When a neuropsychological evaluation report arrives, it can feel like a tidal wave. There are scores and percentiles, clinical language, and perhaps an unexpected diagnosis. Even when families actively seek testing, the final document can feel daunting. Many parents ask me, ‘Where do I begin?’ 

To help answer this question, I spoke with licensed psychologist Dr. Robyn Glover, who specializes in neuropsychological assessments and collaborates closely with Carroll School. Together, we discussed how families can navigate the process and how schools should partner with parents to interpret and act on what the report reveals.

A Neuropsychological Report Is a Roadmap

Renée: What do you most want parents to understand about neuropsychological testing?

Dr. Glover: Parents often ask how they should explain the process of testing to their child. I encourage them to say that it’s something we get to do. Neuropsychological testing is a tool that helps us understand a child more deeply — how they think, feel, and learn. It’s not intended as a test that leads to a label, rather it’s an experience that leads to a roadmap.

The idea of a roadmap is powerful. A student tested at age six may be reevaluated at nine, twelve, or fifteen. The goal is an ongoing understanding of a child’s strengths, their challenges, and how interventions are tailored to the learner at every leg of the journey. (Resource: Talking about Dyslexia as a Strength: A Conversation Guide for Parents)

Renée: At Carroll, we see this clearly. Neuropsychological reports are not filed away. They are read closely by educators and used in conjunction with other assessments and human observations to shape focus area classes, classroom strategies, and individualized learning paths. The report becomes a living document that informs our instructional approach. 

Where Should Parents Start?

Renée: A comprehensive neuropsychological report can feel overwhelming. What guidance do you give parents about where to start?

Dr. Glover: A thorough evaluation should ultimately provide relief, even if it feels like a lot at first. By the end of a feedback meeting, I often see shoulders relax. Families have answers. They understand what is happening and what they need to support their child.

I encourage parents to start with the summary rather than focus on every percentile. I guide them to note their child’s strengths and focus on the list of recommendations to support areas of challenge.

Equally important, parents should not feel alone in managing next steps. A neuropsychologist can recommend tutors, serve as a bridge between families and schools, and remain involved as the child grows. It’s an ongoing partnership.

Building Partnerships with Schools

Renée: When parents bring a neuropsychological report to their child’s school, what conversations should they be having?

Dr. Glover: Ask questions. Share what you’ve learned and ask: What does this mean to you? How would you support my child? What does intervention look like here? 

Ideally, the bridge-building begins even before testing. Teachers provide insight into how children present in the classroom. Parents see their child at home. A neuropsychologist synthesizes those perspectives. It’s about gathering and sharing information.

Renée: So, it’s a team-based approach among parents, the school, and the neuropsychologist. Too often, parents tell me they feel as though they’ve been handed a complex plan and they are now the project manager.

Dr. Glover: That should not be the case. Schools have a responsibility to help interpret the report and integrate findings into a meaningful educational plan. As you say, a team-based approach is how a child is going to get the services they need to access education.

School-Based vs. Outside Evaluations

Renée: Some parents seek an outside neuropsychological evaluation, but others may seek an evaluation directly from their child’s school. Can you talk about these two different testing pathways?

Dr. Glover: Both pathways provide important information. A school-based assessment determines what services the district can provide within its framework. An outside neuropsychological evaluation offers a broader lens, including recommendations for social emotional support or home-based interventions.

When families bring an outside evaluation to a district, a school must review and consider the findings. While not every recommendation must be implemented, the data should not be ignored. In some cases, schools may conduct additional assessments to confirm findings.

Renée: What guidance do you give to families when the school’s findings differ from the outside evaluation?

Dr. Glover: We see this often. Students who score in the low-average range on the school’s benchmarks for reading levels may be denied support, even when we know the score should be higher based on their intelligence and their reasoning skills. That’s when a neuropsychologist might recommend a reading tutor or an educational advocate to intervene with the school on the child’s behalf. Navigating this landscape can be complex. Having professional guidance can help families understand their options and their rights.

A Broader Lens: Equity and Interpretation

Renée: When it comes to seeking a neuropsychological report and partnering with schools, are there ways in which students and families of color are impacted differently?

Dr. Glover: Research continues to show disparities across race and socioeconomic status. Families of color, in particular, may weigh the risks and benefits of evaluation differently. Selecting a professional who is knowledgeable about the historical context of testing data and who can interpret the results through this lens can lend confidence to the process. There is a great deal of nuance and interpretation in the testing process. Scores can be influenced by focus, comfort, cultural context, and lived experience. Thoughtful interpretation is essential.

Approaching testing with sensitivity leads to a deeper understanding of the child and paves the path to the right interventions.

The Emotional Side of a Neuropsychological Report

Renée: Behind every report is a caregiver navigating emotions — fear, grief, guilt, relief. How do you help families manage the emotional impact of a neuropsychological report?

Dr. Glover: We are psychologists first and neuropsychologists by training. Building a relationship with the child and their family comes first; then we think thoughtfully about interpretation, considering all aspects of the child’s varied lived experiences. When done well, the process can be transformative. Families move from uncertainty to clarity and students begin to understand themselves.

Renée: At Carroll, we often say advocacy is not an accident. It begins with students understanding themselves as learners. When students and their families hear, ‘Here’s how your brain learns best and how we will support you,’ the narrative shifts. It’s not about what’s wrong, it’s about what works.

Dr. Glover: Yes, it’s wonderful to watch the transformation from fear and worry to understanding and reassurance. I like to tell parents that every student climbs their own ladder to growth. You place loving hands on their back, guiding them up. Sometimes they stop climbing and you have to decide whether to keep pushing or let them pause at a loose rung. Neuropsychological testing is like checking all the rungs. We can tell parents, ‘Now is not a time to push. We need to strengthen this rung first.’ That knowledge is a huge relief to families.

Renée: This conversation has been incredibly informative. Do you have any final advice for families navigating the neuropsychological evaluation process?

Dr. Glover: A neuropsychological evaluation is not an ending, it’s a beginning. When families, schools, and evaluators work together to interpret the report, students gain more than support. They gain the knowledge, confidence, and agency they need to thrive. That is where the real work — and real growth — begins.

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About Dr. Robyn Glover

Dr. Glover is a licensed psychologist specializing in neuropsychological and educational assessment of children, adolescents, and young adults. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Yale University, a master’s degree in education from Harvard University, and both master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from Fordham University.

Raised in Brookline, Massachusetts, Dr. Glover returned to the Boston area to complete her pre- and post-doctoral training in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. Visit Sage Neuropsych