Evaluation  and  Assessment

An evaluation for reading difficulties will help determine what issues may be impacting a student’s ability to read. A comprehensive evaluation begins with a diagnostic interview, followed by Individually selected tests that address concerns about diagnosis and treatment. 

• Testing can take up to five hours, depending on diagnostic complexity.
• This testing can take place over 1 or 2 sessions. 
• A final session is scheduled with parent(s) to explain test results and recommendations.
• A detailed report detailing test findings, and recommendations is prepared upon completion.

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A complete evaluation includes:

• Collection of all prior testing of student
• In-depth interview of parents, including background and relevant health information
• Testing of student
• Compilation of all information and detailed report written
• Final meeting with parent(s) to explain report and prepare for next steps

MY FEES

• $200-$250 Consultation Only; No Report.
• $400-$700 Complete Evaluation-Consultation, Testing, and Report
• $100-$150p/h Advocacy; Workshops; Presentations
• Tutoring $50-$80 p/h
• Prices subject to change based on each individual case.

Dyslexia

Thanks to public awareness campaigns and activism over the last few years, more and more people are becoming familiar with the term "dyslexia."  In Arizona, -- a definition of "dyslexia" was added to our state education code.  "Dyslexia" means a brain-based learning difference that impairs a person's ability to read and spell, that is independent of intelligence and that typically causes a person to read at levels lower than expected. Take The Screening Test
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reading therapy 

​What is reading therapy? Learning to read is the most important tool for any child’s development. Reading therapy is more than just tutoring.  It is a multifaceted program based on an Orton-Gillingham model.  Orton-Gillingham is a phonics-based, sequential, multi-sensory, explicit method, designed for intense intervention, using movement and all five senses to teach reading, spelling, writing, and penmanship. We use the Barton Reading and Spelling System; which has been researched and proven to work with all ages, from 5 ½ to adult.  Depending on each client’s needs, additional programs utilized include Foundation in Sounds, the PASP program, Spalding, and Handwriting Without Tears.  Reading Therapy works to improve auditory discrimination, auditory memory size, auditory sequencing skills, phonological awareness, phonics, spelling rules, reading fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, basic language skills, and handwriting (dysgraphia).
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Diagnostic Challenges in the School Setting

​For many parents, the biggest challenge within the educational setting is finding help for a child struggling in reading. A Lexercise article (Blackly, 2014) discusses students' difficulty getting reading disorders identified in public schools.  Teachers have not received training to identify dyslexia or other reading issues.  If a teacher refers a student for testing, the evaluations and guidelines will not always catch students with dyslexia or other reading issues. Many students with reading difficulties can memorize many words allowing them to do well on public school provided testing until much later in elementary school. Once identified, Vaughn & Fletcher (2021) discussed the difficulties students with significant reading difficulties face. Often placement into group special education classes occurs with no interventions designed to address their specific reading difficulties.

The scenario above is what I faced when working in my local school district.  As a reading specialist, I would see many kids with reading difficulties.  I was required to teach a specific curriculum to small groups of these struggling students.  I would see students with many different needs not addressed in the small group setting I was teaching.  I would watch student after student qualify for special education as they hit third to fifth grade. As an educator, I was as frustrated as the families of my students.  This unending cycle was the reason I left public education and became an independent reading specialist.

​Being able to contract with the Arizona Department of Education and provide services to students with difficulties in reading has been a dream for me. Not only do I get to help students who struggle in reading, but I am also able to help students with multiple disabilities.  If you have the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) and need help identifying and remediating your child's reading difficulties, please reach out.


Blackly, S. (2014). Why public schools struggle to help kids with dyslexia. Lexercise.
Vaughn, S.  & Fletcher, J. (2021). Identifying and teaching students with significant reading problems. American Educator, v44 n4 p4-11, 40 Win 2020-2021.