The hidden history of IQ and special education - Can the problems be solved?

Over the last 50 years, IQ gains and renorming tests have radically altered the percentage of Americans with IQs below 70. Moreover, the criterion for mental retardation was altered from 70, normed against Whites only, to 70, normed against all Americans. In fact, the proportion eligible to be classified as mentally retarded has varied from a high of 1 in 23 to a low of 1 in 213. These enormous fluctuations in the past engendered no response from practicing psychologists and no adequate response from test publishers. It must be concluded that no IQ criterion of mental retardation can be justified in terms of its correlation with impaired adaptive behavior. Because this correlation is the sole rationale of an IQ criterion, consideration should be given to the notion of abandoning IQ tests in favor of direct tests of impaired adaptive behavior. The fact that people will get quite different scores on different IQ tests can be manipulated by psychologists to suit their clients' needs.