Psychoeducational & Neuropsychological Testing for Scarsdale Families

In a district where achievement is the norm, difficulty is easy to miss and easy to misread. A Scarsdale student who is bright, hardworking and still falling behind their own standard is often assumed to need more effort, more tutoring, or more sleep — when what they need is an accurate explanation. Dr. Nicole Crispinelli is a licensed psychologist and a Diplomate in School Neuropsychology (American Board of School Neuropsychology). She evaluates children, adolescents and young adults from Scarsdale at her office in Mount Kisco.

The Scarsdale district context

The Scarsdale Union Free School District runs five elementary schools — Edgewood, Fox Meadow, Greenacres, Heathcote and Quaker Ridge — followed by Scarsdale Middle School and Scarsdale High School.

The particular difficulty in a high-performing district is that the comparison group is unusually strong. A student can score solidly against national norms and still be visibly struggling relative to the classroom around them, which makes it genuinely hard for parents and teachers to tell whether something is wrong. A comprehensive evaluation separates those two things: how a child performs against standardized norms, and where the specific processing bottleneck is that no amount of additional work will fix.

What usually prompts the call

• A student whose grades hold up through elementary school and then slip in sixth or seventh grade

• Homework that takes two or three times longer than it should, every night, for years

• Strong comprehension paired with slow, laborious reading — or strong ideas paired with thin writing

• Attention difficulties without obvious hyperactivity, which are routinely missed in high-achieving girls

• Anxiety that may be causing the academic problem or may be caused by it

• A junior or senior who needs current documentation for extended time on College Board or ACT testing

What the evaluation involves

• A free 15-minute call first — a conversation, not a booked appointment

• A one-hour intake with parents, without the child present. Any previous testing is reviewed as part of that intake

• Six to eight hours of direct testing with the child, usually across more than one session

• A one-hour feedback meeting with parents to go through the findings before the report is finalized

• The written report, typically one to two weeks after testing is complete

• Attendance at a CSE or 504 meeting, by request, is included

Appointments can usually be scheduled within a few weeks. Sessions are not recorded. Office hours are 9:00 to 4:00, Monday through Friday.

How the report is used at school

Two routes exist. A 504 Plan provides accommodations — extended time, a separate testing location, assistive technology, reduced written output — for a student whose disability substantially limits a major life activity. An IEP provides specially designed instruction and related services, and requires classification under one of New York's disability categories. A private evaluation can support either, and part of the feedback meeting is spent on which route actually fits your child.

New York State regulations set the timelines once a district evaluation is requested: an initial individual evaluation must be completed within 60 days of the district receiving parental consent, and where a student is found eligible, the district must arrange programs and services within 60 school days of that consent.

Dr. Crispinelli spent more than ten years working inside New York public schools, and chaired both CSE and 504 committees. She has sat on the district side of these meetings, which is why the reports are written the way they are.

This is general information about how the process works in New York. It is not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from a special education attorney or advocate.

Getting here from Scarsdale

The office is at 100 South Bedford Road, Suite 340, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. From Scarsdale it is roughly a 30 minute drive outside of rush hour — most families take the Hutchinson River Parkway north into I-684, or the Sprain Brook Parkway to the Taconic and across. Testing is scheduled in longer blocks rather than many short visits.

Fees, payment and insurance

This is a private-pay practice. A superbill is provided so you can pursue out-of-network reimbursement with your insurer if your plan allows it; reimbursement is never guaranteed and depends entirely on your individual plan. The codes that typically appear on a superbill for this work are 90791, 96132, 96133, 96136 and 96137.

Payment is accepted by check, Zelle, or credit card (credit card payments carry a 3.5% processing fee). Half is due when testing begins, and the balance is due upon receipt of the final report.

Start with a call

If you are a Scarsdale parent weighing whether an evaluation is worth doing, the free 15-minute call is the place to start. Request a call → or call 914-200-2512.