Evaluation for School Related Problems in Newton

Your child’s teacher expresses concerns about attention, behavior, or academic performance. Perhaps report cards show your child is not working to their potential. Maybe your child complains about school or resists going. School related challenges can also emerge in higher education, and we frequently work with college and graduate students who are struggling with academic demands, focus, or learning differences.



Newton Neuropsychology Group provides comprehensive evaluations for school related problems throughout Newton and the greater Boston area. We help families and students understand the root causes of academic difficulties.

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When School Becomes a Struggle

You might receive emails from teachers about incomplete work, disruptive behavior, or difficulty focusing. Perhaps your child comes home frustrated or anxious about school. Maybe grades don't reflect your child's abilities. These concerns can leave you wondering what's really happening and how to help.


School difficulties can create stress for the entire family:


  • You might feel worried about your child's academic future and whether they'll reach their potential
  • You may experience frustration trying to determine whether issues stem from effort, ability, or something else
  • Your child could feel overwhelmed by expectations they can't seem to meet
  • You might struggle navigating conversations with school about what your child needs



At Newton Neuropsychology Group, we understand that school problems rarely have simple causes. Our comprehensive evaluations identify whether difficulties stem from attention concerns, learning disorders, emotional issues, or other factors.

Understanding the Many Factors Affecting School Performance

School-related problems can stem from numerous causes, which is why comprehensive evaluation is so valuable. Surface-level observation often can't distinguish between different underlying issues that require different interventions.


  • Attention and focus difficulties (ADHD) can make it hard to sustain concentration during lessons, complete assignments, or follow multi-step directions. Children with attention difficulties may appear unmotivated when they're actually struggling to maintain focus.
  • Learning differences affect how children process, store, or retrieve information. A child may understand material verbally but struggle to demonstrate knowledge in writing. They may work significantly harder than peers for lower grades.
  • Social communication and repetitive behaviors (Autism Spectrum Disorder) can affect how children navigate social expectations at school, participate in group work, or manage transitions and changes in routine.
  • Mental health concerns including anxiety and depression significantly impact academic performance. Anxious children may avoid challenging tasks or spend so much mental energy managing worry that little remains for learning. Depressed children may struggle with concentration, motivation, or energy.


Many children experience a combination of these factors. A child might have both ADHD and anxiety, or a learning disorder and depression. Our comprehensive approach identifies all relevant concerns rather than making assumptions based on the most obvious symptom.

Teacher assisting a student with writing in a classroom; other children work at desks.
Boy with a backpack smiles broadly in a school hallway.
Person assists a child with a maze puzzle. Both are at a table; the person points.

Comprehensive Assessment of All Factors

Our neuropsychologists have extensive training in differentiating between the various conditions that affect school performance. We don't assume that a child who can't focus has ADHD without ruling out anxiety, learning disorders, or other possibilities. We don't attribute academic struggles to lack of effort without examining whether learning disabilities or attention difficulties make tasks genuinely harder.


Our comprehensive approach examines cognitive abilities, attention and executive functioning, academic achievement, emotional functioning, behavioral patterns, and social skills. This thorough assessment reveals the actual causes of school difficulties rather than making assumptions based on surface-level observations.


We gather information from multiple sources, parents, teachers, and the child or adolescent themselves. School functioning can differ significantly from home behavior, so input from multiple settings provides a complete picture.


Our evaluations result in specific, actionable recommendations. You'll know whether your child needs medication evaluation, therapy, specialized academic interventions, school accommodations, or combination of supports. Our reports provide schools with clear documentation of your child's needs.

What Comprehensive Assessment Provides

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Clear Understanding of Root Causes

Identify whether school difficulties stem from attention issues, learning disabilities, emotional concerns, or combination of factors. This clarity determines which interventions will actually help.

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Targeted Intervention Planning

Access specific treatments and supports designed for your child's particular challenges rather than trying generic approaches that may not address underlying issues.

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School Accommodations and Services

Obtain documentation that supports requests for IEPs, 504 plans, or other educational accommodations. Schools respond better to specific, evaluation-based recommendations.

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Improved Family Dynamics

Understanding that difficulties aren't due to laziness or defiance reduces conflict at home. Many families describe reduced tension once they understand what their child actually needs.

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Prevention of Secondary Problems

Early identification and intervention prevent development of secondary issues like anxiety, depression, or school refusal that often emerge when primary difficulties go unaddressed.

Moving Forward With or Without Understanding

Without accurate understanding, school problems often worsen over time. Academic gaps widen as your child falls further behind. Behavioral difficulties may increase as frustration mounts. Self-esteem suffers when your child can't meet expectations despite trying. Some children develop anxiety or depression secondary to ongoing school struggles. School may become a source of daily stress for your entire family.



With proper evaluation and support, significant improvement becomes possible. Your child receives interventions and accommodations matched to their actual needs. Academic performance often improves when underlying issues are addressed. Behavioral problems may decrease as your child experiences more success. Many families describe reduced conflict and improved relationships once everyone understands what's happening and how to help.

Young person writing in a book at a desk in a classroom, with a tall stack of books and crumpled paper nearby.

Schedule Your Learning Disorders Evaluation

If your child struggles with attention, behavior, academics, or social functioning at school, comprehensive evaluation can identify root causes and guide effective intervention. We serve families throughout Newton and the greater Boston area.

Our evaluations examine all factors affecting school performance to provide complete understanding of your child's needs.

How We Assess School Related Difficulties

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Comprehensive Intake

We meet with parents for approximately one hour to understand your child's developmental history, current school concerns, and what interventions have been tried. We gather information about behavior at home and school, academic performance, social functioning, and family history. We discuss specific concerns raised by teachers or other school personnel.

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Multifaceted Testing

We conduct thorough assessment examining cognitive abilities, attention and executive functioning, academic achievement, processing skills, memory, and emotional functioning. Testing typically takes five to six hours for children and adolescents. We use standardized measures and behavioral observations. After testing, we contact teachers to gather information about classroom functioning, behavior, and academic performance from the school perspective.

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Integrated Feedback and School Planning

Once we've analyzed all data, we schedule feedback to discuss results comprehensively. We explain what factors are contributing to school difficulties, provide specific diagnoses when appropriate, and recommend targeted interventions and accommodations. You receive a detailed written report that supports school meetings and clearly communicates your child's needs to educators.

Man with hand on boy’s shoulder; they face each other on a sidewalk, backpacks visible.

Why Comprehensive Evaluation Matters

School problems rarely have a single cause. A child who can't focus in class might have ADHD, or anxiety that prevents concentration, a learning disorder that makes lessons frustrating, or depression affecting motivation. A child with behavioral difficulties might be responding to academic frustration, sensory sensitivities, social confusion, or emotional distress.


Brief screenings or single-focus evaluations can miss important contributing factors. When evaluation examines only one possibility, testing just for ADHD without considering learning disabilities or only assessing academics without examining emotional functioning, treatment recommendations may miss critical pieces.


Our comprehensive approach ensures we identify all relevant factors. If your child has both ADHD and a learning disorder, both need to be addressed. If anxiety contributes to academic avoidance, therapy may be as important as academic accommodations. Understanding the complete picture allows comprehensive intervention planning.

Common Questions About School Problems Evaluation

  • Will evaluation label my child?

    Evaluation provides understanding and access to support, not limiting labels. When diagnoses are identified, they explain difficulties and open doors to appropriate services and accommodations. Many families describe relief at finally understanding what their child needs.

  • Should I wait to see if my child outgrows school problems?

    Early evaluation and intervention typically produce better outcomes than waiting. Academic gaps widen over time. Secondary emotional problems may develop. Early support prevents difficulties from becoming more entrenched and protects self-esteem during critical developmental periods.

  • What if the school doesn't agree evaluation is needed?

    Parents can request comprehensive evaluation independently. Our reports provide objective documentation of your child's needs that schools must consider when making placement and accommodation decisions. Independent evaluations often reveal issues that schools miss with brief screening.

  • Can evaluation address both academic and behavioral concerns?

    Yes. Our comprehensive approach examines all aspects of functioning. We assess cognitive abilities, academic skills, attention, executive functioning, emotional regulation, and behavioral patterns. This allows us to understand how these factors interact and contribute to school difficulties.

Understanding Leads to Effective Support

School problems have causes that can be identified and addressed. Comprehensive evaluation reveals what your child needs to succeed academically, behaviorally, and emotionally. Newton Neuropsychology Group serves families throughout Newton and the greater Boston area.