For Families

Educational Screening
A brief screening (20–30 minutes) helps identify your child’s academic strengths and areas where support may be needed.

Screenings are used to:

  • Identify risk for dyslexia
  • Highlight areas that may need further evaluation

Next Steps
If risk indicators are present, an Instructional Evaluation & Consultation is available to pinpoint specific areas for growth, including:

  • Reading and spelling
  • Sight word recognition
  • Handwriting
  • Oral reading fluency
  • Vocabulary and comprehension
Dyslexia Screenings
Dyslexia Screenings
Dyslexia Educational Evaluation & Consultation

Instructional Evaluation & Consultation

This evaluation provides a deeper, individualized look at your child’s learning profile. It considers educational history, existing diagnoses, strengths, areas in need of support, and available resources to guide next steps.

What this includes:

  • One-on-one assessment
  • Scoring, interpretation, and written report
  • A one-hour caregiver consultation to review results and recommendations

Purpose

  • Identify gaps in foundational skills
  • Recommend appropriate instructional supports and educational settings
  • Support timely, targeted intervention

Important Notes

  • This is not a diagnostic evaluation. An educational psychologist is required for an official dyslexia diagnosis.
  • Educational evaluations are typically not covered by medical insurance.
  • Many students access effective support without a formal diagnosis, allowing instruction to begin sooner.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Learning differences are common and do not reflect intelligence, effort, or potential. Screenings and instructional evaluations simply help us understand how your child learns best.

A screening is a short check to see whether your child may be at risk and might benefit from more support.
An instructional evaluation is a deeper look at specific skills to guide intervention and next steps.

A diagnosis must be done by an educational psychologist after a comprehensive psychological evaluation. Some certified speech and language pathologists can also diagnose dyslexia, but do not assess other cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and IQ.

No. Instructional evaluations provided by Melissa Petersen are not diagnoses. If a formal diagnosis is needed, an educational psychologist can complete that process. Keep in mind that many students receive effective support without a diagnosis.

Not at all. Some families seek support to strengthen foundations early or to prevent future difficulties. Early, targeted instruction can be very helpful.

No. This is a private educational service. Results are shared only with you, unless you choose otherwise.

You’ll receive clear recommendations and have time to talk through them during a caregiver consultation. Together, we’ll discuss next steps that make sense for your child and your family.

Instructional evaluations are typically not covered by medical insurance because they are not medical assessments.

That’s completely okay. Many families start with a screening or a conversation. The goal is to support—not rush—you and your child.

Dyslexia Screenings For Schools
Dyslexia Screenings For Schools

Interested in scheduling a dyslexia screening?

Schedule a Free Consultation

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