An Intelligence Quotient test measures one's current educational aptitude, or IQ. Intelligence tests usually include several types of activities measuring language based reasoning, visual-spacial reasoning, problem solving, logic, and awareness of common social realities.
IQ tests are norm-referenced and compare one student's performance to a large group of students of the same age. Although IQ tests are good predictors of how well students will achieve in school, they should be used along with other assessments to get a full and accurate picture of how a student learns.
IQ tests are not without their controversy, and there is some evidence to suggest they man be biased against minority groups and students of low economic status. Some critics argue that intelligence tests are a main cause of disproportional representation of minority students in special education.
If these issues are a concern for a specific students, parents should speak with the psychologist evaluating their children and discuss ways to ensure the assessment yields accurate results. IQ tests have improved over the years, and bias, while still a potential issue, can be minimized by good testing practices.
Learn about the assessment process and contact your school's counselor or psychologist for information you should know before having your child tested.
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