Consultation for IEP and 504 Plans
While many parents seek a neuropsychological evaluation by a school certified psychologist, our evaluations will provide information that will allow parents to seek accommodations and/or services from the school district for their child for a significantly lower fee.
We want to find the source of your child’s problem by measuring how their brain is creating the inefficiency that you are concerned about. By doing this, we are able to make recommendations for non-medication as well as medication interventions to help your child do better in school and life.
| Neuropsychological Evaluation | Functional EEG | |
|---|---|---|
| What does the test measure? | Performance on Various Tasks. ie., How does the brain's functioning impact life. | What is the brain doing that causes the impact on life's skills |
| Cost | approx. $1600-$2000 | $1050 |
| Are the Tests Covered by Insurance? | No | In most cases, at least 1/2 is covered by insurance |
| Length of Time to Administer | 6 hours | 2 hours |
| Are the Tests Validated | Yes | Yes |
| Are the Results Reviewed by a Neurologist | No | Yes |
Partnership for School modifications
We are happy to provide some recommendations as to accommodations that support the way your child’s brain works, but when families want significant support in tailoring those requests or working with schools, we recommend engaging with an educator whose expertise is specifically working with students and schools. That is why we’ve partnered with Jenna Prada and the Learning Link.
Photo: Jenna Prada, The Learning Link
The best way to get your child everything they need is to be sure they are supported by experts at every step of the way. We understand families and brains; Jenna understands students and schools. Jenna is skilled at reading our reports as well as other documentation you may provide and will spend time with you to identify school accommodations that take into account your child’s unique needs and be sure that you have the language you need to advocate for them effectively. Think of her as a translator who takes everything you know about your child and put into language schools understand and can act upon.
Learn more about what is involved in an Accommodation Consultation here. We’ve worked with Jenna to provide some basic information about the kinds of accommodations plans that students may be eligible for. Reach out to her directly if you have more questions about how to ensure that your child is fully supported in school.
Individualized Education Program (IEP)
The partnership between Sadar Psychological and the Learning Link allows us to support families in fully taking advantage of the IEP process. An IEP is a written plan for the provision of services for the education of students who are disabled or gifted.
Two criteria exist for an IEP, both of which must be met:
- The student must meet one of the 13 disability categories defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004 (IDEA (Opens In A New Window)).
- The student must need special education; that is, the child requires specifically designed instruction to receive educational benefits
A functional EEG evaluation will assess the extent of:
- Autism
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Some Other Health Impairments including ADHD
- Emotional Disturbance
Emotional disturbance is defined at 34 CFR § 300.8(c)(4) as:
- An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.
- An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.
- Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.
- A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.
- A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.
If your results show disabilities in any of these areas, Sadar Psychological will be able to provide the information you need to request an IEP. A functional EEG evaluation will also provide data that suggests the presence of the following disability categories and for which we will provide a referral to a specialist:
- Hearing Impairment
- Specific Learning Disability, including processing disorders
According to the laws governing special education, the other areas of disability are:
- Intellectual Disability (Opens In A New Window)
- Speech or language impairment,
- Visual impairment (including blindness)
- Orthopedic impairment
- Deafness
- Deaf-blindness
- Multiple disabilities
504 Service Agreement
A student that does not qualify for special education services under IDEA (an educational law) still may qualify for services under Section 504 (a civil rights law) if the disability is shown to substantially limit his or her educational performance. In Pennsylvania, anyone with a diagnosis of ADHD or ASD qualifies for additional services under the “Loop Hole Law“.
A child with a disability is one who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities, such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working. Accommodations often refer to building accessibility, classroom adjustments and curriculum modifications and may be updated or revised as the need changes.
Examples of disabilities under Section 504 include:
- Student breaks their arm in 5 places and cannot write; the district provides someone to take notes or write the homework
- Student is deaf and plays sports. The district provides an interpreter for the classroom and any school sports activities they are involved in
- Student has cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, migraines, allergies or asthma; the student is allowed to obtain treatment or medication, as needed
- Student uses a wheelchair; student is permitted to leave classes early to avoid hall traffic
- Student is under a doctor’s care for depression or anxiety, frequent behavioral problems, ADHD; the student is given additional time for completing assignments and allowed to sit in the front of the classroom. Note that in this case, we recommend speaking with Jenna Prada to discuss if an IEP is appropriate.
Unlocking the Brain’s Potential: Empowering Patients, Educating Practitioners
Appointments are Available.