Students with an IQ in one area, such as math, that is significantly below below their average IQ are often labeled as having a learning disability in that area. For example, a student with an average IQ of 100 who has an IQ of 80 in math has a very wide difference in his math abilities and his abilities in other areas. Therefore, he may need special assistance with math.
Students with IQs lower than 80 are usually placed in special education programs, where they can receive instruction for part or all of the day that are tailored to their needs. One criticism of IQ tests is that while they can identify students who need special education programs, they do not describe how to deal with these children or what their special needs are.
Children with IQs above 120 are identified as gifted and are often placed in a gifted and talented programs. These programs are designed to give exceptionally bright children the opportunity to learn concepts at their cognitive level, which is beyond their grade level. One benefit of these programs is that they give students the advanced learning opportunities they need without skipping them ahead a grade, which can cause emotional and social problems for younger students.
IQ tests are useful because they help identify a profile of cognitive skills. The profile of skills might change from year to year, but significant strengths that remain stable are indicators of special aptitudes. For example, the test might identify that a student is very strong in verbal skills, which will be helpful down the road when she has more freedom to select courses or when she goes to college and has to choose a major.