Nothing is worse than watching your child struggle

…and they shouldn’t have to.

With an evaluation…

  • You’ll gain a clear understanding of why your child is struggling by identifying their academic strengths and challenges.

  • You’ll learn how to leverage your child’s strengths to support their growth, ensuring they get the right kind of help to succeed.

  • You’ll receive a concrete, research-based plan outlining the next steps so you can confidently move forward.

  • If your child has dyslexia or dysgraphia, you’ll have a clear diagnosis—giving a name to their challenges, validating their experience, and potentially opening doors to school-based or external support services.

  • We’ll guide you in talking to your child so they understand that nothing is "wrong" with them—and that they are not alone.

Young boy concentrating on writing in a notebook

Does any of this sound familiar?

You lie awake at night, worrying that your child is falling behind—wondering if you missed something or should have done things differently.

You ask yourself:

  • Did I do something wrong?

  • Should I have pushed harder, even when everyone said my child was “fine”?

  • What more could I have done to help?

If these thoughts sound familiar, let us assure you: you are not alone, and you’re doing all the right things.

That’s why you’re here. You’re here because deep down, you know something isn’t right. We’re here to help you find the answers.

An evaluation will give you the clarity you need—the “why” behind your child’s struggles and a clear, research-based path forward. No more second-guessing. No more sleepless nights. Just the support and direction you’ve been searching for.

We offer two styles of evaluations to best meet your family’s unique needs:

Line drawing of a vocabulary test.

COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATIONS

to provide the answers you need to understand your child’s struggles, a plan to support their unique needs, and finally put an end to the sleepless nights.

Line drawing of a notepad.

ACADEMIC SCREENERS

to provide a snapshot of your child’s current academic abilities so the school has knowledge of your child’s current academic needs.

Ascend can help students who are struggling with school.

We know how overwhelming it can feel when…

Your child is struggling academically but you’re not sure if you’re making mountains out of molehills.

You see their potential, their curiosity, and their brilliance, but school feels like a constant uphill and their confidence is starting to suffer.

The frustration spills over into homework time, creating tension when all you want is to support them.

This doesn’t have to be the reality.

We’ve created an evaluation process to give you a clear, actionable picture of your child’s unique learning needs. We’ll walk you through the results, breaking them down in a way that makes sense, so you’re never left in the dark.

We’ll craft a personalized action plan tailored to your child’s specific needs—giving you the confidence to move forward with a clear path toward success.

What does the process look like?

Our step-by-step process is designed to empower you with the knowledge and tools to support your child—now and in the future.

1. Free Consultation

We’ll start with a free consultation to learn more about your child’s needs and help you understand the next steps in the process.

2. Assessment & Evaluation

If an evaluation is recommended, we’ll schedule a one-on-one assessment (usually within 2-4 weeks) and gather important information to better understand your child.

3. Results & Action Plan

After the assessments are complete, we will draft a comprehensive report for you. We’ll meet with you to discuss the findings, create a personalized action plan, and provide resources to support your child right away.

What families are saying…

Find the Right Evaluation for Your Child’s Needs

Choose between a comprehensive learning evaluation or a summarized academic screening based on your child’s unique situation.

Woman conducting a language or reading assessment with a young boy in an office setting.

Comprehensive Evaluation

  • Our comprehensive evaluations are designed for families looking for a thorough evaluation of their child’s abilities in reading, writing, math, language, executive functioning, and other essential skills, including whether or not a learning disability like dyslexia (reading), dysgraphia (writing), or dyscalculia (math), is impacting their child’s academic performance.

    These are appropriate for students K-12.

  • Our comprehensive evaluation process includes:

    • Review of Student Records and Parent Questionnaires so that we can learn more about your child & your experiences up to this point

    • 1:1 Evaluation with Your Child so that we can assess their reading, writing, executive functioning, math, and other critical academic skills. We make sure the activities are engaging and breaks are built in as needed so that your child has a positive experience!

    • Comprehensive Written Report which outlines the scores and findings from the assessments. It will include any diagnostic codes (if present) that can be used in the process of qualifying for additional services at school.

    • Parent Feedback Meeting where you will meet with the evaluating clinician for 1-hour (in-person or via Zoom) to discuss the learning evaluation results, strategies to implement in school and at home, and recommended next steps.

    • Follow-up to help navigate school support services if needed

  • The comprehensive evaluation is more than just a test - it’s a turning point.

    It will provide you with the necessary diagnostic criteria (if present) to qualify for additional services at school.

    It will also give you a clear picture of where your child is currently at and how they learn best, as well as a roadmap for how to best support them as they move forward.

  • The comprehensive evaluation, which includes assessments, a detailed report, and a follow-up meeting, is $900—offering unparalleled value for the depth of insight, clarity, and actionable guidance you'll receive.

A woman in a blue sleeveless top is sitting at a desk with a young boy. She is holding flashcards and smiling. The desk has various pens and pencils in a holder, and there is a whiteboard in the background.

Academic Screener

  • Our academic screeners are ideal for families seeking clarity on their child’s performance in reading, writing, or math.

    Whether you need insight for school applications, 504 plan updates, or just want to check your child’s progress, these screeners provide the essential information you need.

    Please note, they are not intended to diagnose learning disabilities but are perfect for tracking academic growth.

    Available for students in grades K-12.

  • Our academic screener process includes:

    • Review of Student Records and Parent Questionnaires so that we can learn more about your child & your experiences up to this point.

    • 1:1 Evaluation with Your Child so that we can assess their reading, writing, and math. We make sure the activities are engaging and breaks are built in as needed so that your child has a positive experience!

    • Summary of your child’s scores which outlines the findings from the assessments.

    • Follow-up to help navigate school support services if needed.

  • An academic screener provides a clear picture of your child’s strengths and challenges in reading, writing, and math, helping you make informed decisions about school applications, 504 plan updates, and academic progress. It’s a cost-effective way to track growth and gain valuable insights without committing to a full diagnostic evaluation. Suitable for students K-12, it’s a great option to monitor progress and ensure your child is on the right track.

  • The academic screener is priced at $400, offering an affordable option to gain valuable insights into your child’s academic performance.

But you’re not just getting an evaluation…

An assessment will really give you…

A positive experience that will be the turning point for your child.

“Corey did an amazing job making him feel at ease as soon as he walked through the door for his evaluation. We feel so fortunate to have clear answers and direction for the next steps in helping our son succeed and enjoy school more in the future.”

-Kaitlynne W.

Better results both in and out of the classroom.

“We had her 504 meeting yesterday and it went significantly better than the IEP meeting. All of her accommodations are in place. I couldn’t have asked for a better result! Thank you again for your expertise and counsel. We could not have done it without you!”

-LynAnne C.

A step-by-step roadmap to help your child find success.

“Her peers would spend 30 minutes on homework, while my daughter would spend a couple of hours. We had my daughter tested and confirmed she has dyslexia. Not only have they given our daughter support for her studies, but they have given support for our family as we navigate this new journey.

-Hope S.

Connection and understanding of your child’s strengths

“They have truly been a saving grace in educating our whole family about dyslexia and the complex, challenging, sometimes discouraging, and oftentimes enlightening, umbrella of the disorder/disability. And it is so nice for our son to have someone that he can connect with.”

-Cecile M.

A boy and a woman sitting at a table, studying with books and pens, interacting and smiling.

We know there is a lot to consider when making this decision…

You might be thinking…

  • "What if nothing is wrong and I'm making mountains out of molehills?"

  • "What if my child just needs more time, and it will all click eventually?"

  • “What if this is just like the other assessments or centers we’ve already tried?

But here’s the truth…

  • You're here because you are concerned.

  • Your intuition rarely leads you astray.

  • Not knowing your child's academic strengths and weaknesses could result in lost time… significantly impacting your child’s future.

Plus… how many sleepless nights have you already lost worrying about this?

It’s time.

Time to help your child show the world what they’re capable of…

No more waiting for tomorrow or for next school year.
You’ve got everything you need right now to change their life forever.

We promise, you’ll sleep better knowing.

Smiling woman and boy with glasses, wearing white shirt

Common Questions

  • Academic screenings are usually 1-2 hours; Comprehensive Evaluations are usually 3-4 hours.

  • It will take 1-2 weeks to receive the full written report following the evaluation.

  • Unfortunately, educational testing is not typically covered by insurance. We can provide documentation to submit to your insurance or that you can use in order to use a Health Savings Account and for tax purposes.

  • We tell students that we are working to understand their brain so we know how they learn best and can best share everything they know in order to help their teachers teach in a way that best aligns with their unique learning style. You can let your child know that the goal is finding out how they learn so we can help their teachers out and make school and learning the best it can be. Many of the questions don't necessarily have a right or wrong answer and are just designed to see how your child best learns new information and shares what they know which is pretty cool! 

  • Some students can get nervous before the assessment, however, we do everything we can to make it a fun and engaging experience. Some of the questions we ask will be easy and some of the questions may be things your child hasn't learned before, this is absolutely okay! We work to mix it up so that no single task takes more than 5-10 minutes so it keeps things feeling fresh. Nearly all students who come in for an evaluation say it was fun and better than they expected.

  • Full Evaluation

    - Beery-Buktencia Test of Visual Motor Integration – 6th Edition (Beery VMI-6)

    - Comprehensive Test of Nonverbal Intelligence – 2nd Edition (CTONI-2)

    - Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing – 2nd Edition (CTOPP-2)

    - Gray Oral Reading Tests – 5th Edition (GORT-5)

    - Test of Word Reading Efficiency-2nd Edition (TOWRE-2)

    - Wechsler Individual Achievement Test – 4th Edition (WIAT-4)

    - The Comprehensive Executive Function Inventory (CEFI)

    Academic Screening

    - Wechsler Individual Achievement Test – 4th Edition (WIAT-4)

  • Corey Pollard delivers the standardized evaluations for the clinic. She has her master’s degree in clinical psychology with a specialization in testing and assessment. She has conducted thousands of evaluations over her 15 years in the field. Corey has over ten years of experience completing evaluations and attending training at Johns Hopkins University, Children’s Hospital Colorado, and the University of Denver.

Ready for an evaluation for your child?