Cost — "It's a lot of money"
"We need to think about the budget" / "That's more than we expected."
What's underneath: wanting to make a careful decision and not spend on the wrong kind of support.
Validate"It is an investment, and it makes sense to think carefully about it."
Clarify"What usually helps families most is getting clear on exactly what their child needs before deciding on services. That way you're not guessing, and you're not spending money on the wrong kind of support."
Next Step"Let's start with the Learning Skills Assessment so you have clear data and a thoughtful recommendation before deciding what level of support makes sense."
Optional — scholarship: If [child] has a qualifying diagnosis, scholarship funding may help cover services. We can talk through what may apply.
Schedule — "We're already so busy"
"There's no time" / "His week is already packed."
What's underneath: real overwhelm and concern about adding one more thing to a full week.
Validate"I hear that. When your week already feels full, adding one more thing can feel like a lot."
Clarify"The good news is that sessions are online, so there's no drive time, and many families find it's easier to fit in than they expected once they have a clear plan."
Next Step"We can start with the LSA first so you have clarity before committing to an ongoing schedule."
School — "Let the school handle it first"
"The school says they'll work with him" / "We just got the IEP."
What's underneath: a reasonable hope that school supports will be enough, and uncertainty about whether more is needed.
Validate"That makes sense — giving the school's plan a chance is a reasonable starting point."
Clarify"School services and one-to-one structured literacy work in different ways. School supports tend to be small-group and limited in time. The LSA helps you see whether [child] needs the kind of targeted instruction that's harder to deliver in a school setting, so the two can work together rather than overlap."
Next Step"Let's get the LSA done now so you have clear baseline data — that way you can see in a few months whether school services alone are moving things forward."
Competitor — "We tried Sylvan / a tutor"
"We've already done Lindamood / private tutoring / Kumon."
What's underneath: prior effort that didn't produce the change they hoped for, and caution about trying again.
Validate"You've already invested real time and effort in trying to help. That tells me a lot about how seriously you take this."
Clarify"Different programs use different methods, and the right fit really depends on what's getting in the way for [child]. The LSA gives us a clear picture of where the skill gaps are, so any plan we recommend is grounded in data — not assumption."
Next Step"It's worth getting the LSA done so we can show you specifically where [child] is and what kind of approach would actually help."
Stall — "Let me think about it"
"I want to talk it over" / "I'll get back to you."
What's underneath: often a need for clarity, more information, or another decision-maker on the call.
Validate"Of course — this is a real decision and you should take the time to think it through."
Clarify"If it's helpful, I can ask what's still feeling unclear — sometimes it's cost, sometimes it's timing, sometimes it's wanting a partner on the call. Whatever it is, we can usually clarify it pretty quickly."
Next Step"Either way, I can send you the LSA scheduling link so the option stays open while you decide. Looking at it doesn't commit you to anything — booking is what confirms a time."
Timing — "We'll wait until summer"
"Maybe in the summer when there's more time" / "After break."
What's underneath: hoping for a natural reset, or wanting to time the decision around the calendar.
Validate"Summer can feel like the natural time to start something new."
Clarify"What we sometimes see is that the gap continues to widen during the school year, and starting later means catching up to it. The LSA gives you data now, so you can plan thoughtfully whether you want to start before summer or build the plan for summer."
Next Step"Let's get the LSA on the calendar this month — we'll use it to design the right plan for your timeline."
Resistance — "My child won't comply"
"He hates extra work" / "She'll refuse to do it."
What's underneath: real fatigue, prior negative experiences with academic work, and concern about pushing too hard.
Validate"After a long school day, the last thing many kids want is more school-like work. That's a real and common concern."
Clarify"Our specialists work specifically with kids who've had a hard time engaging. Sessions are short, structured, and designed around small wins so kids start to feel more competent — that's usually what shifts the resistance over time."
Next Step"The LSA is a manageable first step. It gives us a sense of how [child] responds to this kind of work, with no commitment beyond that."
Wait — "We need to wait for testing first"
"The school is doing an evaluation" / "We're waiting on a private psych-ed."
What's underneath: wanting more information before deciding, and trusting the evaluation to provide direction.
Validate"It makes sense to want that data — evaluations are useful."
Clarify"School and clinical evaluations tend to focus on diagnosis and eligibility. The LSA focuses on instructional information — what skills are in place, where the gaps are, and what kind of support would actually help. The two work well together."
Next Step"We can schedule the LSA now and incorporate the school's findings as they come in. You won't have to start over."
Don't argue with the concern. "But it really is worth it!" puts pressure on the parent. Validate first — always.
Don't discount reactively. If cost is a real concern, walk through scholarship and payment pathways thoughtfully when appropriate. Don't negotiate on the fly.
Don't promise specific outcomes. Avoid guarantees like "a grade level by spring." Speak to the process — assessment, recommendation, ongoing progress data.
Don't leave concerns hanging. Before ending the call, return to a clear, appropriate next step — usually the LSA or a follow-up that includes other decision-makers.
Don't fill silence with pressure. A pause after a question is okay. Let the parent think. Re-engage with a clarifying question, not a push.
Don't bypass the other decision-maker. When a spouse or partner needs to weigh in, offer a brief joint follow-up so both have the same information.
Internal EES coaching reference. Adapt language to your own call style and the family in front of you — these are scaffolds, not scripts. The LSA is the most common appropriate next step, but use judgement; sometimes the right next step is a follow-up call with the other decision-maker, or simply more space for the parent to think.
