An Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) is a private assessment conducted by qualified professionals outside of the school district to evaluate a child’s educational needs. IEEs are often sought when parents disagree with the results or recommendations of a school-based evaluation, or when they want an objective, comprehensive assessment to ensure all areas of concern are thoroughly addressed. 

Parents have the right to request an IEE at public expense if they dispute the findings of a school evaluation. The school must either agree to fund the IEE or initiate a hearing to show that its own evaluation is appropriate. Families can select their own qualified evaluator, and the results of an IEE must be considered by the school in planning special education services, accommodations, and supports. This process empowers parents to advocate for their child’s needs and ensures transparency and fairness in educational decision-making.

At Kaizen Educational Group, all evaluations are comprehensive and intentionally tailored to the unique strengths, needs, and goals of each child and family. Rather than focusing on a single area of concern, our evaluators take a holistic approach, often exploring multiple domains to better understand how a child thinks, learns, communicates, and engages across environments. Depending on individual needs, this may include areas such as cognitive ability, academic skills, executive functioning, attention, social-emotional development, adaptive functioning, sensory processing, fine motor and visual-motor skills, and expressive/receptive and pragmatic language.  

Each evaluation is collaboratively planned with families to ensure it is meaningful and relevant, with commonly included components designed to provide clear insight and practical guidance for support across school, home, and therapeutic settings. Input from parents and teachers, review of relevant records, and, when appropriate, observation across environments is included. 

Families receive a detailed, strengths-based report that connects assessment findings to clear, actionable recommendations, supporting meaningful planning for school, home, and therapeutic intervention. 

Initial Meeting and Planning 

We begin with a one-hour virtual or in-person meeting with parents. The goal of this initial meeting is to discuss your child’s developmental history, strengths, interests, and specific areas of concern. This conversation allows our team to thoughtfully design a customized evaluation plan based on your child’s individual needs. 

Assessment Sessions 

Following the planning meeting, we schedule three testing sessions, each approximately two hours in length. Sessions can be scheduled during the school day or in the evening. 

Because our evaluations are comprehensive, the assessment process may involve multiple team members, including a psychologist, intervention specialist, speech-language pathologist, and occupational therapist. For example, when concerns such as dysgraphia are present, the involvement of an occupational therapist allows for direct assessment of fine motor skills, handwriting mechanics, visual-motor integration, and underlying motor or sensory factors contributing to writing difficulties. 

While all evaluations are individualized, many include assessment of cognitive processing, academic achievement, executive functioning, attention and focus, emotional regulation, sensory processing, fine motor skills, and language skills. With profiles such as ADHD, we often see overlapping areas of need, so this integrated approach helps us understand how different domains interact and ensures that recommendations are accurate and meaningful. 

Evaluation Meeting 

Once testing is complete, families are invited to a feedback meeting lasting approximately 90 minutes (virtual or in person). During this meeting, we will: 

• Review assessment results and key findings 

• Explain how different areas of functioning interact 

• Provide clear, practical recommendations for next steps and intervention 

• Offer guidance on sharing results with your school district, including documentation and meeting strategies 

Cost and Timeline 

When an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) is approved at public expense, the district of residency is responsible for payment.  

The full evaluation process is typically completed within 4 weeks, depending on family availability.