Dr. Michelle Nutter is a licensed school psychologist with over 25 years of experience in public education and more than 15 years in private practice, specializing in comprehensive psychoeducational and school neuropsychological evaluations. 

Dr. Nutter has significant experience working with school districts to evaluate students in diverse educational settings, including comprehensive public schools, private schools, and therapeutic placements. She collaborates closely with multidisciplinary teams to determine special education eligibility, support IEP development, and design targeted academic and behavioral interventions. Dr. Nutter is particularly skilled in helping teams understand the relationship between cognitive functioning, academic skill development, and social-emotional factors as they impact student learning and achievement.

Through her extensive work conducting IEEs and Special Education Eligibility Evaluations, Dr. Nutter has experience responding to California Department of Education (CDE) complaints, navigating Due Process proceedings, and defending her evaluations in fair hearings. Her work is characterized by clarity, objectivity, and adherence to legal and ethical standards, making her a trusted evaluator in complex and high-stakes cases.

Dr. Nutter is licensed in multiple states and has extensive experience navigating state-specific special education administrative rules. Her professional work across states reflects a strong understanding of both state-level requirements and federal IDEA regulations, allowing her to ensure evaluations are compliant, comprehensive, and contextually appropriate.

In private practice, Dr. Nutter developed a specialized focus on complex cases involving students placed in non-public schools, including residential treatment and wilderness therapy programs. She is experienced in navigating high-conflict situations and is recognized for her ability to present findings clearly, objectively, and collaboratively in IEP meetings and other team-based settings.

Her doctoral training, combined with postdoctoral completion of a School Neuropsychology certificate program and advanced training in Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses (PSW) and Cross-Battery Assessment (XBA) methodologies, supports her expertise in identifying Specific Learning Disabilities and developing nuanced, data-driven learning profiles.

Dr. Nutter is committed to providing high-quality, independent evaluations that support teams in making informed decisions and ensuring that students receive appropriate, equitable educational supports.