TRADITIONAL PSYCHOMETRIC TESTS AND PROPORTIONATE REPRESENTATION - AN INTERVENTION AND PROGRAM-EVALUATION STUDY

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) and Stan dard Raven Progressive Matrices (SPM) Test were evaluated in the conte xt of an intervention/program evaluation study and in terms of a propo rtionate representation model of test bias. A total of 26,300 boys and girls from 8 different ethnic backgrounds were evaluated over a 9-yea r period. An intervention based on monitoring of and feedback to refer ral sources proved effective in improving proportionate representation in the referral process. Moreover, the WISC-R and SPM showed approxim ately equal predictive validity and no evidence of differential validi ty. Significant differences were found as a function of ethnic backgro und between those referred and those certified as gifted, as well as b etween those referred and those who scored in the 98th percentile on e ither test. Implications for traditional tests are discussed.