Educational Law, Ethics & Professionalism Flashcards

Under FERPA, which of the following individuals generally has the right to access a student's education records without prior consent?

Answer: A school official with a legitimate educational interest

FERPA permits access to education records by school officials who have a legitimate educational interest, as defined in the school's annual FERPA notice.

A Massachusetts educator suspects a student is being neglected at home. Under M.G.L. c. 119, §51A, what is the educator's legal obligation?

Answer: File a report with the Department of Children and Families (DCF)

Educators are mandated reporters in Massachusetts and must file a 51A report with DCF whenever they have reasonable cause to believe a child is being abused or neglected.

Which federal law requires public schools to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE) to students with disabilities?

Answer: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

IDEA specifically mandates FAPE in the LRE for eligible students with disabilities and governs the IEP process.

A teacher shares a student's learning disability diagnosis with another teacher who does not work with that student. This action most likely violates:

Answer: FERPA's protections on education records

Sharing a student's disability diagnosis without a legitimate educational purpose violates FERPA, which protects personally identifiable information in education records.

According to the Massachusetts Educator Code of Conduct, an educator who engages in a romantic relationship with a current student would be subject to:

Answer: License revocation and potential criminal charges

Sexual or romantic conduct with a student constitutes a severe ethical and legal violation that can result in license revocation and criminal prosecution.

When developing an IEP, which participant's presence is required under IDEA?

Answer: The student's parents or guardians

IDEA requires that the student's parents or guardians be included as members of the IEP team.

A student tells a teacher in confidence that she is being bullied online by classmates. Under Massachusetts anti-bullying law (M.G.L. c. 71, §37O), the teacher must:

Answer: Report the bullying to the school principal or designee

Massachusetts law requires school staff who witness or learn of bullying to report it to the principal or designee; confidentiality requests do not override this duty.