AECTP Diversity in Education 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under Title III of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), schools are primarily responsible for:
- Eliminating bilingual education programs in favor of English-only instruction
- Ensuring English Language Learners attain English proficiency and meet academic standards (Correct answer)
- Testing ELL students only in their native language for the first three years
- Waiving standardized testing requirements for all immigrant students
Correct answer: Ensuring English Language Learners attain English proficiency and meet academic standards
Title III holds schools accountable for ELLs' progress toward English proficiency and academic achievement in content areas.
Question 2: A teacher is designing a unit on the Civil Rights Movement. To best reflect diverse perspectives, the teacher should:
- Focus exclusively on nationally recognized leaders to maintain a coherent narrative
- Include primary sources from grassroots activists, women, and local community members (Correct answer)
- Limit the content to events in Alabama to keep it locally relevant
- Avoid controversial figures to prevent classroom conflict
Correct answer: Include primary sources from grassroots activists, women, and local community members
Including primary sources from a range of participants broadens the historical narrative and validates multiple voices within the movement.
Question 3: Which practice most effectively reduces stereotype threat for underrepresented students in STEM?
- Tracking students by prior performance to ensure appropriate challenge levels
- Providing role models who share students' identities and have succeeded in STEM (Correct answer)
- Avoiding any discussion of demographic disparities in STEM achievement
- Assigning extra practice problems to students from underrepresented groups
Correct answer: Providing role models who share students' identities and have succeeded in STEM
Identity-congruent role models directly counter the fear of confirming negative stereotypes by demonstrating that success is attainable.
Question 4: A student recently arrived from another country is placed in a mainstream classroom. The school's first obligation under federal law is to:
- Assess the student's English proficiency and provide appropriate language support services (Correct answer)
- Place the student in special education pending further evaluation
- Delay enrollment until the student demonstrates basic English skills
- Assign the student a bilingual peer tutor and take no further institutional action
Correct answer: Assess the student's English proficiency and provide appropriate language support services
Under Lau v. Nichols and subsequent federal law, schools must identify ELL students and provide meaningful language support without delay.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of differentiation based on student readiness rather than student identity?
- Assigning a simplified text to all students who are English Language Learners
- Offering tiered tasks so students who demonstrate mastery can extend their learning (Correct answer)
- Grouping students by race for culturally relevant reading assignments
- Providing additional time only to students whose parents request it
Correct answer: Offering tiered tasks so students who demonstrate mastery can extend their learning
Tiered tasks based on demonstrated mastery differentiate by readiness, which is flexible and evidence-based, not tied to demographic identity.
Question 6: In the context of special education law, 'least restrictive environment' (LRE) means that:
- Students with disabilities must always be educated in general education classrooms regardless of needs
- Students with disabilities should be educated alongside non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate (Correct answer)
- Restrictive settings should be used first to prevent academic gaps
- Students with IEPs are exempt from grade-level content standards
Correct answer: Students with disabilities should be educated alongside non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate
LRE requires maximizing time with general education peers while ensuring the student's individual needs are appropriately met.
Question 7: A culturally responsive teacher assessing student learning would most likely:
- Use only standardized multiple-choice tests to eliminate cultural bias
- Offer performance-based tasks that allow students to demonstrate knowledge in varied ways (Correct answer)
- Grade all students on the same rigid rubric without modifications
- Avoid assessing topics connected to students' cultural backgrounds to maintain objectivity
Correct answer: Offer performance-based tasks that allow students to demonstrate knowledge in varied ways
Performance-based, varied assessments allow students to demonstrate knowledge through culturally familiar and personally meaningful formats.
AECTP Diversity in Education 3
Under Title III of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), schools are primarily responsible for: