The Relationship between WISC-IV Scores and North Carolina State Achievement Test Scores

Abstract

The historical correlation between intellectual functioning and academic achievement is largely based on individually administered achievement tests. However, the standards-based reform movement and recent special education legislation emphasize group-based achievement tests and allow for the use of state-based tests in eligibility determinations. Importantly, there does not exist research examining the IQ-achievement relationship using standards-based tests; thus, the current study evaluated the correlation between the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) and those tests comprising the North Carolina assessment program (i.e., End-of-Grade (EOG) tests). Five NC school psychologists provided archival information on students (n = 76) and results yielded support for the two hypotheses, which postulated that confidence intervals placed around correlation coefficients between Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) scores and EOG-Reading and —Mathematics scores would capture r =.6, which is roughly halfway between the range of historical correlations. Implications regarding the validity of the WISC-IV and its potential use in identifying learning disabilities in which achievement is measured by tests linked to state standards, as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.