Ed.D. Doctor of Education Educational Policy and Law 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In U.S. education law, 'least restrictive environment' (LRE) means students with disabilities should be educated:
- Only in special education classrooms
- Alongside non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate (Correct answer)
- Exclusively in home-school settings
- In private institutions at district expense
Correct answer: Alongside non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate
LRE requires that students with disabilities be educated alongside non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate given their individual needs.
Question 2: Which U.S. Department of Education office investigates complaints of civil rights violations in schools?
- Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
- Office for Civil Rights (OCR) (Correct answer)
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
- Institute of Education Sciences (IES)
Correct answer: Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces federal civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination in programs receiving federal financial assistance.
Question 3: A student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) must be reviewed at least:
- Every six months
- Annually (Correct answer)
- Every two years
- Every three years
Correct answer: Annually
IDEA requires that each student's IEP be reviewed and updated at least once per year to ensure continued appropriateness.
Question 4: Which doctrine allows states to set educational standards and policies with minimal federal interference?
- Parens patriae
- Police power
- Reserved powers (10th Amendment) (Correct answer)
- Commerce clause authority
Correct answer: Reserved powers (10th Amendment)
The 10th Amendment's reserved powers doctrine means education is primarily a state responsibility since it is not explicitly delegated to the federal government in the Constitution.
Question 5: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 applies to students who:
- Have IEPs under IDEA
- Have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity (Correct answer)
- Are English language learners
- Are gifted and talented
Correct answer: Have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity
Section 504 protects individuals with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities in programs receiving federal funding.
Question 6: Which accountability measure under ESSA requires states to identify and support low-performing schools?
- Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
- Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) (Correct answer)
- School Improvement Grants (SIG)
- Title I set-aside funding
Correct answer: Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI)
Under ESSA, states must identify schools for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) based on low performance or low graduation rates and provide targeted interventions.
Ed.D. Doctor of Education Educational Policy and Law 2
In U.S. education law, 'least restrictive environment' (LRE) means students with disabilities should be educated: