Research on variables that predict disproportionate representation of minority students in special education has often ignored an important variable -- academic achievement. This study examined the prediction of representation of students from various minority racial/ethnic groups using district-level academic, demographic, and economic blocks of…

The purpose of this paper is to provide research and recommendations related to teacher quality and effectiveness, specifically addressing the area of classroom management to improve outcomes in general and special education. Focusing on classroom organization and behavior management is necessary as a preventive approach for students who are…

Application of the System of Multicultural Pluralistic Assessment Adaptive Behavior Inventory for Children and Estimated Learning Potential measures for 149 White, 128 Black, 125 Hispanic, and 122 Native American Papago students sharply reduced the number and percentages of children eligible for mild mental retardation classification in all…

Discusses historical and contemporary influences on changes in special education assessment, emphasizing three persistent themes: accurate classification, fairness to minority students, and special education outcomes. Dunn's contributions to each theme are discussed, along with other influences such as legislation and litigation. Current dynamics…

The article describes the background of Larry P. v. Riles, a class action law suit involving disproportionate placement of minorities in classes for the educable mentally retarded in California, and outlines the specific findings and remedies underlying issues, including stigmatization of being classified retarded and the nature/nurture debate.…

Investigated item bias on six subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised for four sociocultural groups (N=950), Anglo, Black, Chicano, and Native American Papago (NAP). Results of statistical indexes indicated no or negligible bias against Blacks and Chicanos. Found evidence suggesting bias in some verbal scales with NAPs.…

This article reviews the evolution of placement litigation based on the overrepresentation of minority students in special educational programs for students with mild disabilities, provides commentaries on four court trials that have yielded judicial opinion and discusses the implications of this litigation for the reform of special education…

Overrepresentation of minorities in special education classes and bias in IQ tests that allegedly underlies such placements are discussed in regard to the use of psychological tests for educational classification. Concludes that the use of tests, rather than the tests themselves, leads to discriminatory placement. Suggests solutions to this…

Recommendations from "Placing Children in Special Education" are reviewed, focusing on: (1) inaccurate interpretation of overrepresentation of minority mildly mentally retarded students, (2) use of prereferral interventions, (3) cross-categorical programing, (4) application of an outcomes criterion, and (5) expansion of regular education…

Recent court decisions concerning the demographics of placement of students in various program tracks are reviewed in three articles. Focus is on special cases involving charges of overrepresentation of minorities in programs for the educably mentally retarded. Implications for school psychology and special education are discussed. (TJH)

Test bias, assumed as equal regression lines between two different tests for different populations was investigated to predict Metropolitan Achievement Tests from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Revised. Subjects were 1,040 children in grades 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9: Anglo American, Black, Mexican American, and Native American Papago. (JKS)

Claims of overrepresentation of minority students in special education programs and the myths and distortions surrounding these claims are the topic of this study. The findings of a report on this topic performed by the National Academy of Sciences is discussed, noting that although the report focused on the right question (why is…

Two psychometric approaches for the investigation of item bias were employed to examine the performance of four sociocultural groups on six subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Revised (WISC-R). The sample of 950 students was from Pima County, Arizona. One approach involved the comparison of the psychometric indices of…

Issues surrounding the concept of nonbiased assessment, particularly with economically disadvantaged minority students, are analyzed. The legal requirements are focused on thorough discussion of litigation and legislation. The second section explores research on the use of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R). Research…

The generalizability of norms and concurrent validity of the Adaptive Behavior Inventory for Children (ABIC) was investigated with samples of 482 first-, third-, and fifth-grade children stratified by sociocultural group (White, Black, Hispanic, and Native American Papago). (Author)