Which case ruled that IQ tests were no longer able to be the sole measure of assessment for SPED placement?

Which case ruled that IQ tests were no longer able to be the sole measure of assessment for SPED placement?

• A. Diana v. Board of Education
• B. PASE v. Hannon
• C. Board of Education v. Rowley
• D. PARC v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Answer: (A)

Evaluations for placement in special education should be a holistic, multifaceted process rather than relying on a single test score. The Diana v. Board of Education ruling emphasized that using IQ scores alone to place a child in an SPED program is inappropriate. The decision required that assessments consider the child’s language and cultural background, use non-discriminatory procedures, and gather information from multiple sources (such as academic performance, adaptive behavior, and classroom observations) to determine eligibility and needs. This case established the standard that IQ tests alone cannot determine SPED placement, guiding later evaluation practices to be more comprehensive and fair. While other cases also address related rights and procedures (like FAPE and appropriate services), this one directly tackles the issue of relying on a single intellectual quotient measure for placement decisions.

Evaluations for placement in special education should be a holistic, multifaceted process rather than relying on a single test score. The Diana v. Board of Education ruling emphasized that using IQ scores alone to place a child in an SPED program is inappropriate. The decision required that assessments consider the child’s language and cultural background, use non-discriminatory procedures, and gather information from multiple sources (such as academic performance, adaptive behavior, and classroom observations) to determine eligibility and needs.

This case established the standard that IQ tests alone cannot determine SPED placement, guiding later evaluation practices to be more comprehensive and fair. While other cases also address related rights and procedures (like FAPE and appropriate services), this one directly tackles the issue of relying on a single intellectual quotient measure for placement decisions.