California Special Education Credential
Examination with Practice Questions And
Correct A
1. A district proposes to evaluate a student for special education. The parent provides
written consent, but the district then delays the assessment for 75 calendar days
without justification. Under California law, which statement best characterizes the
district's compliance?
A. Compliant, because California allows 90 days from consent to complete initial
evaluations.
B. Noncompliant, because California requires assessment to be completed within 60 days
of parental consent unless extended by mutual written agreement.
C. Compliant, because the 60-day timeline applies only to reevaluations, not initial
evaluations.
D. Noncompliant, but the violation is cured automatically if the IEP is held within 30
days of assessment completion.
Answer: B. Noncompliant, because California requires assessment to be completed
within 60 days of parental consent unless extended by mutual written agreement.
Rationale: California Education Code requires initial assessments to be completed within
60 days of receiving parental consent, unless the parent and district agree in writing to an
extension. A 75-day delay without such agreement violates the timeline. Options A, C, and
D misstate the legal timeline or improperly excuse the violation.
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,2. Which pattern of assessment results most strongly suggests a specific learning
disability in reading rather than intellectual disability, according to current
identification frameworks?
A. Uniformly low scores across all cognitive and achievement domains.
B. Average overall cognitive ability with significant intra-individual weakness in
phonological processing and word reading.
C. Below-average adaptive behavior and below-average academic achievement in all
areas.
D. Low achievement scores explained entirely by chronic absenteeism and limited
English proficiency.
Answer: B. Average overall cognitive ability with significant intra-individual weakness
in phonological processing and word reading.
Rationale: Specific learning disability is characterized by a pattern of strengths and
weaknesses, often with average cognitive ability and a significant deficit in a specific
psychological process such as phonological processing. Uniformly low scores or adaptive
deficits suggest intellectual disability, and exclusionary factors such as absenteeism or
language proficiency must be ruled out.
Page 2 of 114
,3. An IEP team is drafting measurable annual goals. Which goal statement best meets
legal and technical standards for measurability and baseline referencing?
A. Student will improve reading comprehension skills with 80% accuracy.
B. Given a grade-level expository text, student will identify main idea and two
supporting details in 4 of 5 trials across three consecutive sessions, as measured by
curriculum-based probes.
C. Student will demonstrate progress in social-emotional learning as observed by staff.
D. Student will receive speech-language services twice weekly to address
communication needs.
Answer: B. Given a grade-level expository text, student will identify main idea and
two supporting details in 4 of 5 trials across three consecutive sessions, as measured by
curriculum-based probes.
Rationale: Measurable goals must specify conditions, target behavior, criterion, and
method of measurement. Option B includes all required components and a clear
data-collection method. The other options lack specificity, baseline, or measurable criteria.
4. A student with autism spectrum disorder engages in escape-maintained
self-injurious behavior during difficult academic tasks. Which function-based
intervention is most likely to be effective and legally appropriate?
A. Implement a time-out procedure immediately after each incident to reduce behavior.
B. Increase task difficulty to build tolerance and reduce escape motivation.
C. Teach a functionally equivalent communication response and modify task demands to
reduce escape triggers.
D. Apply a token economy for remaining seated regardless of task difficulty.
Answer: C. Teach a functionally equivalent communication response and modify task
demands to reduce escape triggers.
Rationale: For escape-maintained behavior, effective interventions teach an appropriate
communicative alternative and adjust antecedent conditions to reduce aversiveness.
Time-out may reinforce escape, increasing difficulty can escalate behavior, and a token
economy not matched to function is unlikely to address the underlying contingency.
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, 5. Which transition planning practice best aligns with IDEA's requirement that
transition services be based on age-appropriate transition assessments and promote
movement toward postsecondary goals?
A. Using a single informal interview with the student as the sole transition assessment.
B. Developing postsecondary goals without measurable annual IEP goals linked to those
outcomes.
C. Conducting comprehensive transition assessments addressing education, employment,
and independent living, and using results to write measurable postsecondary goals and
coordinated services.
D. Deferring transition planning until the student's final year of eligibility.
Answer: C. Conducting comprehensive transition assessments addressing education,
employment, and independent living, and using results to write measurable
postsecondary goals and coordinated services.
Rationale: IDEA requires transition planning to be based on age-appropriate assessments
and to include measurable postsecondary goals and coordinated services. Comprehensive
assessment across domains and linkage to IEP goals reflect best practice. The other
options reflect inadequate assessment, lack of linkage, or delayed planning.
6. A school team is considering a change of placement for a student with a disability
who has been suspended for 12 cumulative school days for unrelated misconduct.
Which legal principle governs the team's next step?
A. The student may be expelled without further review because suspensions were for
unrelated behaviors.
B. The team must conduct a manifestation determination review before any change of
placement exceeding 10 cumulative days.
C. The student is automatically entitled to home instruction without an IEP meeting.
D. The district may change placement unilaterally if the conduct is not a manifestation of
disability.
Answer: B. The team must conduct a manifestation determination review before any
change of placement exceeding 10 cumulative days.
Rationale: Under IDEA, a manifestation determination review is required when a
disciplinary change of placement exceeds 10 cumulative school days. The team must
determine whether the conduct was caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship
to the disability, or was a direct result of the district's failure to implement the IEP. The
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Examination with Practice Questions And
Correct A
1. A district proposes to evaluate a student for special education. The parent provides
written consent, but the district then delays the assessment for 75 calendar days
without justification. Under California law, which statement best characterizes the
district's compliance?
A. Compliant, because California allows 90 days from consent to complete initial
evaluations.
B. Noncompliant, because California requires assessment to be completed within 60 days
of parental consent unless extended by mutual written agreement.
C. Compliant, because the 60-day timeline applies only to reevaluations, not initial
evaluations.
D. Noncompliant, but the violation is cured automatically if the IEP is held within 30
days of assessment completion.
Answer: B. Noncompliant, because California requires assessment to be completed
within 60 days of parental consent unless extended by mutual written agreement.
Rationale: California Education Code requires initial assessments to be completed within
60 days of receiving parental consent, unless the parent and district agree in writing to an
extension. A 75-day delay without such agreement violates the timeline. Options A, C, and
D misstate the legal timeline or improperly excuse the violation.
Page 1 of 114
,2. Which pattern of assessment results most strongly suggests a specific learning
disability in reading rather than intellectual disability, according to current
identification frameworks?
A. Uniformly low scores across all cognitive and achievement domains.
B. Average overall cognitive ability with significant intra-individual weakness in
phonological processing and word reading.
C. Below-average adaptive behavior and below-average academic achievement in all
areas.
D. Low achievement scores explained entirely by chronic absenteeism and limited
English proficiency.
Answer: B. Average overall cognitive ability with significant intra-individual weakness
in phonological processing and word reading.
Rationale: Specific learning disability is characterized by a pattern of strengths and
weaknesses, often with average cognitive ability and a significant deficit in a specific
psychological process such as phonological processing. Uniformly low scores or adaptive
deficits suggest intellectual disability, and exclusionary factors such as absenteeism or
language proficiency must be ruled out.
Page 2 of 114
,3. An IEP team is drafting measurable annual goals. Which goal statement best meets
legal and technical standards for measurability and baseline referencing?
A. Student will improve reading comprehension skills with 80% accuracy.
B. Given a grade-level expository text, student will identify main idea and two
supporting details in 4 of 5 trials across three consecutive sessions, as measured by
curriculum-based probes.
C. Student will demonstrate progress in social-emotional learning as observed by staff.
D. Student will receive speech-language services twice weekly to address
communication needs.
Answer: B. Given a grade-level expository text, student will identify main idea and
two supporting details in 4 of 5 trials across three consecutive sessions, as measured by
curriculum-based probes.
Rationale: Measurable goals must specify conditions, target behavior, criterion, and
method of measurement. Option B includes all required components and a clear
data-collection method. The other options lack specificity, baseline, or measurable criteria.
4. A student with autism spectrum disorder engages in escape-maintained
self-injurious behavior during difficult academic tasks. Which function-based
intervention is most likely to be effective and legally appropriate?
A. Implement a time-out procedure immediately after each incident to reduce behavior.
B. Increase task difficulty to build tolerance and reduce escape motivation.
C. Teach a functionally equivalent communication response and modify task demands to
reduce escape triggers.
D. Apply a token economy for remaining seated regardless of task difficulty.
Answer: C. Teach a functionally equivalent communication response and modify task
demands to reduce escape triggers.
Rationale: For escape-maintained behavior, effective interventions teach an appropriate
communicative alternative and adjust antecedent conditions to reduce aversiveness.
Time-out may reinforce escape, increasing difficulty can escalate behavior, and a token
economy not matched to function is unlikely to address the underlying contingency.
Page 3 of 114
, 5. Which transition planning practice best aligns with IDEA's requirement that
transition services be based on age-appropriate transition assessments and promote
movement toward postsecondary goals?
A. Using a single informal interview with the student as the sole transition assessment.
B. Developing postsecondary goals without measurable annual IEP goals linked to those
outcomes.
C. Conducting comprehensive transition assessments addressing education, employment,
and independent living, and using results to write measurable postsecondary goals and
coordinated services.
D. Deferring transition planning until the student's final year of eligibility.
Answer: C. Conducting comprehensive transition assessments addressing education,
employment, and independent living, and using results to write measurable
postsecondary goals and coordinated services.
Rationale: IDEA requires transition planning to be based on age-appropriate assessments
and to include measurable postsecondary goals and coordinated services. Comprehensive
assessment across domains and linkage to IEP goals reflect best practice. The other
options reflect inadequate assessment, lack of linkage, or delayed planning.
6. A school team is considering a change of placement for a student with a disability
who has been suspended for 12 cumulative school days for unrelated misconduct.
Which legal principle governs the team's next step?
A. The student may be expelled without further review because suspensions were for
unrelated behaviors.
B. The team must conduct a manifestation determination review before any change of
placement exceeding 10 cumulative days.
C. The student is automatically entitled to home instruction without an IEP meeting.
D. The district may change placement unilaterally if the conduct is not a manifestation of
disability.
Answer: B. The team must conduct a manifestation determination review before any
change of placement exceeding 10 cumulative days.
Rationale: Under IDEA, a manifestation determination review is required when a
disciplinary change of placement exceeds 10 cumulative school days. The team must
determine whether the conduct was caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship
to the disability, or was a direct result of the district's failure to implement the IEP. The
Page 4 of 114
