10 Nov Private Neuropsychological Evaluations Funded By the DOE
Brooklyn Letters
1139 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn
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We would highly recommend Ally! Our son always asks about her, so very thankful to Brooklyn Letters for introducing us.
~ Emily, mom of Brooklyn 2 year old -
Nicole has been an amazing therapist!! She played a tremendous role in our daughter’s speech progress and overall development. She has come such a long way and we are so happy with the therapy she received!
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I cannot express how grateful and rewarding my experience with Brooklyn Letters has been. Her tutor Ms. Daria is so knowledgeable, amazing, kind and awesome. My daughter has made so much progress in Literacy and Math and it's all … More thanks to Ms. Daria. I know my daughter is sad that she can no longer work with Ms. Daria, as she looked forward to their sessions every week. Thank you again!
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Excellent services, caring therapists.
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Christina was absolutely wonderful. She went out of her way to win my son over and it worked. He looked forward to her visits and his speech improved so much under her care. She was super flexible and it’s clear she truly cares. We adore … More Christina and we’re going to miss her. Almost sad he improved so much! She’s simply amazing and we can’t say enough how great she is. I would recommend her services to anyone and everyone, without hesitation. Thank you so much for connecting us with her!
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We could not be happier with the services Valerie provided! She is very thoughtful and knowledgeable and provided significant guidance to support our daughter's speech development outside of our scheduled sessions. She established … More a great working relationship with her, and she will definitely be missed! Your business model is amazing and it was an absolute pleasure working with Valerie. I've referred your organization and Valerie to the Executive Director of our daughter's school and friends/colleagues who are in need of speech therapy services.
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We cannot say enough good things about Effie, the ASL teacher, who was so engaged and effective with our 2 year old daughter from the very first session! Effie gladly included our whole family in the sessions! Her expertise and fantastic … More personality gave our daughter a way to communicate that she was so desperately seeking. The coordinators at Brooklyn Letters were so helpful and communicative…I would highly recommend their services!
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The company is great with outstanding customer service. They keep my horses protected. I have recommended them to other horses trainers as well that are going to get service early next year. Very professional an honest too. Respectfully … More submitted Christopher
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Ron and Ken did a fantastic job with our security system today. Installed everything very quick. Both of them were very polite and asked us throughout if the installation met our needs. Simply fantastic!
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I called Cornerstone Protection to get a Security system at a relatives out of state property, within a week it was installed! The installers worked with the client to help understand her new system and she was happy! Our relative said … More they were courteous, professional and patient! I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection for all of your security needs!
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Had blink cameras; Car was broken into multiple times so I called CornerStone & they were able to install multiple cameras very quickly & for a reasonable price. I am so happy with the app & getting alerts that are not superfluous, … More like they were with Blink. Highly recommend CornerStone & the tech Ronnie.
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Ron and Ken are great guys to work with.
Both were very knowledgeable and got our system back up and running.
Thanks to both for a job well done... -
Samantha Dalmas was fantastic! We saw her for a feeding therapy evaluation and while she doesn’t think my daughter needs more feeding therapy sessions at this time, but she gave me lots of tips to try. If my daughter's doctors want … More to see more progress at her next appointment, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Samantha again.
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Amazing assistance provided by Shannon today on my security system. I’m so grateful for your prompt, efficient, professional, and courteous service. Put me down as a customer for life!
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One of the most painless experiences I've had. They came on time and was over the moon professional with still keeping a level of personability to it. The gentleman also went out of his way to say that my husband and Mines business … More was appreciated. Which is actually rare to be appreciated by such a great company. So thank you and we look forward to continuing services with this company.
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I am so happy we decided to go with cornerstone. They were quick and efficient. Shannon and the installer we very friendly. We got a lot of equipment and it was still within our budget. 10/10 would definitely recommend! Thank you
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Love the customer service and Shanon and his team go above and beyond for my restaurant. Couldn't of asked for a better security system and level of service that his team provides.
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I have been using Cornerstone Protection service for over 5 years and I'm really happy with the service and state-of-the-art equipments and it's futures are so much in advance and friendly, I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection … More Service any and all business that need a security protection days and nights specially after business hours(Cornerstone Protection is perfect solution for your business). Owner of Cornerstone Protection is proactive with their customers and their equipments. Good experienced with Cornerstone Protection!!!
Kanu Patel -
We had a very positive experience with Alissa as a tutor for our pod of 5th grade boys from January - June 2020. She cared a lot about the boys and worked hard to create meaningful activities for them. The pod experience was invaluable … More for all of our families during a difficult year and we were so grateful to have found this partnership! We also want to appreciate Craig for helping to match us with a tutor on very short notice after we had cycled through a few folks who were not able to see the commitment through. Thanks for sticking with us!
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Dusty was the exact person we needed to help our child finish out the school year. So grateful to him for the way he steadily encouraged her and helped her stay on track and organized. He is flexible, responsive to our needs/schedule as … More a family, and a delight to be with. We are also thankful that Craig at Themba Tutors really "gets it" and partnered us with such a wonderful tutor who was a great fit for our girl.
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My child worked with Gillian D virtually for math enrichment. She is an excellent teacher. She took time to understand my child's specific learning style and provided tools that would be engaging. She was kind and empathetic- really … More made it her goal to connect with my child and build trust and rapport. My child started the school year with confidence and without the typically "brain-drain" that occurs over the summer, thanks to Gillian.
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I am going into my second year as a Themba tutor. I have met so many great individuals while working for this company. Craig and the rest of the Themba team do such an excellent job picking and choosing Themba tutors that suit each client's … More individual needs! I look forward to meeting new tutors and clients in the 2021-2022 school year!
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Our son started in a new high school, 100% remote, and was really struggling with Latin and Physics. I found Themba Tudors online and had an initial call with Craig, who was very knowledgeable, responsive, and found 2 amazing tutors for … More us. Both the Latin and the physics tutors were fantastic, connected with my son really well and helped him go from 'failing' grade to 'honors'! I will for sure continue using (and recommending!) Themba Tutors. Thank you, C, K, and W!
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Brian is a fantastic executive functioning coach. Super helpful, flexible with hours, and tailored the experience to our needs.
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Giulia Mercuri is a great Italian tutor! She was very responsive and accessible. Giulia put a ton of effort into preparing for each session and really helped our son with test preparation and projects. We are grateful that she was able … More to help, especially since our son did not receive any live teaching during COVID. We are happy that she was referred to us!
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As an adult student diagnosed with a learning disability during grad school, I knew I needed help dealing with my Master's program's demanding workload. I was seriously considering dropping out when I was referred to Themba Tutors. … More I was paired up with a wonderful tutor, Julie, who was a total lifesaver. I learned many techniques that I can utilize in the future as I embark on the next phase of my career.
I can wholeheartedly say after working with Themba for two years that I would not have finished my program without this organization. And I am so thankful I selected them. -
We were introduced to a wonderful tutor: Mcedwyn. He and our son, a freshman in college, worked well together. As a result, our son’s grades significantly improved. The tutor taught our son subject content and various methods to effectively … More study for quizzes and exams. Our son was also taught time management and organization. My son’s experience with the tutor made the first year of college a less intimidating experience.
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We have been with our tutor, Cailin Schiller, for two years, from 5th - 7th grade. She started as an executive functioning tutor with my daughter. From the start, she demonstrated a depth of expertise and a selective use of techniques skillfully … More adapted to my daughter’s ADHD and Math disability. Cailin made Math accessible and understandable to her in a way that even her teachers had not been able to do. She differentiated reading, writing and math tasks and assignments to tailor them to my daughter’s unique learning differences. Not only did it have an effect on her grades and her work efficiency, but she finally could do her work with less anxiety. Even my daughter’s teachers used Cailin’s guidance to modify their work with her. But most importantly, she became my daughter’s favorite resource. I can’t say how invaluable Cailin has been to my daughter’s progress and well-being. I’d recommend her a million times over. She is a gem.
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Victoria is a superb tutor. She helped my high school age daughter with her writing. Victoria's skills as a tutor, as well as her sense of humor and her engaging personality went a long way with my daughter.
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Themba Tutors provided a leaning specialist that was a perfect fit for my daughter. I told them what we were looking for and they delivered. Our tutor is responsive and flexible and makes it easy for my daughter to reach out to her own … More her own, which gives her an added sense of responsibility over her learning. As a therapist myself, I now regularly recommend Themba to my patients. A much needed and well provided service to the community!!
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The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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I'm so glad we were referred to Themba Tutors. After a great initial conversation to learn our needs, we were connected with an excellent tutor, Felicia, who is helping our high school daughter learn better organizational and executive … More skills. Highly recommended.
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We had a wonderful experience with our tutor Micaela. She helped our son not only academically but at every level. We will be forever grateful to have her in our lives.
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The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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Paul Smith at Themba has been an exceptional tutor for my son, both in terms of teaching the subject matter and teaching how best to approach the process of learning math and executing assignments. We feel very fortunate to be working with … More Paul.
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We were very lucky to have found Edwouine Swift, my son's therapist through Themba Tutors. Thomas is 12 years old, and it is extremely difficult to get him to write. Edwouine just works her magic with him, he adores her and is so … More eager to follow her guidance. I have no doubt she will be a positive driving force in his academic future.
PRIVATE NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS FUNDED BY THE DOE
IEE (Independent Educational Evaluation)
An IEE stands for Independent Educational Evaluation. It’s an evaluation of a student’s educational needs and abilities conducted by a qualified professional who is not employed by the school district. When a family disagrees with the findings or recommendations of the school’s evaluation, they can request an IEE. The school district may fund this independent evaluation or provide a voucher for it, such as AA2 or AA8.
AA2 and AA8 (Vouchers)
AA2 and AA8 are terms used to describe vouchers or assessment authorization forms provided by the Department of Education (DOE). AA2 vouchers may be issued to a family when they request an IEE, covering a portion of the cost of a neuropsychological evaluation by an authorized provider. The school may provide AA8 vouchers to a family to cover the cost of a private neuropsychological evaluation from a provider of their choice.
Private Neuropsychological Evaluations for Preschool
The preschool special evaluation is a comprehensive assessment conducted by a team of educational and medical professionals to determine if a child has a disability and to what extent they require special education services. This evaluation is essential for creating an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that outlines the child’s strengths, needs, and educational goals. Eligibility for preschool special education is determined through an individual evaluation in the child’s native language conducted by a multidisciplinary team. The evaluation assesses cognitive, language, adaptive, social-emotional, and motor development to identify the child’s unique needs.
Initial Evaluation
The Department of Education (DOE) will comprehensively evaluate your child to assess all aspects of the suspected disability. This evaluation encompasses various components, including:
1. Social History: An interview with you to gather information about your child’s development and family history.
2. Psychoeducational Assessment: A test to assess your child’s knowledge and learning abilities.
3. Observation: An observation of your child in their classroom environment.
4. Physical Examination: An up-to-date report from your doctor regarding your child’s vision, hearing, and overall health. If obtaining this report is challenging, you can request assistance from the IEP team, CSE, or CPSE to arrange a cost-free examination.
5. Additional Assessments, as required: This may include evaluations related to speech and language, sign language proficiency, occupational and/or physical therapy, functional behavior assessment (FBA), assistive technology (AT), school records, teacher assessments, and interviews to determine work skills and interests. These additional assessments may be necessary based on your child’s needs and circumstances, especially if your child is 12 or older.
This thorough evaluation process is essential for understanding your child’s unique requirements and is part of the assessment conducted to determine eligibility for specialized education services.
Independent Assessments Paid for by the DOE
In cases where you have reservations about an evaluation carried out by the DOE, you can request an independent assessment funded by the DOE. To initiate this process, you should submit a written request to the IEP team, CSE, or CPSE. Upon receiving your request, the DOE will either approve the funding for an independent assessment or commence an impartial hearing to address the disagreement.
Bilingual Assessments for Language Diversity
If English is not your home language, your child needs to undergo a bilingual assessment conducted in both English and your child’s native language.
For Preschool-Age Children:
The languages to be assessed are determined by an agency listed in the referral packet. To find an agency capable of performing a bilingual assessment, please reach out to your CPSE or ECDC for guidance.
For School-Age Students:
Your child’s bilingual assessment will be based on two key factors:
- The language spoken in your home, as indicated on the Home Language Identification Survey.
- Results from either the New York State Identification Test for English Language Learners (NYSITELL) or the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT). You can learn more about these assessments for English language learners.
A bilingual evaluator from the DOE will be assigned to conduct the assessment. If a bilingual evaluator is not available, one of the following options will be utilized:
- A bilingual evaluator employed by an agency under contract.
- A monolingual evaluator, accompanied by a spoken language or sign language interpreter.
- An independent bilingual evaluator not affiliated with the DOE.
Options for Pursuing a Neuropsychological Evaluation:
Option 1: Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)
- Request an IEE from the DOE if you disagree with the school’s evaluation.
- The DOE may issue a voucher (like AA2) to your family and provide a list of authorized evaluation providers.
- Contact one of the authorized providers to schedule the evaluation.
- Staying in touch with DOE representatives can expedite this process.
Option 2: Due Process Complaint and Impartial Hearing
- Request a DOE-funded neuropsychological evaluation at market rate through a due process complaint and impartial hearing.
- This request is typically part of a larger due process complaint.
- An impartial hearing officer must approve this request before proceeding.
Option 3: Resolution Agreements at the District Level
- Some families reach agreements with the school district for a neuropsychological evaluation.
It’s important to note that the DOE’s responsiveness can vary across these options. In most cases, the first option (IEE with a voucher) is quicker if you stay in touch with DOE representatives. Keep in mind that voucher rates may be below the market rate, but some families have successfully negotiated higher rates.
Additionally, some recent experiences suggest that parents can request neuropsychological evaluations directly from school social workers or psychologists, and the DOE has issued vouchers for these evaluations without needing a hearing or mediation. This practice may not be widespread, so parents should inquire about this option with their child’s school.
Furthermore, parents and caregivers are encouraged to interview providers on the DOE’s list, ask questions, and request the list to contact providers themselves. Some districts may try to hire contractors who do not provide comprehensive evaluations, so it’s essential to ensure that the chosen provider conducts an independent neuropsychological assessment. Parents should also inquire about the specific tests and assessments planned for their child and be proactive in advocating for their child’s needs during meetings with the school.
Craig Selinger
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