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HB 5859

AN ACT CONCERNING THE ADMINISTRATION OF INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT TESTS IN THE NATIVE LANGUAGE OF THE TEST TAKER.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Al Paolillo

Connecticut bill requiring IQ tests be administered in test takers' native languages to reduce language-based assessment bias and improve identification equity for non-English speakers.

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Education
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Bill Summary · HB 5859

Legislative bill overview

HB 5859 would require that intelligence quotient (IQ) tests administered in Connecticut be given in the test taker's native language rather than exclusively in English. The bill aims to ensure that language barriers don't artificially depress IQ scores for non-native English speakers, particularly in educational settings where these assessments influence placement and resource allocation decisions.

Why is this important

IQ tests are used to identify gifted students, diagnose learning disabilities, and determine special education eligibility—decisions that significantly affect educational trajectories and funding. Current English-only testing may underidentify gifted students from non-English-speaking backgrounds while potentially overidentifying learning disabilities in English learners, creating equity gaps in educational opportunity and support.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost and logistical feasibility: Providing tests in numerous native languages would require substantial investment in translated and validated assessments, trained multilingual administrators, and increased testing time
  • Validity of translations: Standardized IQ tests rely on precise language and cultural calibration; translations may not maintain psychometric validity, potentially making results incomparable across language groups and undermining the test's purpose
  • Scope ambiguity: Unclear whether "native language" applies to all students or only English learners, and which languages would be provided (two languages? twenty languages? on-demand interpretation?)
  • Alternative solutions debate: Some argue other approaches (culturally-fair assessments, non-verbal IQ tests, portfolio-based evaluation) might address equity concerns more effectively than translation

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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