Overview

Evaluations specific to the student

Formally evaluating a child’s strengths and needs allows teachers and parents to develop individualized education programs that provide the best learning experiences for each student.

Our experts can assess a specific area of development, such as cognition, communication, motor or vision-related compensatory skills or provide a comprehensive evaluation in several areas.

Our thorough, effective evaluation services include

  • A team of visual impairment experts who work at Perkins
  • An in depth screening process in order to understand all of your evaluation needs
  • Highly individualized, objective and comprehensive evaluations
  • Thorough, customized reports with specific recommendations

Assessment areas include

Alex and Cathy New Hampshire

“The evaluators spent quality time with our son and got to know him. Being able to walk away with six thorough reports was so helpful to us and extremely useful in developing his IEP. They understood him and made really helpful recommendations that were very easy to incorporate into our lives. During our interviews we felt heard as parents and he had a great time.”

Bonnie and Adam Hawaii

“Our experience having our daughter evaluated at Perkins was life changing, I wish we had done it sooner. We felt at home and excited that a school finally understood our daughter and her complexity.”

How to request an evaluation

Complete a Perkins evaluation form. Choose the form that’s most appropriate for your child based on his/her age and diagnosis. The CVI Educational Assessment can be requested in addition to another evaluation, as well.

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1. Submit form

Please submit an online Evaluation Application Form, located below.

In addition, please gather all educational, clinical, related services and medical records pertaining to your child. Refer to the Required Paperwork Checklist for all necessary application materials.

Download checklist
A girl held by her mother looks toward a light held up by a doctor.
Myat has been a student of Perkins’ Deafblind Program since 2017.

2. Application review

Once your completed application is received, Perkins’ evaluation team will review the submitted materials and student profile. Next, the team will determine if they can provide an appropriate, meaningful evaluation for your student that will address your questions and concerns.  Then, you will be contacted with feedback and recommendations.

A child smiling with her teacher
Myat has been a student of Perkins’ Deafblind Program since 2017.

3. On-campus evaluation

The length of the on-campus evaluation will vary per student, based on the number of evaluation areas and the student’s level of participation. The student will work individually with evaluators – and parents may also participate in interviews. After direct assessment, evaluators meet to exchange information regarding evaluation results and recommendations. After this meeting you will receive initial feedback via a phone call and will then receive a written report approximately eight weeks later.

Evaluation Forms

We look forward to working with you.

Lower School Evaluation Form (ages 3–14)
Deafblind Evaluation Form (ages 3–21)
Secondary Evaluation Form (ages 15–21)

CVI Educational Assessment

The Cortical/Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) Educational Assessment can be requested for students from early childhood through adult transition (up to 22 years old) including those with ocular visual impairments, hearing loss and multiple disabilities.

CVI Evaluation

Please note: Independent Evaluations at Perkins are either district funded or parent pay, we do not accept insurance.

Common questions about the CVI Educational Assessment

A Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) Educational Assessment is a functional vision assessment.

The assessment looks at the student’s use of vision as it relates to the visual behaviors of CVI. The student’s visual attention and recognition are evaluated in relation to potential supports and barriers to access. Compensatory skills, such as the use of alternative senses and adaptive strategies to gain access to learning are also evaluated.

In some cases, a CVI Educational Assessment may serve as support documentation for medical providers in the pursuit of a diagnosis.

License Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVI) conduct the CVI Educational Assessment, like all functional vision assessments.

At Perkins, the evaluators consist of licensed TVIs who have specialized training and experience in the unique needs of students with CVI. Students who have a dual-sensory impairment, will be evaluated by licensed TVIs who also have specialized training in the implications of deafblindness.

The final report consists of thorough documentation of the outcome of assessment procedures.

This can include the purpose of assessment, medical history, file review, interview(s), video observation, and direct assessment.

Recommendations are provided based on the cumulative findings of the assessment process. These recommendations will include general recommendations, areas of ongoing assessment needs, integrated compensatory skills use, accommodations, and teaching methodologies. 

All Perkins CVI Assessment reports will recommend that the student receive a comprehensive Learning Media Assessment (LMA) by a licensed TVI following the CVI Assessment. The impact of CVI, as documented within the CVI Assessment, is the cornerstone for the next step in the assessment process as it outlines all the multitude of ways that CVI can impact an individual with CVI. This comprehensive look at the specific brain based visual difficulties should be considered across the LMA process.

The LMA is a legally required evaluation for students with visual impairments and is mandated to be completed by the TVI on the educational team serving the student. This mandate is outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Learning Media Assessment focuses on the identification of learning media needs among other areas of learning needs. It is a separate process that is not part of the Perkins CVI Educational Assessment.

It’s recommended to share the assessment results with your child’s educational team.

Sharing with your child’s team is essential to increasing their access to education and learning. The recommendations are based on baseline findings and are meant to be incorporated into the student’s educational programming and modified over time as it relates to the student’s needs. The assessment is meant to deepen and broaden understanding of the child’s access needs essential for learning access. In some situations, it can broaden the team’s understanding of CVI. 

we’re here for you

Perkins has offered independent educational assessments for children with visual impairments and deafblindness for more than 30 years.

Perkins School for the Blind

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Frequently asked questions

How Perkins can help?

View all FAQ’s

Perkins is proud of our reputation as an educational leader of the visually impaired. We’re also proud of our proven track record of providing thorough, effective evaluation services for more than 30 years, which includes:

  • A team of experts in visual impairment who work daily with children like yours
  • Timely, objective and comprehensive evaluations
  • Thorough, customized reports with specific recommendations
  • Follow-up consulting and progress monitoring

Formally evaluating a child’s strengths and needs allows teachers and parents to develop individualized education programs that provide the best learning experiences for each student. Our experts can assess a specific area of development, such as cognition, communication, motor or vision-related compensatory skills, or provide a comprehensive evaluation in several areas. This approach allows evaluations to be customized.

If you are not sure which form is appropriate or if you would like to have a Cortical/Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) Educational Assessment in addition to another evaluation, please contact us for more information.

The evaluation takes one to two days to complete on the Perkins campus.

We use a team approach, which includes teachers and related service professionals who work directly with the students enrolled in one of our on-campus programs. Our evaluation teams have unparalleled knowledge of and experience with students who are blind, visually impaired or deafblind, including those with additional disabilities.

After the evaluation is completed, Perkins will provide a comprehensive evaluation report with recommendations for the student’s educational program and community environment.

Perkins’ assessment areas include:

  • Educational skills
  • Psychological assessments
  • Speech and language, communication
  • Occupational therapy
  • Physical therapy
  • Orientation and mobility
  • Functional low vision
  • Expanded Core Curriculum areas and more

No. All children and young adults, ages 3-21, who are blind, visually impaired or deafblind, including those with additional disabilities, are eligible for evaluation services at Perkins.

As the parent of a son or daughter with special needs, you have the right to an independent educational evaluation for your child, as allowed under the federal special education law Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). You can read detailed descriptions of your parental rights in “A Parent’s Guide to Special Education,” a free online publication produced by the Massachusetts Department of Education and The Federation for Children with Special Needs. If you reside outside of Massachusetts, the Center for Parent Information and Resources has a helpful guide. In addition, our staff will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have about your parental safeguards.

Yes! We offer independent post-evaluation consulting to provide additional input and strategies for your child. This service is designed to help you clearly understand your child’s strengths and challenges, customize strategies and techniques for further success and analyze areas of concern to develop additional intervention and progress monitoring.

Helpful resources

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Magic Eyes: The enchanting book for every family’s bookshelf

We haven’t come across a story that covers kindness and respect like Magic Eyes does—it’s the first children’s book to feature a main character with the leading cause of childhood blindness, and proceeds go to benefit Perkins School for the Blind!

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Guide
Audio description: Best practices
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Perkins’ evaluations help public students with visual impairment succeed
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Students with Vision Loss, College, and Transition — Where We Are and Where We Are Going

Our experts are here to help.

Have questions about independent evaluations from Perkins? We’re available to help you find the answers you need.

Contact us