ABSTRACT
There is great deal of concern and debate about the low performance of racially and linguistically diverse students—those of Black, Hispanic, and Native American descent—on standardized tests. Nowhere are the debates and controversies surrounding intelligence testing more prevalent than in gifted education and special education. There is a long-standing and persistent debate regarding the equitable use of tests and assessment strategies with diverse populations. This debate and related concerns especially are prevalent in cases of high-stakes testing, where tests are used to make important and long-term educational decisions about students. Psychological and psychoeducational assessment is an area that has been heavily subjected to complaints about the differential treatment of diverse groups. When students have a communal orientation, they may prefer to work in groups rather than alone; this preference may be interpreted as immaturity, laziness, or cheating by educators who are unfamiliar with cultural diversity.
