About Our Evaluator

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Mr. di Salvatore has served individuals with disabilities for over two decades. In his current capacity, he has conducted independent educational evaluations (IEEs) for 13 years. He has served as school psychologist for 18 years and as a special educator for children in grades preschool to high school for 10 years. Prior to public school service, he was an Early Head Start research evaluator for Spanish-speaking families of infants with developmental delays. Mr. di Salvatore is the author of the Comprehensive Assessment of Student Stress (CASS), a screener designed to aid schools in universally evaluating student social-emotional wellbeing and to aid psychologists in identifying  stress-related disorders, PTSD, and adjustment difficulties.

In private practice, Mr. di Salvatore serves as a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP 3251) with a diploma from the American Board of School Neuropsychology (ABSNP 10518). Different from a clinical neuropsychologist who approaches educational evaluations from a highly clinical perspective, Mr. di Salvatore is an LEP with training in educational neuropsychology and who is able to provide educationally meaningful recommendations. Mr. di Salvatore's experience in public schools allows him the advantage of understanding educational interventions available to students via an IEP, and it allows him unique insight into an education agency's responsibilities and limitations in providing a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). School districts have access to evidence-based programs that, when implemented with fidelity, are sufficient in remediation educational deficiencies. When more specialized or clinical services are required for educational benefit, Mr. di Salvatore will make such recommendations to the team.

In public school service, Mr. di Salvatore has obtained multiple credentials allowing him instruction with children with severe to profound disabilities, mild to moderate disabilities, and those in early childhood education. He implemented Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles with all of his students given its benefits toward IEP goal mastery. He is BICM trained (Behavior Intervention Case Manager) and he consults with IEP teams regarding behaviorally-appropriate interventions. Mr. di Salvatore is comfortable making ABA recommendations for student populations that require it for educational benefit; particularly when less intrusive interventions have been unsuccessful. He has supervised the implementation of ABA plans and the development of Behavior Support Plans (BSP) within the school setting. Mr. di Salvatore also has the capacity to conduct Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA) and evaluations for the provision of Special Circumstance Instructional Assistance (SCIA). 

Mr. di Salvatore is a multilingual psychologist; fluently speaking Spanish and English, and with 10+ years of experience speaking French and Italian. His evaluations consider the sensitive nature of cultural and linguistic influences. He conducts Spanish and English assessments when applicable, and he utilizes alternate assessment measures for students that warrant their use. Mr. di Salvatore's evaluations include the sensitive practice of non-discriminatory assessment and they consider the impact that various psychological and cultural constructs have on intellectual assessment. In practice, processing assessment is generally conducted prior to the selection of a nondiscriminatory intellectual measure. For students whose evaluations are limited by culture, language, or by the Larry P. vs. Riles injunctions in the state of California (i.e., children of indigenous background, learners of English as a second language, students of African-American and/or of Black ancestry), alternate assessment is offered.

Mr. di Salvatore has special interest in the pattern analysis of neuropsychoeducational assessment data. He utilizes student data to determine correlations and establish patterns in the assessment of specific disability populations. He is currently focused in the analysis of assessment data for student populations with limitations in social perception, empathy development, and social learning. These specific populations include youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Nonverbal Learning Disability, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, severe learning disabilities, AD/HD and Anxiety-based disorders (i.e., Social Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety). The result of his findings has been presented at statewide presentations for the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CSHA), the California Teachers Association (CTA), various universities, and district-wide professional development. Other areas of interest include the school-based identification and healing of youth exposed to trauma (i.e., child abuse, domestic violence and bullying victimization, homophobia and transphobia). Additionally, Mr. di Salvatore is parent to several children with special needs. His adult-age children are now successfully living independently or attending local colleges and universities. In combination, his children present with the following disabling conditions: Intellectual Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Specific Learning Disabilities associated with Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, Sensory Integration Disorder, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Social Phobia and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. His dedication to special populations is the result of professional and personal experiences; both positive and negative. His primary focus is in identifying an individual's unique profile of strengths and weaknesses. Mr. di Salvatore's assessments are relevant and applicable across settings, and ensure that a student's best interests are clearly represented without bias.