CPS Professional Development & Ethics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CPS practitioner discovers that a colleague is routinely sharing confidential student assessment data with teachers who are not part of the student's IEP team. What is the most appropriate first step?
- Report the colleague directly to the state licensing board
- Address the concern directly with the colleague and explain the ethical violation (Correct answer)
- Ignore the situation since teachers are school employees
- Immediately notify the student's parents about the breach
Correct answer: Address the concern directly with the colleague and explain the ethical violation
Ethical codes generally require addressing concerns with the colleague first before escalating to formal complaints.
Question 2: Under FERPA, which of the following parties generally does NOT have an automatic right to access a student's educational records without consent?
- The student's custodial parent
- A school official with a legitimate educational interest
- The student's non-custodial parent (absent a court order restricting access)
- A university researcher under a subpoena (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A university researcher under a subpoena
Researchers accessing records via subpoena still require the institution to notify the student/family in most circumstances unless the court orders otherwise.
Question 3: Which ethical principle requires a psycho-educational specialist to accurately represent their qualifications and the limitations of their assessments?
- Beneficence
- Nonmaleficence
- Fidelity and responsibility
- Integrity (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Integrity
Integrity requires honesty and accuracy in representing one's competencies and the scope of professional work.
Question 4: A CPS specialist is asked to evaluate a student who is a close family friend. What is the primary ethical concern?
- Competence — the specialist may not know the student well enough
- Multiple relationships — the dual relationship may compromise objectivity (Correct answer)
- Confidentiality — the specialist may already know too much about the student
- Justice — the student may receive preferential treatment in scoring
Correct answer: Multiple relationships — the dual relationship may compromise objectivity
Dual or multiple relationships create conflicts of interest that can impair professional objectivity and judgment.
Question 5: Continuing professional development (CPD) requirements for CPS credential holders are primarily intended to ensure:
- Practitioners meet state billing requirements
- Practitioners stay current with evolving research and best practices (Correct answer)
- Practitioners expand into new service areas each year
- Practitioners fulfill administrative duties in their schools
Correct answer: Practitioners stay current with evolving research and best practices
CPD requirements are designed to maintain and enhance practitioner competence in line with advances in the field.
Question 6: When a CPS practitioner is uncertain whether a specific assessment technique falls within their scope of competence, the most appropriate action is to:
- Proceed since any certified specialist should know all techniques
- Seek supervision or consultation before using the technique (Correct answer)
- Decline the referral without explanation
- Use the technique once and assess results afterward
Correct answer: Seek supervision or consultation before using the technique
Seeking consultation or supervision before using an unfamiliar technique is the ethical standard for competence boundaries.
Question 7: In the context of CPS ethical standards, 'aspirational ethics' refers to:
- Minimum required behaviors that avoid disciplinary action
- The highest ideals of professional conduct practitioners should strive toward (Correct answer)
- Goals set by licensing boards for credential renewal
- Ambitions for career advancement within the profession
Correct answer: The highest ideals of professional conduct practitioners should strive toward
Aspirational ethics represent ideals beyond minimum standards, reflecting the best of what the profession stands for.
CPS Professional Development & Ethics 2
A CPS practitioner discovers that a colleague is routinely sharing confidential student assessment data with teachers who are not part of the student's IEP team.
What is the most appropriate first step?