if you would like to be added to the waitlist for a scholarship or financial assistance, please print and submit a scholarship application. Eligibility for scholarships is determined based on family income and is subject to the availability of funding.

Have another question? Please contact us and we’ll be happy to help!