Psychoeducational Testing: Turn Out the Lights, the Party's over

There is growing controversy and dissatisfaction surrounding the pervasive use of psychoeducational testing in special education evaluation and placement. Validity, reliability, cultural bias, and the fostering of a dual system of education—regular and special—are all deficits of this testing, especially in light of the regulations of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. This article examines the legal problems associated with standardized testing instruments and their use and the legal imperative for using curriculum-based measures in special education evaluation systems.