Independent Educational Evaluation

An Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) is an assessment of your child’s educational needs along with a Neuropsychological Assessment. IEEs are typically requested when an outside perspective is necessary to determine the necessity of school accommodations. Here at Ascent we are dedicated to ensuring your child receives the accommodations they need. Therefore we ensure a thorough evaluation, conducted by our head clinician and clinical psychologist Dr. Lauren Elder.


Independent Educational Evaluations at Ascent Psychological Services

At Ascent Psychological Services, in Cincinnati, Ohio, we offer Independent Educational Evaluations. This is an outside opinion of a child’s special needs within the school system. Many people seeking an Individualized Education Period (IEP) or an Alternative Education Program (AEP) for their child, choose to outsource the decision to a third party professional. That way they can ensure the direct evaluation of their child is unbiased.

It seeks to understand a number of details within the classroom:

  • Behavioral tendencies

  • Learning Disabilities

  • Intellectual Disabilities

  • Accommodation Needs

  • Diagnosis Establishment/Affirmation

What the Evaluation Process Looks Like

Our IEE follows a structured process divided into five steps: Interview, school observation, testing, feedback, and report.

  1. Every assessment begins with an initial diagnostic interview. During this session the clinician will ask about the concerns, developmental history, academic or occupational challenges, and behavioral patterns along with anything more the clinician decides is necessary. This helps the clinician understand the background and reason for assessment.

  2. Next is the school observation. During this step, Dr. Elder attends the school and evaluates the child’s behavioral tendencies within the classroom. We ensure this is conducted prior to the testing sessions to ensure that Dr. Elder has no familiarity with the child and can be fully unbiased when evaluating their school tendencies.This informs not only the exact educational needs of the child but also the most necessary tests.

  3. Next is the testing phase. Since an IEE contains a Neuropsychological Assessment, it requires two testing sessions, as a more in depth understanding of your strengths and challenges is necessary. These sessions may involve standardized assessments measuring attention, memory, problem solving, language skills, visual spatial abilities, and emotional functioning, along with the assessment measures necessary to diagnose any psychological conditions. These tools are designed to capture a detailed picture of how your brain processes and maintains information.

  4. Two to three weeks after the final testing appointment is your final session: the feedback. At this time the clinician provides an in-depth conclusion of your interview and tests. This feedback session is designed to support clarity, reduce confusion, and help individuals move forward with practical next steps in therapy, education, or daily functioning.

  5. About two weeks following the feedback*, you will be provided a comprehensive written report that outlines what the clinician discussed in the feedback. This report can be shared with schools, healthcare providers, or other professionals involved in care.

*Two weeks following the feedback is our general goal. Depending on the intensity of the assessment, it may be necessary to extend this by a week. However, in most cases it will only take two weeks.

Why Independent Educational Evaluations are Important

IEEs are invaluable to those seeking an outside perspective on their child's needs in schools. Sometimes the school may decide your child does not or no longer needs an IEP or an AEP, but as the parent you feel different. An IEE is a way to counter that decision. By getting an external professional involved you are guaranteed a non-biased interpretation of your child’s in-school needs. This will help you determine whether or not your child needs aid through an IEP or an AEP.

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Benefits of this Evaluation

Not only will an IEE help you acquire an IEP or an AEP, but it will also give you a deeper understanding of your child’s strengths and weaknesses, needs inside and outside of the classroom, and provide valuable resources and recommendations. No matter the grade of your child an IEE can be life changing to your child’s ability within school.

Potential benefits may include:

  • Additional time on tests

  • Accommodations for sensory breaks

  • Access to fidgets while in the classroom.

  • And more!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • An Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) is an assessment of your child’s educational needs along with a Neuropsychological Assessment.

  • Dr Lauren Elder, Ph.D., ABPP, our head clinician and clinical psychologist, does this evaluations.

  • An IEE consists of four clinical sessions and one school observation. This normally takes a month to a month and a half, however an IEE can be done rushed with an additional fee.

  • An IEE costs $3,250. However, in most situations the school pays for the IEE as long as the IEE falls under the IDEA Act.

Moving Toward Clarity and Understanding

At Ascent Psychological Services in Cincinnati, Ohio, our Independent Educational Evaluations provide clarity to parents and teachers seeking accommodations in the classroom. When parents seek an outside opinion to their schools diagnosis of their child and IEE is necessary. At Ascent, our IEEs are specially designed to ensure your child receives a comprehensive evaluation of their needs within and outside of the classroom. This provides the chance for parents to not only ensure their child is taken care of properly at school, but also provides insights that help them provide a conducive environment for their child at home.

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