A psychoeducational (psych-ed) assessment is an assessment of how a student learns. It measures different types of reasoning, memory, and working efficiency; in contrast to learned knowledge, like math facts or vocabulary definitions.
A psychoeducational assessment identifies areas of strength and weakness in a student’s learning profile and provides a deeper understanding of their educational abilities. It can also lead to identifying indicators for Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Intellectual Disabilities, Reading (dyslexia), Writing (dysgraphia) and Mathematic (dyscalculia) challenges and other mental health issues that can interfere with learning. Many of these would require additional testing beyond a psychoeducational assessment in order to diagnose them.
Psychoeducational assessments vary according to the age of the child and the goal of the assessment. An identification strategy that includes multiple types of assessment tests—both objective and subjective—is the best way to ensure no gifted learner is overlooked.
Many psych-ed assessments will include these key components:
1. Background Information2. Assessment Techniques
3. Evaluation of Cognitive Ability & Memory Skills
4. Academic Achievement Testing
5. Attention, behaviour and additional supplemental tests as needed
Psychologists will often add on tests if they want to confirm a diagnosis or if they need to understand any inconsistencies.
6. Personality and emotional testing
The goal is to understand where the child is emotionally, as well as cognitively, as differences in cognitive age and emotional age can impact behaviour and academic performance.
7. Observations
8. Conclusions and Recommendations
References: Handbook of Giftedness In Children
Psychoeducational assessment instruments (tests) require qualified professionals to administer them.
Registered Psychologists in BC are required to have a Doctoral Degree and specific experience and training to conduct psychoeducational assessments. They typically work in community settings. To learn more about their professional qualifications, visit the College of Psychologists website. See below for information on the assessment classification system.
School Psychologists (BC) qualifications include a Master’s Degree with a focus on School Psychology. School Psychologists (BC) qualifications include a Master’s or Doctoral Degree with a focus on School Psychology. They are qualified to conduct Level A, B and C assessments inside of a school setting. Typically they will be involved in psychoeducational, behavioural, mental health and language based assessments in school districts and other assessment settings. Other roles include program planning, psychoeducation, consultation and systems level support. To learn more about their professional qualifications see the BC Association of School Psychologists. See below for information on assessment classification system.
Psychologists and educators are guided by their conception of giftedness, training and assessment goals, which helps them select the specific tests and procedures for the gifted assessment.
Assessment instruments (tests) are classified into one of three levels: A, B or C.
Level A tests can be given and interpreted by non-psychologists such as educators.
They include interest inventories, group or individual, and multiple-choice tests and use a simple metric of interpretation. There are no special qualifications required to purchase or administer these tests.
Level B tests require specific training for administration, scoring and interpretation.
They include most individual or group tests of achievement or interest, and screening inventories. They require ‘a master’s degree in psychology, education, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, social work, or in a field closely related to the intended use of the assessment, and formal training in the ethical administration, scoring, and interpretation of clinical assessments’.
Level C is the most restricted category and require advanced training and experience in administration, scoring, and interpretation. Level C tests include aptitude, language and clinical diagnostic tests for group or individuals. ‘A doctorate degree in psychology, education, or closely related field with formal training in the ethical administration, scoring and interpretation of clinical assessments related to the intended use of the assessment’.
To learn more about assessment levels as they apply to specific cognition and intelligence tests visit https://www.pearsonclinical.ca/en/psychology/cognition–intelligence.html
References
- Psychoeducational Research and Training Centre (PRTC) Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia
http://prtc1-educ.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2011/12/Qualifications-for-the-Ethical-Use-of-Tests.pdf - Pearson Clinical Assessment Canada
https://www.pearsonclinical.ca/en/ordering/qualification-levels.html
https://www.pearsonclinical.ca/en/psychology/cognition–intelligence.html
Children can be assessed in groups or individually.
Group testing is commonly used to screen for gifted or challenge programs in various school districts. They are designed for mass testing and use simplified instruction and administration procedures. For group testing your child will typically take tests in a classroom with other children, and the parent will receive a one-page printout of results. Many group tests are Level A tests and can be administered by a teacher.
Individual testing is conducted on a one-on-one basis for several hours and is generally conducted by a psychologist. A detailed report of several pages offering an interpretation of test results with recommendations will be presented to the parents, and time will be given for the parents to meet with the psychologist who will explain results and answer any questions.
Children can perform differently on group versus individual assessments.
Primary differences between group and individual assessments include that group testing tends to be more affordable than individual testing, while individual testing tends to be more in-depth.
School Psychologists and educators typically use a variety of Level A and B assessments to identify children for placement in gifted educational programs. Educators may administer Level A tests as group screening tests for gifted or challenge programs in schools; Level A tests use a simple metric of interpretation. Level B assessments are more in-depth and used by School Psychologists to identify giftedness.
A few examples of assessment tests used by schools are:
Level B – Assessments – conducted by School Psychologist
- The Gifted Rating Scales™ (GRS) are rating scales based on current theories of giftedness and guidelines regarding the definition of gifted and talented students.
- Pre-school/Kindergarten Form (GRS–P): Pre-school and Kindergarten teachers complete the GRS–P form for children between the ages of 4 and 6 years. This form contains brief scales covering five areas: intellectual, academic readiness, motivation, creativity, and artistic talent.
- School-Age Form (GRS–S): Teachers complete six brief scales on the GRS–S form to evaluate children between the ages of 6 to 13 years who are in grades 1 to 8. The six areas include: intellectual, academic, motivation, creativity, leadership, and artistic talent.
- K-Bit – Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test
- WIAT – Wechsler Individual Achievement Test
Level A – Assessments – conducted by Educators
- CCAT – Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test – Group Test
- CogAT – Cognitive Abilities Test – Group Test
Experts recommend using a variety of tests or test sections to get the best combination of data for assessments, as there is some concern that single tests are not a conclusive indicator of giftedness.
For additional information on assessments and levels:
http://prtc1-educ.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2011/12/Qualifications-for-the-Ethical-Use-of-Tests.pdf
https://www.pearsonclinical.ca/en/products/product-master/item-92.html or https://www.pearsonclinical.ca/en/psychology/cognition–intelligence.html
http://www.nelson.com/assessment/
https://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/gifted-education-practices/identification/tests-assessments
Registered Psychologists are required to have a doctorate degree and formal training in the ethical administration, scoring and interpretation of assessments; however not all Registered Psychologists are trained to conduct psych-ed assessments or to assess for giftedness. It is important to confirm the Registered Psychologist you’ve chosen is trained in giftedness assessment.
A few examples of Level C giftedness assessment tests used by Registered Psychologists are:
WISC-V CDN (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children)
WPPSI – Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence
WJIV – The Woodcock-Johnson IV
For additional information on specific assessments and levels:
Pearson Clinical Assessment Canada
Nelson Assessment
In fact, most pediatric physicians and family practitioners are not trained to diagnose and assess for giftedness.
As giftedness is rare, most health care providers are unfamiliar with it (https://www.davidsongifted.org/search-database/entry/a10494).
Identifying and providing counsel for gifted children requires specialized training. It is important to ask any professional dealing with your child what specific training they have undergone related to gifted assessment.
Your family doctor/pediatrician may have referral suggestions for who to see for a gifted assessment, or you could search professional directories for qualified psychologists.
Many psychologists who are trained to assess gifted children in BC are listed on the GCABC Professionals Directory.
When identifying an appropriate professional to assess your child, the kinds of questions to ask may include:
What is the professional’s training, credentials, and background?
How much experience does the professional have with testing gifted children?
How does this professional decide on which tests to use?
How much information is needed regarding the child’s previous testing?
How should you best prepare your child for the assessment?
Based on the assessment, what are the professional’s suggestions for meeting the child’s educational needs?
Is the professional available to explain the test results to school officials, if necessary?
Will the professional provide a full report summary, including suggestions and resources?
Will this person schedule a meeting to explain and interpret the report for you?
Excerpt from ‘Advocating for Exceptionally Gifted Young People’ – Davidson Institute ?font>
Private assessments are paid for by the parents of the child, while school assessments are free of charge.
A private psych-ed assessment will often be more comprehensive. There are certain areas a school evaluation often does not cover, including emotional challenges or behaviour.
It’s important to keep in mind, that the school psychologist works for the school, not the family, so their time might be limited or focused on the concerns raised by the school, not the parents. Usually there must be a demonstrated need for the school to provide an assessment and parents may not wish to wait that long.
If you are having a school assessment you will want to confirm which areas are being assessed and what is being taken into consideration, along with what accommodations will be available on completion of the assessment.
A private assessment offers more privacy to the family and may often be conducted in a timelier manner.
A private assessment might also be the only option in cases where the parent has concerns but the child does not meet the school’s demonstrated need for a school evaluation.
Parents can also choose not to share the results of a private assessment with their child’s school.
In deciding whether to seek a private assessment, it is worth noting that few children are ever offered individually administered assessments by schools as they are expensive, time consuming, and not necessary for most students.
Anecdotal evidence would suggest there are very few gifted students being referred for individual comprehensive psych-ed assessments in the BC public school system at this time.
Psychologists in BC do not require a referral for private psychoeducational assessments. Parents can self-refer their children.
However, some extended benefit plans may require a referral if applying for reimbursement of costs.
Public School System
Assessments paid for by the BC Ministry of Education require a referral from a school-based team.
Current BC Ministry policies state “…a referral for psychoeducational assessment (is undertaken) only after there has been considerable pre-referral assessment and pre-referral intervention. Emphasis on school-based problem solving should lessen the number of referrals for testing.”
As each school and district have their own resources, policies and processes, parents need to contact their child’s school for information. Ask for a referral to your district’s ‘gifted helping teacher’ or for the district educator in charge of giftedness.
On average, private psychoeducational assessments range in price from $2000 – $3500. As services vary, it is important to ask for a price quote and information regarding the extent of testing covered before proceeding with the assessment.
Many psychologists are willing to make the time to answer a few questions for free and provide a quote in advance, to see if a psych-ed assessment is a good choice for your child.
Registered Psychologists are not covered by MSP, requiring clients to pay for the cost of the appointment.
School-based Assessments
Assessments in the BC public school system are free of charge; however, wait times vary depending on the resources available at your school and in your district.
Currently in some BC school districts the wait list for individualized psych-ed assessments can be a few months to several years long. Districts unfortunately do not have the funding to conduct many in-depth individual assessments, and as a result reserve comprehensive testing for students determined to be most in need by school-based teams.
Note: The downside of testing through the school is that wait times can often be lengthy. Long wait times can be deleterious to children who are in dire need of help.
If you think your child needs an assessment, make an appointment with your child’s teacher, school counselor or principal to see what options are available. Many districts also have a gifted helping teacher or educator responsible for gifted students.
It’s important to check with your insurance provider as many extended benefit plans will cover at least some of the cost of private psych-ed assessments.
As each insurance provider has different stipulations for reimbursement, it is important to contact them in advance of having the assessment to determine available coverage and any specific criteria required from claimants.
Many psychologists will work with parents on how to organize billing to maximize reimbursement by insurers of extended benefit plans. For example, billing may be split between claimants or testing may be conducted over two fiscal billing periods to maximize coverage.
Early testing and identification can be a controversial subject, however many advocates of gifted children believe that they should be identified as early as possible, so their unique needs and talents can be acknowledged and nurtured. Early identification is also important when a young child is showing behavioural or social differences — not fitting in, being highly focused on unusual interests, appearing more distractible or inattentive than others of the same age — and parents want to understand the cause.
In general, psychologists who work with gifted children suggest comprehensive gifted assessments are appropriate at 4.5 years of age and older. Testing for giftedness is generally believed to be reliable when administered to children around 6 years of age.
Evidence based research on gifted children indicates that reliability of results for gifted children is at a younger age than the norm, and that although the overall score may not be as accurately reflected at age 6 as at an older age, the qualitative and specific information obtained from an assessment provides a clear picture of the child’s abilities and skills. Early identification and intervention greatly benefit gifted students who may struggle in the early years of school and have difficulties realizing their full potential.
Resources
Many parents have encountered educators in their schools who advise that it is not worth testing young students, and that assessment results are not valid below 8 years of age.
According to the U.S. based National Association for Gifted Children there are a few stumbling blocks for parents and educators of gifted young children:
- Teachers and schools are not trained to recognize advanced ability or be able to differentiate to serve this population of young children.
- Young gifted learners are a heterogeneous group where each child develops skills and abilities at different rates; so, while one 4-year-old may be able to add and subtract numbers, he may struggle to draw a recognizable house or take turns on the swing.
- There are few opportunities for outside enrichment during the early years, especially in low-income neighborhoods.
In some cases, methods of identifying young gifted or potentially gifted students in schools are inadequate or unpractical due to time constraints and limited resources.
It’s important for parents to know assessments for students under 8 years of age, such as the Gifted Rating Scales for Preschool and Kindergarten for example, are available. If assessments for younger students are not available at your school, you may wish to investigate a private assessment.
https://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/resources-parents/young-bright-children
Many school districts in British Columbia have adopted policies which state they do not start identifying children for gifted programs until the third grade. A key reason for this is the group tests preferred by schools are designed for children over 8 years of age in the general population; and are dependent on reading and writing ability.
Group testing varies by school district, with some districts testing their entire school population, and others testing only those applying for gifted, challenge or other programs designed to meet the needs of gifted learners.
Some school districts do no group screening for giftedness at all.
Group administered tests are less time consuming and costly for school districts to administer, as well as require less training for the person administering them. Group tests are also less in-depth than individual assessments.
Unfortunately, group testing can often under identify or entirely miss some gifted children, particularly those who have other exceptionalities (twice exceptional) or have attention difficulties during testing.
Gifted experts suggest that tests should not serve as the sole criteria for identifying gifted children. The best assessments use both objective and subjective measures including talent inventories, parent, teacher, and student questionnaires as well as student performance reviews.
Full Scale IQ score WISC-IV, WPPSI-III source: Assessment of Children
Gifted or moderately gifted (G or MG): 130 – 138
Highly gifted (HG): 138 – 145
Exceptionally gifted (EG): 145 – 152
Profoundly gifted (PG): 152 – 160
Excerpt from Carolyn K., director, Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page.
It’s important to note that many tests used were not developed to effectively identify individuals at the extremes of the intellectual continuum. For example, with the WISC-V (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children), tests top out at a score of 160. Additionally, if your child had low scores on Working Memory or Processing Speed a composite score may better represent your child’s IQ score.
The Gifted Development Center (GDC) and Pearson Assessments have developed a new composite score for the WISC-V; the newly created and Expanded General Ability Index (EGAI) to aid in gifted identification.
“The newly created Expanded General Ability Index (EGAI) or “Gifted Index” balances the verbal and nonverbal subtests that capture gifted abilities most effectively. The Gifted Index measures verbal, spatial and mathematical reasoning ability (rather than auditory and visual memory, processing speed and eye-hand co-ordination” https://www.gifteddevelopment.com/updates-announcements/news-flash
If you have concerns about the accuracy of your child’s full-scale IQ score you may wish to share this article by Linda Silverman with your psychologist.
Resources to Learn More About Gifted Assessments
Gifted Children’s Association of BC
Davidson Institute – Assessing Gifted Children
National Association for Gifted Children – Tests & Assessments Publications