Licensed Educational Psychologist · LEP #4701
Jessica Craig Psych Testing · A Bespoke Concierge Practice in Hermosa Beach
Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) in the South Bay
Independent psychoeducational evaluations for South Bay families in dispute with their school district, or seeking a comprehensive second opinion. Former contracted school psychologist with direct experience in MBUSD, RBUSD, Torrance USD, PVPUSD, El Segundo, and LAUSD.
Reports designed to hold up at IEP meetings, mediations, and due process proceedings.
When the District Evaluation Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story
The school district evaluated your child or teenager. The report arrived. And something felt wrong — incomplete, inaccurate, or simply not consistent with the adolescent you know and live with.
You have the right to request an Independent Educational Evaluation at district expense. And even when the district denies that request, you have the right to obtain one independently. An IEE is conducted by a qualified evaluator outside the school district — an evaluator who has no stake in the outcome and no obligation to the school system.
I am that evaluator. As a former contracted school psychologist for South Bay districts, I know exactly how district evaluations are conducted, where they commonly fall short, and what a comprehensive IEE needs to include to hold up at an IEP meeting, in mediation, or in a due process hearing.
Common Reasons Parents Pursue an Independent Evaluation
- The district evaluation concluded your teenager does not qualify for special education, but you believe she does
- The district evaluation identified a disability, but the report is thin and the recommended services are inadequate
- The evaluation did not address all of your child’s areas of concern
- The instruments used were outdated or inappropriate for your adolescent’s age, profile, or background
- The school team’s interpretation of the results does not match what the scores actually show
- Your teenager’s IEP is not working — and you need documentation that supports a change
- You are considering mediation or due process and need an independent evaluation as part of that process
What You Need to Know Under IDEA
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), you have the right to request an IEE at public expense if you disagree with your school district’s evaluation. The district must either (1) fund the IEE or (2) initiate a due process hearing to defend their evaluation. If the district funds the IEE, they must provide criteria — but they cannot restrict your choice of evaluator to a list of district-approved providers. If you fund the IEE yourself, your results must still be considered by the IEP team.
Timelines matter. If you are mid-dispute, schedule a consultation as soon as possible.
What My IEE Includes
An IEE is a full, comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation — not a review of the district’s report. It includes direct assessment of your teenager or child, clinical interviews, standardized testing, multi-informant rating scales, and a complete written report with findings and recommendations.
The specific instruments are determined by the referral question — what the district’s evaluation missed, your child’s specific challenges, and what questions need to be answered. A typical IEE may include:
- Cognitive assessment (WISC-V, WJ-IV COG, CAS2)
- Academic achievement (WJ-IV ACH, WIAT-4)
- Attention and executive functioning (Conners 4, Brown EF/A)
- Autism assessment (ADOS-2, GARS-3, Vineland-3) when indicated
- Social-emotional and behavioral assessment (BASC-3)
- Adaptive behavior (Vineland-3, ABAS-3)
- Phonological processing (CTOPP-2) when reading disabilities are a concern
Districts Where I Have Direct Experience
- Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD)
- Redondo Beach Unified School District (RBUSD)
- Torrance Unified School District
- El Segundo Unified School District
- Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD)
- Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
I understand how each district’s IEP process works, which instruments their assessors commonly use, and what their reports typically include — and what they leave out.
IEE Pricing
IEE fees vary depending on the scope of the evaluation requested. Comprehensive psychoeducational IEEs start at $3,500. When an IEE is funded at district expense, the district’s criteria govern reimbursable rates — I will walk you through that process. Superbills provided for privately funded IEEs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the school district pay for my Independent Educational Evaluation?
Under IDEA, parents have the right to request an IEE at public expense if they disagree with the district's evaluation. The district must either fund the IEE or initiate a due process hearing to defend their own evaluation. Districts may provide cost criteria but cannot restrict your choice of evaluator to a list of approved providers. The IEE process and reimbursement requires specific written request procedures.
How is an IEE different from the district's own evaluation?
An IEE is conducted by a qualified evaluator outside the school district. The evaluator has no obligation to the district and no stake in the outcome. IEEs are typically more comprehensive, use a broader instrument battery, and produce more detailed reports than district evaluations, which are designed primarily to determine special education eligibility.
How long does an IEE take?
A full IEE involves clinical interviews, comprehensive testing across multiple sessions, integrated report writing, and a feedback session. Total timeline is typically 8-12 weeks from initial consultation to final report. If you are mid-dispute or facing a deadline, schedule the consultation as soon as possible so timelines can be discussed.
Which South Bay school districts do you have IEE experience with?
Direct experience with Manhattan Beach Unified (MBUSD), Redondo Beach Unified (RBUSD), Torrance Unified School District, El Segundo Unified, Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified (PVPUSD), and Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). As a former contracted school psychologist, Jessica knows how these districts conduct evaluations and what their IEP processes require.
What does an IEE cost?
IEE fees vary depending on the scope of evaluation requested. Comprehensive psychoeducational IEEs typically start at $3,500. When the IEE is funded at district expense, the district's criteria govern reimbursable rates. Superbills are provided for privately funded IEEs.
Schedule a Free 15-Minute Consultation
No commitment required. Jessica speaks personally with every prospective client to determine fit, answer questions, and walk through next steps.