Intelligence Testing and Cultural Diversity: The Need for Alternative Instruments, Policies, and Procedures

There is great deal of concern and debate about the low performance of racially and linguistically diverse students— those of Black, Hispanic, and Native American descent—on standardized tests. Nowhere are the debates and controversies surrounding intelligence testing more prevalent than in gifted education and special education. These two educational fields rely extensively on tests to make educational and placement decisions. In gifted education, low test scores often prevent diverse students from being identified as gifted and receiving services; in special education, low test scores often result in the identification of these students as learning disabled, developmentally delayed, and so forth.