The Choice Channel

“Reports from screenings are often misleading and inaccurate. Inaccuracies arise from several sources. Any test or assessment inevitably reflects the values, background, and experience of its creators. Members of ethnic minorities and people who have chosen values different from the dominant culture are unfairly handicapped when assessed by mainstream standards. Is it really fair or accurate to say that children who don’t do well on tests biased in favor of white middle-class boys are abnormal? Most people do not do their best in stressful situations. Young children who are appropriately shy around strangers and in unfamiliar settings often fail to perform tasks during preschool screening that they frequently do at home, leading assessors to underestimate their abilities.” (04/06)