Educational assessments can be very useful for children and adults.

The primary purpose of an educational assessment (also called a psychoeducational assessment) is usually to determine whether an individual has any learning disabilities in a specific academic skill area.

Other times, the purpose of an educational assessment can be to provide a description of an individual's strengths and weaknesses, and to assist their progress in a school or work setting.

These assessments examine an individual's skills in several areas, including intellectual functioning (also known as IQ), academic skills, hand-eye coordination, and emotional functioning. Often, neuropsychological tests of attention, memory, and complex problem solving can be added to provide a greater level of analysis to determine the possible causes of an individual's difficulties.