The psychologists and therapists at Horizon provide counseling and therapy services to children, adolescents and adults, as well as psychological testing services for the evaluation of ADHD, autism, and learning disabilities.
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Many adults in the Lake Norman area are returning to school, pursuing professional certifications, or seeking accommodations for graduate or licensing exams—and doing so without documentation of the learning differences that shaped their academic histories. Nationally, studies suggest that a significant portion of adults with learning disorders were never formally identified during childhood. For those now enrolled at institutions like Davidson College or pursuing degrees through area community colleges, the absence of that documentation can create real barriers to getting the support they are entitled to.
Cornelius and the broader Lake Norman corridor are also home to some of the most competitive public and private school environments in the Charlotte metro region. That academic pressure, combined with growing class sizes, can make it difficult for children with learning differences to get the individualized attention they need. Research indicates that up to 15% of school-age children in the U.S. have some form of learning difference, yet many are not identified until struggles have compounded over multiple grade levels.
Is your child struggling to complete or keep up with class assignments? Is homework a stressor? Do you suspect your child has a possible learning disability? Is your child not being challenged and provided with instruction to match their ability? Do you want an objective evaluation of where your child is performing academically when compared to same-age peers due to many factors, including the impact from the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent disruption to the educational systems? Or did you struggle in school and want to understand why? It is important to have a thorough educational evaluation to determine what skills you or your child have developed and if those skills are sufficient to support further learning. Many evaluators give a general battery of tests and do not follow up in areas of need and in areas that are significant to the referral concern/question. In addition to comprehensive testing, an educational evaluation provides a comprehensive look at a child’s academic and developmental history. Testing and educational data are used to assist in developing hypotheses about why a problem is occurring (or not) and to identify a student’s specific skill deficits and strengths to determine the instructional focus and to inform decisions about how to adapt and individualize interventions (NC 1500-2.8).
All clients who are being evaluated for academic clarity can expect for parents/self to have a thorough clinical interview prior to scheduling testing to determine whether further testing is appropriate. For most clients, testing will involve the administration of a complete battery of the KTEA-3 with selected subtests administered from the WJ-IV, GORT-5, CTOPP-2, and/or TOC. Importantly, additional information is gathered, including a thorough review of the academic record. Using all data, a formal evaluation report is written, when appropriate a diagnosis for a Learning Disorder is confirmed or ruled out, and recommendations are made for interventions/accommodations.
Areas of evaluation typically include oral language, reading, writing, and mathematics and the framework of the evaluation standards is designed to maximize diagnostic accuracy by balancing both breadth and depth with efficiency and incremental validity. The educational testing assesses both broad and narrow academic skills. Consideration of several factors, including but not limited to, the age and developmental level of the student and language skills; and the specific referral concerns impact which tests are administered.
Following the initial interview, during which the clinical history is taken and a determination is made to go forward with the testing process, an appointment for testing is usually made for 1-2 weeks later; this allows you, the client, time to provide relevant documentation (e.g., school report cards, MTSS meeting notes, IEPS, or previous evaluation reports). The actual face-to-face testing session is roughly 3 hours in length, with appropriate breaks given as needed. Parents/adult clients can expect to have a face-to-face feedback session and receive a copy of the evaluation report approximately 2 weeks after all testing is completed.
Many adults in the Lake Norman area are returning to school, pursuing professional certifications, or seeking accommodations for graduate or licensing exams—and doing so without documentation of the learning differences that shaped their academic histories. Nationally, studies suggest that a significant portion of adults with learning disorders were never formally identified during childhood. For those now enrolled at institutions like Davidson College or pursuing degrees through area community colleges, the absence of that documentation can create real barriers to getting the support they are entitled to.
Cornelius and the broader Lake Norman corridor are also home to some of the most competitive public and private school environments in the Charlotte metro region. That academic pressure, combined with growing class sizes, can make it difficult for children with learning differences to get the individualized attention they need. Research indicates that up to 15% of school-age children in the U.S. have some form of learning difference, yet many are not identified until struggles have compounded over multiple grade levels.
Horizon Psychological Services provides educational evaluations for both adults and children, designed to meet the documentation standards required by colleges, universities, credentialing bodies, and school systems. Our assessments measure cognitive functioning, academic achievement, and processing abilities to identify whether a learning disorder, ADHD, or other condition is affecting performance. We understand the specific requirements that testing agencies, academic institutions, and schools expect, and we build our reports accordingly.
We serve families and adult learners in Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Mooresville, and surrounding Lake Norman communities. After an evaluation, we provide a written report in clear language and meet with you or your family to discuss results and recommended next steps. For children, we also help parents understand their rights under IDEA and Section 504, so you are prepared to advocate effectively within your child’s school system.
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