In this article, major laws, regulations, court cases, policies and practices related to intelligence testing of African American students in California are reviewed. A California Department of Education (CDE) ban on intelligence testing of African American students for the purpose of determining special education eligibility is in effect and…

The analysis in this article is directed to the basic issues: Are IQ tests biased against Black children? And are IQ tests valid for the placement of Black children in special programs? The research evidence on these major issues is ambiguous and contradictory. (Author/CTM)

This paper explores the reasons for the rapid adoption of intelligence tests by the public schools, and the historical relationship between testing and ability grouping or tracking. Case studies are presented of three California communities--Oakland, San Jose, and Palo Alto--between 1910 and 1925. These communities have been selected because they…

An historical and sociological explanation is presented for the occurrence of overrepresentation of racial minorities in special education classes for mentally retarded school children discovered in the California public schools. (Author/MH)

The Larry P. decision is criticized with reference to: (1) predictive tests and the standard curriculum; (2) the court's portrayal of special classes; (3) the effects of the 1972 decision on special class enrollment; (4) semantic confusion; and (5) the impact on Black children who experience academic difficulty. (Author/CTM)

This article addresses the question of why intelligence tests were put on trial. The courts had to weigh the validity of intelligence tests once California chose to rely upon intelligence tests to justify the large numbers of Black children in classes for the educable mentally retarded. (Author/CTM)

THE SCHOOLS IN DISADVANTAGED AND NONDISADVANTAGED AREAS OF LOS ANGELES WERE COMPARED IN THIS EXTENSIVE STUDY IN TERMS OF THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE STUDENTS, THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOLS, AND PARENT AND TEACHER ATTITUDES. THE DATA, GATHERED THROUGH QUESTIONNAIRES AND INTERVIEWS, ARE SUMMARIZED IN 71 TABLES. THE MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE STUDY ARE…

THIS EVALUATION CONTAINS DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE FIRST YEAR OF SAN FRANCISCO'S PREKINDERGARTEN AND COMPREHENSIVE COMPENSATORY EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES FUNDED UNDER THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT (ESEA) OF 1965. SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM WERE TO REDUCE PUPIL-TEACHER RATIO AND CLASS SIZE,…