Which case held that IQ tests could not be the primary or sole basis for placing students in special education programs?

Which case held that IQ tests could not be the primary or sole basis for placing students in special education programs?

• A. Board of Education of the Hudson School District v. Rowley (1982)
• B. Larry P. v. Riles
• C. Timothy v. Rochester
• D. Brown v Board of Education

Answer: (A)

Evaluations for placement in special education must be comprehensive and fair, not based on a single score. IQ tests can be biased by cultural and linguistic factors and may not capture a student’s actual functioning or learning needs. Larry P. v. Riles ruled that IQ tests could not be the primary or sole basis for placing students in special education, because these tests were shown to be biased against Black students and could lead to inappropriate classifications. The decision pushed for using multiple measures—academic achievement, adaptive behavior, classroom performance, and observations—conducted in a non-discriminatory way before making placement decisions. In practice, a team should gather diverse data and consider the student’s background rather than letting one test determine placement. Other cases address different education-law questions and do not establish the idea that IQ tests alone should not determine placement. For example, one case focuses on what counts as a free appropriate public education, another addresses broader constitutional issues like segregation, and another concerns various aspects of eligibility and services that aren’t specifically about using IQ tests for placement decisions.

Evaluations for placement in special education must be comprehensive and fair, not based on a single score. IQ tests can be biased by cultural and linguistic factors and may not capture a student’s actual functioning or learning needs. Larry P. v. Riles ruled that IQ tests could not be the primary or sole basis for placing students in special education, because these tests were shown to be biased against Black students and could lead to inappropriate classifications. The decision pushed for using multiple measures—academic achievement, adaptive behavior, classroom performance, and observations—conducted in a non-discriminatory way before making placement decisions. In practice, a team should gather diverse data and consider the student’s background rather than letting one test determine placement.

Other cases address different education-law questions and do not establish the idea that IQ tests alone should not determine placement. For example, one case focuses on what counts as a free appropriate public education, another addresses broader constitutional issues like segregation, and another concerns various aspects of eligibility and services that aren’t specifically about using IQ tests for placement decisions.