When a neuropsychological evaluation report arrives, it can feel like a tidal wave. There are scores and percentiles, clinical language, and perhaps an unexpected diagnosis. Even when families actively seek testing, the final document can feel daunting. Many parents ask me, ‘Where do I begin?’
To help answer this question, I spoke with licensed psychologist Dr. Robyn Glover, who specializes in neuropsychological assessments and collaborates closely with Carroll School. Together, we discussed how families can navigate the process and how schools should partner with parents to interpret and act on what the report reveals.
A Neuropsychological Report Is a Roadmap
Renée: What do you most want parents to understand about neuropsychological testing?
Dr. Glover: Parents often ask how they should explain the process of testing to their child. I encourage them to say that it’s something we get to do. Neuropsychological testing is a tool that helps us understand a child more deeply — how they think, feel, and learn. It’s not intended as a test that leads to a label, rather it’s an experience that leads to a roadmap.
The idea of a roadmap is powerful. A student tested at age six may be reevaluated at nine, twelve, or fifteen. The goal is an ongoing understanding of a child’s strengths, their challenges, and how interventions are tailored to the learner at every leg of the journey. (Resource: Talking about Dyslexia as a Strength: A Conversation Guide for Parents)
Renée: At Carroll, we see this clearly. Neuropsychological reports are not filed away. They are read closely by educators and used in conjunction with other assessments and human observations to shape focus area classes, classroom strategies, and individualized learning paths. The report becomes a living document that informs our instructional approach Read more...