CURRENT PLIGHT OF BORDERLINE STUDENTS - WHERE DO THEY BELONG

An ethnically stratified sample of 150 children referred to School Stu dy Teams (SSTs) were administered the WISC-III and the WRAT-R, and ass igned by research criteria to one of three groups: (a) students with m ental retardation, (b) students with borderline intelligence, and (c) students with average intelligence. One third of the referred White st udents and slightly over half of the Black and Hispanic students score d in the borderline IQ range (71-85). Of those borderline students who subsequently received special education, the overwhelming majority wi thin each of the ethnic groups was served as learning disabled. Compar isons of the three groups on achievement and teacher ratings were perf ormed. Differences between borderline and average ability referred stu dents were far more pronounced than differences between borderline and students with mental retardation. Results were discussed in terms of the continuing difficulty experienced by borderline students in genera l education and the appropriateness of educational resources and servi ces provided them.