Assessment Services
Learning & Academic Assessment
Comprehensive evaluations for dyslexia, dyscalculia, and academic accommodations
If reading has always felt like a struggle, math doesn't seem to click, no matter how hard you try, or you find yourself working twice as hard as your peers for half the result, a learning disorder evaluation can help explain why. Specific learning disorders are real, neurologically based conditions, and identifying them is the first step toward getting the right support. We evaluate for dyslexia, dyscalculia, disorders of written expression, and other specific learning disorders, and we provide testing documentation for academic accommodations on standardized exams, including the MCAT, GRE, LSAT, SAT, and ACT.
01 — Understanding
What Are Specific Learning Disorders?
A specific learning disorder (SLD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects the brain's ability to process, store, or use information, particularly in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. The most common include:
Dyslexia: Difficulty with accurate and fluent word reading, decoding, and spelling, despite adequate intelligence and instruction.
Dyscalculia: Difficulty understanding number concepts, arithmetic operations, and mathematical reasoning.
Disorder of Written Expression (Dysgraphia): Difficulty with written language, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and written organization.
Importantly, having a learning disorder does not reflect intelligence. Many individuals with learning disorders are highly intelligent; their brains simply process certain types of information differently.
02 — Who It's For
Is This You?
A learning evaluation may be appropriate for:
Children or teens who are struggling academically despite effort and good instruction.
Students who read slowly, make frequent reading errors, or avoid reading aloud.
Individuals who struggle significantly with spelling despite practice.
Children whose math performance is consistently below what would be expected for their age and ability.
Students who have difficulty putting thoughts into written form.
Adults who have always struggled in school and wonder if a learning disorder was missed.
College or graduate students who want to apply for accommodation documentation for standardized exams (MCAT, GRE, LSAT, bar exam, etc.).
Professionals seeking workplace accommodations for learning differences.
03 — The process
What an Evaluation Involves
Our learning disorder evaluations are comprehensive psycho-educational assessments, combining cognitive, academic, and processing measures to build a complete picture.
Cognitive Testing (IQ Assessment): A comprehensive intelligence test (such as the WISC-V for children or the WAIS-V for adults) measures overall cognitive ability and identifies specific cognitive strengths and weaknesses. Understanding the cognitive profile is essential to diagnosing a learning disorder. The assessment looks at the relationship between intellectual ability and academic skill.
Academic Achievement Test: Standardized tests measure current academic skills across reading (decoding, fluency, comprehension), math (calculation, problem solving), and written language (spelling, sentence composition, extended writing). We compare these results to cognitive scores and age/grade expectations to identify significant discrepancies.
Processing Subtests: Underlying cognitive processing skills, such as phonological awareness, processing speed, working memory, and rapid naming, are assessed. These processes are often the root of academic difficulties and help confirm the nature of a learning disorder.
Clinical Interview: We gather a thorough history of academic development, educational history, prior evaluations, family history of learning differences, and current concerns. For children, this involves a parent interview.
Questionnaires and Rating Scales: Validated questionnaires help capture how learning difficulties show up in daily life, at home, and across academic settings.
04 — The Benefits
What You Walk Away With
Answers: Finally understanding why school or work has felt disproportionately hard.
Validation: Confirmation that the struggle is real and neurologically based, not a personal failing.
School accommodations: Documentation to start the process to obtain IEPs, 504 Plans, extended time, reduced distraction environments, and assistive technology.
Standardized exam accommodations: Documentation needed to apply for accommodations on the MCAT, GRE, LSAT, SAT, ACT, and licensing exams.
Targeted intervention: Specific, evidence-based recommendations for tutoring, instructional approaches, and therapy.
Workplace accommodations: Documentation under the ADA for reasonable adjustments.
Accommodation testing for the MCAT, GRE, LSAT, and other standardized exams
Many licensing and graduate admission exams, including the MCAT, GRE, LSAT, USMLE, bar exam, and others, require documentation of a disability to grant testing accommodations such as extended time or separate testing rooms. Mountain Peak Psychology provides the comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations required by these testing bodies.
Our reports are written to meet the specific documentation requirements of major testing organizations and include all required elements: current test scores, a clear diagnosis, evidence of functional impairment, and specific accommodation recommendations with supporting rationale. If you're seeking accommodation testing for a specific exam, please mention this when you contact us so we can ensure our evaluation meets that organization's requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes. Learning disorders are lifelong conditions, and many adults were never evaluated as children. An adult evaluation is appropriate, and the resulting report can be used to apply for academic accommodations in college or graduate school, standardized exam accommodations, and workplace ADA requests.
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An IQ test is one component of a comprehensive learning disorder evaluation, but it is not sufficient on its own to diagnose a learning disorder. A full psychoeducational evaluation also includes academic achievement testing, processing assessments, clinical interview, and rating scales to build a complete picture.
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School-based evaluations are conducted to determine eligibility for special education services and may not include the full range of standardized measures used in a private evaluation. A private evaluation at Mountain Peak Psychology is typically more comprehensive and produces a more detailed report that can be used in a wider range of contexts, including for standardized exam accommodations. We are happy to review any prior testing during our consultation.
Take the next step
Wondering If a Learning Disorder Is Part of the Picture?
Schedule your free 15-minute consultation today. There's no obligation, just an open conversation.