PEACE ED primarily conducts in-person testing, counseling, and meetings at its Valencia office in the Santa Clarita Valley area. However, accommodations can be made to provide some in-person services to families who live outside this area, particularly if your child’s school allows private providers to provide on-site services. Additionally, some services can be delivered remotely, removing any distance barriers. Please reach out to discuss your specific situation.

PEACE ED’s evaluations explore the full range of neurodivergence. These comprehensive assessments include answering questions about the presence of and needs associated with differences like autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, ADHD, giftedness, and twice-exceptionality (2e). PEACE ED can also support families by completing an independent educational evaluation (IEE) when they disagree with their public school district’s evaluation or otherwise desire a second opinion. 

An Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) is a special education assessment conducted by a qualified professional who is not employed by the school district. If you disagree with your district’s evaluation or otherwise desire a second opinion, you have the right to request an IEE at public expense. While the district must provide information about potential evaluators and its criteria (such as qualifications, geographic limits, and cost guidelines), you are not required to choose an assessor from the district’s approved provider list. You may select any qualified evaluator who meets the district’s criteria. If your preferred assessor is not on the district’s list but meets the requirements, the district must consider your request; if the district’s list is unreasonably restrictive, you may request an exemption based on unique circumstances. This template can be used to request an IEE in California. 

PEACE ED works with families, their children, and educational entities. The fee schedule details the costs associated with common services. However, please don’t hesitate to reach out to inquire about additional services or partnership opportunities.

The Child Find component of federal law requires all public school districts to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities. To this end, families are entitled to a comprehensive evaluation from their local education agency (LEA) at no cost, even if their children are educated at home or in private or parochial school settings. This template provides helpful language for making a written request in California (this alternative can be used by those in other states).

California families are welcome to choose PEACE ED as an independent educational evaluation (IEE) provider if they desire a second opinion or are dissatisfied with any aspect of their local school district’s evaluation. When granted, IEEs are funded at public expense, removing access barriers related to cost.

Lastly, PEACE ED provides pro bono gifted-and-talented screenings to a select number of families each quarter. The screening includes a brief traditional IQ test, a brief nonverbal IQ test, and a gifted questionnaire completed by one parent/guardian. A screening serves as a preliminary exploration of giftedness and may be followed by a comprehensive gifted-and-talented evaluation conducted by PEACE ED or an alternative provider. Families interested in being added to the pro bono gifted screening waitlist are encouraged to complete the linked HIPAA-compliant interest form. 

Psychoeducational evaluations focus on exploring a child’s development and needs through an educational lens. Skills like reading, math, and writing are emphasized, along with social-emotional wellness and daily living skills. Similar to neuropsychological evaluations, these assessments typically assess intelligence, executive functioning, and key psychological processes, including verbal and fluid reasoning, short- and long-term memory, and processing speed.

In contrast, neuropsychological evaluations are more clinical in nature, making broader inferences about how a child’s performance on standardized tests relates to the way their brain works. This type of evaluation is especially useful for children with complex medical histories that affect their neurological functioning, or when previous psychoeducational evaluations have proven inconclusive. For most families, however, a psychoeducational evaluation is a sufficient and cost-effective first step toward better understanding their child’s unique profile and advocating for their needs in educational spaces.

PEACE ED’s evaluations include diagnoses from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) when appropriate.

PEACE ED offers gifted-and-talented screenings as a preliminary indicator of giftedness. However, comprehensive evaluations are best suited for answering referral questions related to dyslexia, ADHD, autism, etc. Specifically, they can help identify or rule out alternative explanations, avoid confirmation bias, and understand a child’s holistic needs. Thus, PEACE ED does not provide screeners focused on these types of neurodivergence. 

Insurance carriers do not typically cover psychoeducational evaluations. While PEACE ED does not bill insurance directly, a superbill can be provided that documents evaluation or counseling services. You can then submit this document to your insurance carrier for possible out-of-network reimbursement.