Agenda Item
a. Contractual Services for Comprehensive Psychological Evaluations (Not to exceed $300,000)
Summary: Presented by: Dr. Norman C. Sauce III, Chief of Student Services, 678.676.1079
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the contract for Horizons Psychological Assessment Center to provide comprehensive psychological evaluations for our students, for a total contracted amount not to exceed $300,000.
Why: We are in need of contracted services to assist to complete these psychological evaluations, as we continue to seek to fill School Psychologist vacancies. Horizons Psychological Assessment Center will assist with currently needed evaluations and other upcoming evaluation requests.
For historical context, there is a state and national shortage of school psychologists contributing to the difficulties for hiring school psychologists. The physical closure of all DCSD school buildings due to the COVID-19 pandemic led to the backlog of comprehensive psychological evaluations for students. Even though the school buildings were closed, the student-based meetings (e.g., MTSS Tier 3, IEP Meetings, etc.) continued and the requests for evaluations were ongoing. The 2019-20 school year ended with 638 students needing an evaluation. The 2020-21 school year remained closed until the end of January 2021 with an additional 692 students needing an evaluation totaling 1,330 students waiting to be tested.
With safety measures established, the 2020-21 school year ended with 935 students receiving a psychological evaluation and 136 students were evaluated during the summer. The 2020-21 school year ended with 972 students needing an evaluation. The 2021-22 school year began with the 972 students needing an evaluation with frequent evaluation requests coming into the schools due to learning loss concerns from parents and educators. The psychologist ended the 2021-22 school year having evaluated 1,899 students with an additional 116 students evaluated during the 2022 summer. The 2022-23 school year began with 535 students in need of an evaluation. There were 2,135 students evaluated by the end of the 2022-23 school year with 775 students left over for the 2023-24 school year.
Per received signed evaluation request forms received by March 1, 2024, there are 1,337 students waiting to be evaluated. The Psychological Services Department has not been fully staffed for several years. The 2022-23 school year had 12 schools without an officially assigned school psychologist, the 3 additional schools temporarily without their school psychologist due to FMLA. The 2023-24 school year began with 10 schools not having an officially assigned school psychologist, and 3 schools were temporarily without their school psychologist due to FMLA. The Psychological Services Department extended coverage to all schools to ensure that psychological services continued.
Details: The Horizons Psychological Assessment Center will provide in-person comprehensive psychological evaluations for 240 students. The company employs certified school psychologists and will provide assessment kits and protocols to complete these psychological evaluations. The evaluations will be scheduled by the vendor in conjunction with our School Psychology Department. Horizons will provide the written psychological reports two weeks after completion of the psychological evaluation. The total cost for this request will not exceed $300,000.00.
Financial impact: The total budget of $300,000.00 to implement this request will be funded using the ESSER III-Program 4190 grant.
Charge Code: 448.2100.530000.30521.7370.4190.8010.090.2022
Contact: Dr. Norman C. Sauce, III, Chief of Student Services, Division of Student Services, 678.676.1079
Mrs. Kiana King, Executive Director of Exceptional Education, 678-676-1809
Mrs. Kimberly Franklin, Coordinator-III Psychological Services, Division of Student Services 678.676.2222
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Attorney approval not required
Horizons Psychological Assessment Center
3350 Riverwood Pkwy, Suite 1900
Atlanta, GA 30339
(404) 941-6088
www.Horizonspac.com
info@horizonspac.com
Proposal for Psychological Services
Date: January 25, 2024
Prepared for: Dekalb County School District
1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd.
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
678-676-1200
Prepared by: Horizons Psychological Assessment Center
Main Office-Mailing Address Satellite Office Satellite Office
3350 Riverwood Parkway 1277 Parker Road 8471 Newman Street
Suite 1900 Conyers, GA 30094 Douglasville, GA 30134
Atlanta, GA 30339 404-941-6088 404-941-6088
404-941-6088
Scope of Support and Services
Comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations are individualized to the student and may include
measures of cognitive ability, psychological processing, visual-motor functioning, academic
achievement, and social-emotional functioning. Specific areas of assessment and test instruments
will be determined at the discretion of the examiner based on the referral question and professional
judgment.
Horizons Psychological Assessment Center employs certified school psychologists with
professional certifications that are current and in good standing.
Horizons Psychological Assessment Center is working as an independent contractor and not as an
agent of any school system or other organization. Horizons Psychological Assessment Center
clinicians do not serve as members of the school-based eligibility teams. The scope of practice is
limited to evaluation services and interpretation of the psychological evaluation. Horizons
Psychological Assessment Center operates on the good faith of information provided by the school
and is held harmless for any inaccuracies in information provided as part of the collection of
documents.
Psychoeducational evaluations and written reports will be completed within 14 school days of the
last assessment date and the submission of all evaluation documents (rating scales, essential
paperwork). Referral information should include a statement of reason for referral, parent consent
for evaluation, and a parent questionnaire detailing social history (when available). Additional
referral information may include copies of passed hearing and vision screenings, previous
psychological evaluations, Response to Intervention documentation, most recent grade reports, and
discipline history.
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Fees for Services:
Horizons Psychological Assessment Center offers comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations
according to the following flat fee schedule. Fees are invoiced to the school within 10 days of
services provided. Payment to Horizons Psychological Assessment Center is expected within 30
days of invoice submission.
A. Quote:
I. Number of students to serve= 240
II. Fees per student= $1250.00
III. Total contract amount= $300,000.00
B. Service start and end dates: May 25, 2024 – September 30, 2024
Comprehensive Psychoeducational Evaluation
Fee is inclusive of direct assessment, interpretation, and writing of the comprehensive
evaluation report.
Please note that the evaluation report is based on the information provided by the school. Any
requested revisions of the psychoeducational evaluation report due to additional information
shared by the school after completion will be billed at a rate of $100 per hour and is not
included in the quoted rate.
Payments should be made payable to:
Horizons Psychological Assessment Center
Bank details to be provided.
Contract Dates of Service/Competition:
Horizons Psychological Assessment Center will provide psychoeducational evaluation services
as requested by Dekalb County School District. Term of service is subject to cancellation at
any time without cause by either Dekalb County School District or Horizons Psychological
Assessment Center.
Dekalb County School District (DCSD) agrees that during the term of agreement with
Horizons Psychological Assessment Center and for a period of one (1) year thereafter, DCSD
will not solicit or offer any employment, contractual agreements, or direct compensation to any
School Psychologist that is under contract with Horizons Psychological Assessment Center.
Insurance
Horizons Psychological Assessment Center shall provide and monitor Professional Liability
Insurance for all contracted school psychologists with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and
$3,000,000 aggregate for services provided as outlined above.
This proposal constitutes a good faith explanation of the psychological services to be provided to
Dekalb County School District.
January 25, 2024
__________________________________ ____________________________________
Sabrina Rogers, Ed. S Date
Co-Owner, Horizons Psychological Assessment Center
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