Psychoeducational Assessment

Expert Psychoeducational Support for Students and Families

At Rocky Mountain Psychological Services (RMPS), we provide psychoeducational assessments to help students, parents, and educators gain a clear understanding of academic or learning challenges. These assessments highlight each learner’s strengths, identify areas for growth, and provide recommendations that support success at school and beyond.

Why a Psychoeducational Assessment Matters

If you want extra help or supports for your child at school in Alberta, you’ll often be asked for clear documentation from a qualified professional. That’s where a standard educational psychology assessment can make a difference. It gives you and the school a shared understanding of how your child learns — what comes easily, what takes more effort, and sometimes, results that surprise everyone.

With that picture in hand, we can work alongside you and the school to put meaningful changes in place. For some families, that might mean an Individualized Program Plan (IPP) with specific classroom strategies. For others, it’s simply recognizing a child’s strengths and making sure those are supported in daily learning. Whatever the path, the goal remains the same: less stress for your child, more confidence, and a better overall school experience.

Who This Assessment Is For

Families often consider a psychoeducational assessment when they want clear answers and practical next steps.

Some examples include:

A student who works hard but still struggles to keep pace with assignments or needs more one-on-one help than most classmates
Ongoing difficulties in one or more subjects — such as reading, writing, math, or oral language — despite extra effort or tutoring
A child performing above grade level whose unique learning profile hasn’t been fully understood
Concerns about a learning disability, ADHD, anxiety, or depression, and how these might be affecting school performance

This type of psychological educational assessment is often the first step toward uncovering a learner’s cognitive profile and shaping recommendations for school-based support. It can also be a valuable tool for recognizing gifted learners or those who would benefit from enrichment programs.

Areas We Explore Together

During a standard psychoeducational assessment, we look at much more than grades or test scores. Our goal is to understand the whole learner, and we do that by exploring:

Cognitive abilities: abilities like reasoning, memory, and processing speed. These influence how easily someone can take in new ideas, make connections, and apply what they’ve learned.
Academic skills: including reading, writing, spelling, and math. We assess these using standardized tools so we can see where the student is meeting expectations and where targeted support could make a difference.
Social, emotional, and behavioural factors: the things that sometimes make learning harder, even for capable students. For instance, a child who feels anxious about speaking in front of the class may know the material but still struggle to convey it effectively.

What the Process Looks Like

We keep the process straightforward so families know exactly what to expect — and so students feel comfortable every step of the way.

Starting with a Conversation

Before any testing begins, we sit down with you to learn more about your child. We’ll ask about their developmental history, health, family background, and school experiences. This conversation provides us with context and helps us plan the most effective approach.

One-on-One Sessions

Most students complete their assessment in two to four sessions. These are one-on-one sessions with the psychologist and will involve problem-solving activities, memory tasks, timed tasks, reading, writing, and math activities among others. We adjust the pace as we go so ensure your child is engaged and relaxed as possible.

Hearing from Others Who Know Your Child

We also gather information from parents, teachers, or the student themselves (depending on their age) with questionnaires. These additional perspectives help us understand how your child learns and behaves in various settings, not just in the testing room.

Reviewing Results Together

Once everything is complete, we take time to look closely at the findings and prepare a detailed report. In our feedback meeting, we’ll go through the results together, answer your questions, and discuss strategies or supports that can help right away.

Checking Back In

About six weeks later, we have a follow-up session with you. We check in on how it went with getting the report, any questions that have come up since we reviewed the results, and we start working with you on the plan for the next steps. This is a chance to see what’s working, make adjustments, and keep the momentum going — because an assessment is just the starting point, not the finish line.

The Difference It Can Make

A psychology education assessment (or psychoeducational assessment) is more than a set of scores. It is a tool for meaningful change in a student’s learning journey. Though a psychoeducational assessment doesn’t measure every part of who your child is, it does help to capture a snapshot of information that is useful to understand about their learning.

Highlighting Strengths

We identify the areas where a student thrives and provide suggestions on how these strengths can be encouraged in everyday learning, helping the person feel capable and motivated both at school and at home.

Addressing Challenges

The assessment pinpoints the specific academic, social, or attention-related obstacles a student may be facing, giving parents and teachers the clarity they need to respond with targeted support.

Guiding Effective Support

Our findings form the basis for a practical plan that schools and families can use together, from arranging accommodations under Alberta guidelines to introducing strategies that build confidence and long-term success.

Why Families Choose RMPS

Families across Alberta trust us to provide assessments that are both thorough and practical.

A Collaborative Approach

We work closely with parents, teachers, and other professionals to ensure that the recommendations align with the student’s real learning environment and daily needs.

Research-Backed Methods

Our approach to assessment and interpretation of the results is based on research. We work hard to stay up-to-date with the latest research to ensure we do the best job possible for our clients.

Experience

While some RMPS clinicians are newer to the field and some have been around for many years, what sets us apart is a cohesive and collaborative team, headed up by Senior Psychologist, Cassandra Hillman White, who has been doing assessments for over 25 years and teaches assessment courses to Masters-level students, interns, and early career psychologists.

Frequently Asked Question

How long does the whole process take

Most assessments are completed within three to six weeks. The exact timeline depends on scheduling and the speed at which questionnaires are returned by parents, teachers, or other contributors

Can you work with my child’s school if we’re not in Calgary?

Yes. We work with families across Alberta. Some or possibly all of the assessment may be able to be completed virtually (discuss with your assessment psychologist whether this option is a fit for your child and situation). Our reports are recognized by schools and universities throughout the province, nationally, and internationally.

Will the results help with school accommodations?

Absolutely. Our recommendations often form the foundation for an Individualized Program Plan (IPP) or other classroom adjustments that make learning more accessible and effective.

Do you also assess adults?

Yes. We work with post-secondary students and adults who seek a deeper understanding of learning differences, attention concerns, or other challenges that may be impacting their performance. Our reports can be used to access accommodations for college and university programs as well as for professional exams (e.g., accounting).

What if I need a psychoeducational assessment but cannot travel to Calgary?

If traveling to our Calgary office is not possible, we may be able to offer secure online assessment options to ensure you can still access high-quality support. In some cases, we may also collaborate with local professionals to coordinate parts of the process, making assessments accessible to families across Alberta.