Why Is My Bright Child Struggling?
If your child is intelligent but struggling academically, an educational assessment can help uncover why.
Many students work harder than their peers but still struggle with:
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Attention and concentration
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Executive functioning skills
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Reading, writing, or mathematics
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Test performance
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Organization and time management
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Academic accommodations
Our comprehensive educational testing services help identify learning differences, ADHD, executive functioning challenges, and other factors that may be affecting academic success.
Whether you are seeking an executive functioning assessment, educational testing, or a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation, the goal is the same:
To understand how your child learns and what support may help them thrive.
Serving clients throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
Executive Functioning Assessment for ADHD, Learning Disabilities & Academic Accommodations
I WAS THAT BRIGHT, STRUGGLING STUDENT
For years, I struggled to understand why certain things seemed harder for me than they seemed to be for other people.
I was intelligent and capable, but I struggled with time management, procrastination, following through on tasks, and managing the demands of everyday life. From the outside, these difficulties could easily be mistaken for laziness, a lack of motivation, or simply not trying hard enough.
Years later, I learned that ADHD and significant executive functioning difficulties had played an important role in my academic and professional experiences.
That experience changed the way I understand children and adults who are bright, capable, and motivated, but still struggle in ways that others may not see.
Usually, a child does not need to try harder. They may need a better understanding of how they think, learn, focus, and function.
A psychoeducational evaluation can help identify patterns of strengths and weaknesses that may explain why someone is struggling and what types of support may be helpful.
From Personal Experience to Professional Practice.
⭐ 587 Five-Star Reviews
🎓 Serving high school/college students age 16+ and adults
📋 Comprehensive Reports with Practical Recommendations and Accommodation Documentation
What Can An Educational Assessment Help Clarify?
A comprehensive educational assessment is designed to understand how a student learns, thinks, focuses, organizes information, and performs academically.
Educational testing services may help clarify:
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ADHD and attention difficulties
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Executive functioning weaknesses
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Learning disabilities
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Reading disorders
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Written expression difficulties
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Mathematics disorders
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Processing speed weaknesses
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Working memory challenges
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Academic accommodation needs
The purpose of assessment for learning is not simply to identify problems.
The goal is to better understand strengths, challenges, and the supports that can improve educational outcomes.
More Than Educational Testing
Educational testing is an important part of understanding academic performance, but meaningful answers rarely come from a single test.
A comprehensive educational assessment integrates information from multiple sources to understand how a person thinks, learns, focuses, organizes information, and responds to academic demands.
WHO MAY BENEFIT FROM AN EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT?
This evaluation may be appropriate for:
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT?
A Personalized Evaluation Process
No two people come to an evaluation with the same questions.
Every evaluation is tailored to the individual and the questions the evaluation is intended to address.
1
Clinical Interview
The evaluation begins with a detailed interview to understand the individual's developmental, medical, psychological, educational, and occupational history.
We will discuss current concerns, previous evaluations, academic experiences, and the specific questions you hope the evaluation will help answer.
This is an opportunity to provide context that test scores alone cannot capture.
2
Records and History Review
When relevant, available records may be reviewed to better understand the individual's developmental and academic history.
This may include previous psychological or educational evaluations, school records, academic history, and other relevant documentation.
3
Standardized Questionnaires and Rating Scales
Depending on the referral question, standardized measures may be used to assess areas such as:
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Attention
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Executive functioning
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Emotional functioning
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Personality
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Behavioral patterns
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Other clinically relevant areas
The specific measures used are selected based on the individual and the questions being addressed.
4
Cognitive and Academic Assessment (When Indicated)
When clinically indicated, cognitive and academic assessment can help identify patterns of strengths and weaknesses that may affect learning, academic performance, and occupational functioning. Areas assessed may include:
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Verbal reasoning
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Working memory
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Processing speed
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Visual-spatial reasoning
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Fluid reasoning
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Reading
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Written expression
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Mathematics
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Academic fluency and efficiency
These findings can help explain why certain academic, workplace, or everyday tasks may be easier or more challenging and can assist in identifying learning disabilities or other factors affecting performance.
5
Integration and Interpretation
The results are considered together rather than interpreted in isolation.
The purpose is to understand how cognitive, academic, attentional, executive functioning, emotional, and behavioral factors may interact.
The goal is not simply to give you a collection of scores. It is to help make sense of the larger picture.
6
Written Report and Feedback Session
You will receive a comprehensive written report describing the findings and their clinical implications.
A feedback session is also provided to review the results, answer questions, and discuss recommendations.
What Families Have Shared About Their Experience:
Dr. Bonanno is the best. Great interactions, very safe space, was able to help my son and our family through what has been a very difficult situation, and now we have hope. Cannot thank him enough and highly recommend!
Paul D
I was a little nervous about my appointment with Dr Bonanno, but he immediately made me feel at ease. I had no trouble opening up and discussing my problem with him. It was very obvious to me that he is a very caring and compassionate person. I am so thankful to have been referred to him. I highly recommend him. Thank you Dr Bonanno!
Betsy Goff
Dr. Bonnano was a soothing, calming comfort for my pain. he seemed to understand exactly what I am experiencing and responded with support and help. I can highly recommend him for anyone with emotional issues.
REMOTE AND IN-PERSON EVALUATION
Professional evaluation, with flexibility designed around your needs.
Most of the evaluation process can be completed remotely through secure telehealth.
When in-person testing is clinically required, the necessary components can be completed at the office near Storrs and Mansfield, Connecticut.
The specific structure of the evaluation depends on the referral question and the components that are clinically indicated.
Educational Testing for College and Graduate School Accommodations
Educational testing services may provide documentation for:
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College accommodations
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Graduate school accommodations
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LSAT accommodations
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MCAT accommodations
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GRE accommodations
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Professional licensing examinations
A comprehensive educational assessment can document functional limitations, executive functioning weaknesses, ADHD symptoms, and learning disabilities that may affect academic performance.
WHAT DOES THE EVALUATION COST?
$4,000
The evaluation fee includes the clinical interview, assessment components that are clinically indicated, interpretation of findings, a comprehensive written report, and a feedback session.
A superbill can be provided for patients who wish to seek possible out-of-network reimbursement from their insurance company. Reimbursement is determined by the patient's insurance plan and is not guaranteed.
Your Child Is Bright. But Something Is Getting in the Way.
If your child is intelligent, capable, and working harder than expected to keep up academically, you may have found yourself wondering:
Why is this so difficult for them?
A comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation may help clarify the underlying factors affecting your child's academic functioning, identify patterns of strengths and challenges, and provide a clearer understanding of what support may be appropriate.
Evaluations are also available for college students, graduate students, and adults seeking answers about long-standing difficulties with attention, learning, organization, or executive functioning.
📍Serving clients throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
860-222-2633
FAQ
Does My Child Need Educational Testing?
Educational testing may be helpful if your child is:
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Working much harder than expected to keep up academically
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Struggling with attention, focus, or organization
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Falling behind despite being intelligent and capable
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Having difficulty with reading, writing, or math
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Experiencing increasing academic demands that seem overwhelming
A comprehensive evaluation can help determine whether ADHD, executive functioning difficulties, learning disabilities, or other factors may be contributing to those challenges.
What Does an Executive Functioning Assessment Measure?
An executive functioning assessment evaluates the mental skills involved in:
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Planning
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Organization
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Time management
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Task initiation
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Working memory
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Self-monitoring
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Sustaining attention
These skills play an important role in academic success and are often affected in individuals with ADHD and related conditions.
Can you provide a superbill for insurance reimbursement?
Yes. Once your payment has been received in full, we can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance company for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Please note that reimbursement is determined by your individual insurance plan.
Please contact SheerHealth.com. For only $45, they will provide :
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Out-of-network claims management
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Superbill generation
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Prior authorization support
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Gap exception processing
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Eligibility checks
We have had good results with them and will do whatever is needed to get you reimbursed for as much money as possible. Although please understand that the maximum any insurance company would pay is around $1000. Even if we were to bill it for in-network benefits, that's how much they would pay. This is the reason that testing practices do not accept insurance. They simply do not cover the costs of all the time and money spent to provide a proper evaluation.
What Is the Difference Between an ADHD Evaluation and a Comprehensive Educational Assessment?
This is a question people actually ask.
An ADHD evaluation focuses primarily on determining whether ADHD is present and how symptoms affect daily functioning.
A comprehensive educational assessment examines ADHD as well as learning, academic achievement, executive functioning, cognitive abilities, and other factors that may influence performance.
The most appropriate evaluation depends on your concerns and the questions you would like answered.
What accommodations can a psychoeducational evaluation recommend?
Recommendations depend on the individual's specific profile. They may include changes to testing conditions, extended time, reduced-distraction environments, assistive technology, organizational supports, or other reasonable accommodations.