One of the single greatest factors in determining the direction of educational planning for children with special needs is their IQ. The profound tragedy for many children is that accurate and reliable testing for IQ is either not readily available or it is misapplied.
The testing focuses on what are the learning deficits–memory, processing, or "intelligence" in a variety of forms; goals, accommodations/modifications, and curriculum all should be designed in consideration of these factors. IQ testing also tends to set the bar of expectation and tracking. Is the child achieving to his or her "level" is an implicit and pervasive issue at IEP meetings. However, if the compass needle of the IQ testing points in the wrong direction the whole IEP proceeds down the wrong road.
