SLLA Legal and Policy Frameworks 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal law governs the confidentiality of student education records and applies to all schools receiving federal funds?
- HIPAA
- COPPA
- FERPA (Correct answer)
- PPRA
Correct answer: FERPA
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of student education records at schools receiving federal funding.
Question 2: Under ESSA, which entity holds primary responsibility for setting academic standards and designing accountability systems?
- The U.S. Department of Education
- Individual school districts
- States (Correct answer)
- Regional educational agencies
Correct answer: States
ESSA shifted significant authority back to states, which are responsible for setting their own standards, assessments, and accountability systems.
Question 3: A teacher reports suspected child abuse to the principal, who decides not to contact authorities. Which of the following is most accurate regarding the principal's legal obligations?
- The principal fulfilled the duty by documenting the report internally
- The principal may have violated state mandatory reporting law, which typically requires direct reporting by school personnel (Correct answer)
- Only superintendents are required to report to child protective services
- The school's legal counsel must review all abuse reports before they are made
Correct answer: The principal may have violated state mandatory reporting law, which typically requires direct reporting by school personnel
Most state mandatory reporting laws require all school personnel who suspect abuse to report directly to authorities, not just to their supervisor.
Question 4: The Lau v. Nichols Supreme Court ruling requires public schools to:
- Provide bilingual education to all non-English speakers
- Take affirmative steps to ensure English learners have meaningful access to educational programs (Correct answer)
- Place English learners in separate schools until they are proficient
- Test all students in their native language
Correct answer: Take affirmative steps to ensure English learners have meaningful access to educational programs
Lau v. Nichols held that providing identical materials to students who do not understand English denies them equal access to educational opportunity.
Question 5: Which legal concept refers to a school board's authority to act as a parent-like guardian over students, particularly in enforcing discipline?
- Respondeat superior
- In loco parentis (Correct answer)
- Sovereign immunity
- Duty of care
Correct answer: In loco parentis
In loco parentis ('in the place of a parent') is the legal doctrine granting school officials parental-like authority over students during the school day.
Question 6: Under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), schools must obtain prior written parental consent before requiring students to participate in surveys that reveal which of the following?
- Students' reading levels and academic performance
- Students' attitudes toward school climate
- Sensitive personal information such as political affiliations or family income (Correct answer)
- Students' extracurricular interests
Correct answer: Sensitive personal information such as political affiliations or family income
PPRA protects students from surveys that elicit sensitive personal information without prior parental consent, covering topics like political views and family finances.
Question 7: In Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, the Supreme Court clarified the educational benefit standard under IDEA to require that an IEP be:
- Designed to maximize a student's potential in all areas
- Reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress appropriate in light of the child's circumstances (Correct answer)
- Equivalent to the education provided to non-disabled peers in all respects
- Crafted to meet only the student's minimum grade-level requirements
Correct answer: Reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress appropriate in light of the child's circumstances
Endrew F. raised the bar from de minimis progress, requiring IEPs reasonably calculated to enable appropriate progress given the student's unique circumstances.
SLLA Legal and Policy Frameworks 4
Which federal law governs the confidentiality of student education records and applies to all schools receiving federal funds?