If your child is struggling in school, you might be considering an evaluation. There are different kinds of evaluations, and the terms for them can be confusing. You might hear them referred to with different names, depending on who’s talking.
Understood breaks down the different terms people use for evaluations. Read the article on the Understood website for a clear understanding of the differences among a public school evaluation, private evaluation, psychological evaluation, psychoeducational evaluation, neuropsychological evaluation, and other related terminology.
Private evaluation
A child may be evaluated by an outside specialist who doesn’t work within a public school district. Public schools must consider the results of this private evaluation. But having a private evaluation doesn’t guarantee that a child will get an IEP or services.
An independent educational evaluation (IEE) is a kind of private evaluation. Sometimes, when a public school district is evaluating a child, testing by an outside professional is needed. And in some cases, the school pays for it.
Any of the evaluations below can be part of a public school or private evaluation.
Behavior and learning
Psychological evaluation: Focuses on a child’s emotions, behavior, and social skills.
Psychoeducational evaluation: Focuses on a child’s classroom and education needs. It involves basic cognitive testing in areas like IQ and learning differences, with a look at academic performance, too.
Cognitive testing: Focuses on how a child thinks. It may use a variety of tests for IQ and learning differences.
Educational evaluation: Focuses on academics — how a child performs in school-related skills, based on age or grade
Neuropsychological evaluation: Focuses on how a child’s brain functions, and how that impacts behavior and learning. It involves a wide range of cognitive testing on learning differences, plus behavioral testing and a look at academics. It may go deeper than a psychoeducational evaluation.
Related evaluations
Speech and language evaluation: Focuses on a child’s spoken language, as well as verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
Social history evaluation: Focuses on how a child’s family history, environment, and culture may impact behavior and learning.
Occupational therapy evaluation: Focuses on a child’s motor skills, self-regulation, and visual and sensory processing.
Physical therapy evaluation: Focuses on a child’s gross motor skills, like mobility, strength, balance, and coordination.
Medical or psychiatric evaluation: Focuses on diagnosing and treating a child’s mental health issues.
Excerpted from “Different Terms You May Hear for Evaluations” on Understood.org. Read the full article on the Understood website for more information on evaluations listed above.
Source: Understood | Different Terms You May Hear for Evaluations, https://www.understood.org/articles/en/different-terms-you-may-hear-for-evaluations | Copyright © 2014–2026 Understood.org Last reviewed January 2026.
If your child has had an evaluation, you probably have questions about the scores and how those can be translated to meaningful IEP goals. Check out our Community Education presentation to learn more about IEPs so that you can effectively advocate for your child.
