Washington School Psychologist Practice
Examination Questions With Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A |
Instant Download Pdf
1. Which federal law governs the provision of special education
services in public schools?
A. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
B. Americans with Disabilities Act
C. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
D. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
Rationale: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the
primary federal law that mandates special education services and
procedural safeguards for eligible students with disabilities. Section 504
and the ADA prohibit discrimination, but IDEA specifically governs
special education eligibility, IEP development, and service delivery.
2. A student must demonstrate which two criteria to qualify for
special education under IDEA?
, A. Low academic performance and teacher referral
B. Medical diagnosis and parental consent
C. Presence of a disability and need for specially designed
instruction
D. Behavior problems and school failure
Rationale: IDEA requires both (1) the presence of a qualifying disability
category and (2) evidence that the disability adversely affects
educational performance such that specially designed instruction is
required.
3. Which assessment is most appropriate for measuring adaptive
behavior in children?
A. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
B. Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement
C. Behavior Assessment System for Children
D. Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales
Rationale: The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales specifically assess
adaptive functioning across communication, daily living skills, and
socialization, which is critical in identifying intellectual disability.
, 4. In a Response to Intervention (RTI) model, Tier 3 interventions are
characterized by:
A. Universal screening
B. Intensive, individualized interventions
C. General classroom accommodations
D. Informal teacher observation
Rationale: Tier 3 involves highly individualized and intensive
interventions for students who have not responded to Tier 1 and Tier 2
supports.
5. The standard error of measurement (SEM) is primarily used to:
A. Increase reliability
B. Compare different tests
C. Estimate confidence intervals around a test score
D. Determine validity
Rationale: SEM reflects the amount of error inherent in a test score and
allows practitioners to calculate confidence intervals to interpret the
precision of obtained scores.
, 6. Which ethical principle requires school psychologists to obtain
informed consent prior to assessment?
A. Beneficence
B. Justice
C. Respect for dignity and autonomy
D. Fidelity
Rationale: Respect for individuals’ dignity and autonomy requires
obtaining informed consent before initiating services or assessments.
7. A functional behavior assessment (FBA) is conducted primarily to:
A. Diagnose ADHD
B. Identify the function of a behavior
C. Assign disciplinary consequences
D. Measure academic skills
Rationale: The purpose of an FBA is to determine the environmental
variables maintaining a behavior so that effective interventions can be
developed.
8. Which schedule of reinforcement produces the highest resistance
to extinction?
Examination Questions With Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A |
Instant Download Pdf
1. Which federal law governs the provision of special education
services in public schools?
A. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
B. Americans with Disabilities Act
C. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
D. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
Rationale: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the
primary federal law that mandates special education services and
procedural safeguards for eligible students with disabilities. Section 504
and the ADA prohibit discrimination, but IDEA specifically governs
special education eligibility, IEP development, and service delivery.
2. A student must demonstrate which two criteria to qualify for
special education under IDEA?
, A. Low academic performance and teacher referral
B. Medical diagnosis and parental consent
C. Presence of a disability and need for specially designed
instruction
D. Behavior problems and school failure
Rationale: IDEA requires both (1) the presence of a qualifying disability
category and (2) evidence that the disability adversely affects
educational performance such that specially designed instruction is
required.
3. Which assessment is most appropriate for measuring adaptive
behavior in children?
A. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
B. Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement
C. Behavior Assessment System for Children
D. Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales
Rationale: The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales specifically assess
adaptive functioning across communication, daily living skills, and
socialization, which is critical in identifying intellectual disability.
, 4. In a Response to Intervention (RTI) model, Tier 3 interventions are
characterized by:
A. Universal screening
B. Intensive, individualized interventions
C. General classroom accommodations
D. Informal teacher observation
Rationale: Tier 3 involves highly individualized and intensive
interventions for students who have not responded to Tier 1 and Tier 2
supports.
5. The standard error of measurement (SEM) is primarily used to:
A. Increase reliability
B. Compare different tests
C. Estimate confidence intervals around a test score
D. Determine validity
Rationale: SEM reflects the amount of error inherent in a test score and
allows practitioners to calculate confidence intervals to interpret the
precision of obtained scores.
, 6. Which ethical principle requires school psychologists to obtain
informed consent prior to assessment?
A. Beneficence
B. Justice
C. Respect for dignity and autonomy
D. Fidelity
Rationale: Respect for individuals’ dignity and autonomy requires
obtaining informed consent before initiating services or assessments.
7. A functional behavior assessment (FBA) is conducted primarily to:
A. Diagnose ADHD
B. Identify the function of a behavior
C. Assign disciplinary consequences
D. Measure academic skills
Rationale: The purpose of an FBA is to determine the environmental
variables maintaining a behavior so that effective interventions can be
developed.
8. Which schedule of reinforcement produces the highest resistance
to extinction?
