EDC Risk Management & Mitigation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A diagnostician is asked to evaluate a student who is the child of a school board member. The BEST risk mitigation approach is to:
- Proceed normally since all students deserve equal service
- Disclose the relationship and request a reassignment if objectivity may be compromised (Correct answer)
- Conduct the evaluation but have a colleague review the report
- Decline all evaluations involving district staff families
Correct answer: Disclose the relationship and request a reassignment if objectivity may be compromised
Disclosing the potential conflict of interest and seeking reassignment protects professional objectivity and ethical integrity.
Question 2: Which action BEST reduces the risk of misidentifying a student as having a specific learning disability when the true cause is inadequate instruction?
- Administering a comprehensive neuropsychological battery
- Reviewing data from a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) before evaluation (Correct answer)
- Conducting an observation during a reading intervention session
- Using curriculum-based measurement probes only
Correct answer: Reviewing data from a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) before evaluation
MTSS data documents instructional history and response to intervention, helping distinguish learning disability from instructional deficiency.
Question 3: A student's evaluation timeline is about to exceed 60 days due to scheduling conflicts. The diagnostician should FIRST:
- Request a written extension from the state education agency
- Obtain written agreement from the parent to extend the timeline (Correct answer)
- Document the delay and proceed as quickly as possible
- Complete only the most essential assessments within the deadline
Correct answer: Obtain written agreement from the parent to extend the timeline
Many states allow timeline extensions only with written parental agreement, making this the required procedural safeguard.
Question 4: Which scenario MOST increases the risk of a due process complaint related to evaluation?
- Eligibility determined by a team including the parent
- Parent excluded from the IEP/eligibility meeting (Correct answer)
- Evaluation report provided to parent 10 days before the meeting
- Re-evaluation completed every two years voluntarily
Correct answer: Parent excluded from the IEP/eligibility meeting
Excluding parents from eligibility meetings violates procedural safeguards, a common basis for due process complaints.
Question 5: A diagnostician observes that a student's medication was recently changed before a re-evaluation. The BEST risk mitigation strategy is to:
- Postpone testing until the medication has stabilized
- Note the medication change in the report and consider it when interpreting results (Correct answer)
- Consult the prescribing physician before any testing
- Administer only informal assessments during this period
Correct answer: Note the medication change in the report and consider it when interpreting results
Documenting the medication change and factoring it into score interpretation preserves validity without unnecessarily delaying mandated timelines.
Question 6: When a report contains a clerical error in a student's score that has already been shared with the team, the diagnostician should:
- Issue a corrected report and notify all parties who received the original (Correct answer)
- Verbally correct the error at the next team meeting
- Update only the digital file and inform the case manager
- Allow the error to stand since the decision has already been made
Correct answer: Issue a corrected report and notify all parties who received the original
Issuing a corrected written report and notifying all recipients ensures accurate records and protects the student's right to a valid evaluation.
Question 7: Which factor MOST directly mitigates liability risk when a diagnostician's eligibility recommendation conflicts with the rest of the team?
- Deferring to the majority team opinion without comment
- Documenting the dissenting professional opinion in the eligibility report (Correct answer)
- Requesting an independent educational evaluation immediately
- Consulting the district's legal counsel before signing the report
Correct answer: Documenting the dissenting professional opinion in the eligibility report
Documenting a professional dissent creates a clear record that the diagnostician's analysis was based on evidence, protecting against future liability.
EDC Risk Management & Mitigation 3
A diagnostician is asked to evaluate a student who is the child of a school board member.
The BEST risk mitigation approach is to: