Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs) in Grand Junction, CO: What Parents Need to Know

Individual Matters
4 days ago
2 min read

If you live in Grand Junction or western Colorado and feel your child’s school evaluation didn’t fully explain their learning needs, you may want to consider an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE). An IEE is a comprehensive evaluation completed by a licensed psychologist who is independent from the school district. It can provide a deeper, more complete understanding of how your child learns, thinks, and functions.

Why Families Request an IEE

Parents often request an IEE when school testing feels incomplete, unclear, or doesn’t match what they see at home. An IEE can help answer the “why” behind learning struggles, attention problems, or emotional stress—and it can also uncover strengths, including giftedness.

Independent educational evaluations — **Parents often request an IEE when school testing feels incomplete, unclear, or doesn’t match what they see at home.**

Who Provides and Pays for an IEE

IEEs are typically completed by a licensed psychologist who specializes in psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluations. In some cases, if you formally disagree with the school’s evaluation, you can request the school cover the cost of an IEE.

What a Comprehensive IEE Includes

A strong IEE looks at the whole child, not just test scores. It may assess:

Cognitive abilities (how your child thinks and reasons)
Academic skills (reading, writing, and math)
Executive function (planning, focus, organization)
Attention and behavior
Social communication and emotional functioning
Visual-motor and coordination skills

These evaluations can help identify giftedness and twice exceptionality (2e), learning disorders like dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia, ADHD, autism, visuomotor coordination problems, and signs of speech-language or processing delays.

Your Rights as a Parent

You have the right to request an IEE if you disagree with the school’s evaluation. You do not need to prove your child has a disability to ask. Once completed, the school must consider the results of the IEE when making educational decisions, including IEPs and 504 plans.

How Schools Use an IEE

Schools use IEEs to gain a clearer picture of a student’s learning needs and to create more effective, individualized plans. A comprehensive IEE gives families and schools a shared understanding and practical recommendations to support learning and growth.

At our psychology practice in Grand Junction, Colorado, we provide thorough IEEs designed to help children thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. An IEE isn’t about placing blame—it’s about gaining clarity, confidence, and the right support for your child’s success.

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