FTCE ESE Legal and Ethical Foundations 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal law mandates a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities in the US?
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
- IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) (Correct answer)
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- No Child Left Behind Act
Correct answer: IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
IDEA mandates that eligible students with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.
Question 2: The principle of Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) under IDEA requires that students with disabilities be educated:
- Only in self-contained special education classrooms
- Exclusively in general education settings
- To the maximum extent appropriate alongside non-disabled peers (Correct answer)
- In separate schools designed for their disability category
Correct answer: To the maximum extent appropriate alongside non-disabled peers
LRE requires that students with disabilities be educated alongside non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate given their individual needs.
Question 3: Which of the following is NOT one of the six core principles of IDEA?
- Zero Reject
- Free Appropriate Public Education
- Standardized Testing Exemption (Correct answer)
- Procedural Safeguards
Correct answer: Standardized Testing Exemption
IDEA's six principles are Zero Reject, FAPE, LRE, Appropriate Evaluation, Parental Participation, and Procedural Safeguards — standardized testing exemption is not among them.
Question 4: Under IDEA, an Initial Evaluation to determine special education eligibility must be completed within how many calendar days of parental consent?
- 30 days
- 45 days
- 60 days (Correct answer)
- 90 days
Correct answer: 60 days
Federal IDEA regulations require that an initial evaluation be completed within 60 days of receiving parental consent, unless the state establishes a different timeline.
Question 5: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act differs from IDEA primarily because Section 504:
- Requires an IEP for all students receiving services
- Covers a broader range of disabilities but does not require specialized instruction (Correct answer)
- Only applies to students with physical disabilities
- Provides federal funding specifically for special education
Correct answer: Covers a broader range of disabilities but does not require specialized instruction
Section 504 is a civil rights law covering any physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, but it provides accommodations rather than requiring specialized instruction or an IEP.
Question 6: Parental rights under IDEA's procedural safeguards include the right to:
- Veto any IEP goal they disagree with
- Receive prior written notice before any change to the student's educational placement (Correct answer)
- Request an IEP meeting no more than once per year
- Require the school to hire a specific teacher for their child
Correct answer: Receive prior written notice before any change to the student's educational placement
IDEA requires schools to provide prior written notice to parents before proposing or refusing any change in identification, evaluation, or educational placement.
FTCE ESE Legal and Ethical Foundations 1
Which federal law mandates a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities in the US?