At Neuro Educational Specialists, we have expertise in working with school districts to support the various needs of educators, students, and their families.  Additionally, we provide supports and recommendations for school professionals.  Our services include, but are not limited to working with children and adolescents with: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Learning Disabilities, Language Disorders, Executive Functioning challenges, Neuro-developmental disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injury, ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression.  We recognize that each school is unique and as such, we pride ourselves in customizing services and supports to address a broad range of concerns.

Evaluation Services

We offer highly individualized student psychological and speech/language evaluations for multiple types of referrals.  In addition, we offer follow-up services and/or consultation support to school personnel after completion of the evaluation.

Neuropsychological Evaluations provide an emphasis on understanding a student’s cognitive functioning, abilities (e.g., intelligence, language, visual-motor skills, memory and attention), executive functioning skills, academic achievement, and social/emotional and behavioral functioning.  We offer the benefit of our experience and expertise in collaboratively developing specific recommendations for supporting and remediating the student’s identified areas of need.

A School Psychological Evaluation is a set of assessment procedures geared towards understanding a student's learning, behavior and/or mental health used to determine eligibility for services.  Results from the evaluation may also be utilized to help develop instructional or behavioral plans for students, to assist in developing the IEP, and/or provide recommendations for families, teachers, and school personnel. At NES, we also provide early entrance evaluations for school districts

An IEE is a type of private evaluation that a school district might seek when an outside independent evaluation is warranted. Dr. Croft, Dr. Cooper, Dr. Strissel and Ms. Henning are certified on the Illinois State Board of Education’s Independent Evaluator Registry.    

A speech and language evaluation is a measurement of a person’s communication skills. It is completed in order to determine the presence of speech, language or social impairments. A variety of assessment tools will be utilized to determine the student’s  strengths and weaknesses. Following the diagnostic process, the licensed speech language pathologist will make  recommendations for eligibility, educational services, and accommodations and/or modification required in order for students to succeed academically and functionally.

Professional Development

We offer professional development seminars for school faculty, staff, and related service providers. Each presentation can be individualized to meet the needs of your school/ district and can range in length from full- or half–day seminars to one-hour staff development trainings. Below is a sampling of presentation topics we have covered in the past.

• Understanding the Teenage Brain

• Neurodevelopment of Autism and Research-Based Teaching Strategies

• Supporting and Understanding Anxiety and Depression in Children

• Improving Postsecondary Outcomes for Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism

• Neuropsychological Underpinnings of ADHD and Executive Functions

• Understanding and Supporting Specific Learning Disabilities

• IEP Bootcamp

• Behavior Intervention & Improving Data Collection

Consultation

We offer direct and indirect consultation services.  Examples of our various consultation services are listed below.   

• Providing appropriate clinical impressions and supporting differential diagnoses that can be used for special education classification and eligibility determinations.

• Direct consultation with parents/family/caregiver(s) on how to carryout recommendations on the home front

• Direct consultation with teachers and related service provider(s) on how to best support the student in the context of the school environment. This may include accommodations, modifications, strategies, and curriculum recommendations.

• Assist in administering and interpreting school-wide assessment data to help understand, improve, and plan for the academic and social-emotional achievement for all students

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