ALABAMA SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST
CERTIFICATION EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 100% ORRET!!
Special Focus Practice Module: Legal Issues in School
Psychology (IDEA, FERPA, & Section 504)
Question 1
On October $1$, a parent in an Alabama school district signs written consent for an
initial psychoeducational evaluation. According to Alabama Administrative Code (AAC
Rule 290-8-9-.02), by which date must the public agency complete the evaluation, and
within how many days following completion must the eligibility committee convene?
● A. Complete within $30$ calendar days; convene eligibility committee within $15$
calendar days.
● B. Complete within $45$ school days; convene eligibility committee within $30$
school days.
● C. Complete within $60$ calendar days; convene eligibility committee within
$30$ calendar days.
● D. Complete within $90$ calendar days; convene eligibility committee within
$10$ school days.
Correct Answer: C. Complete within $60$ calendar days; convene eligibility committee
within $30$ calendar days.
Rationale: AAC Rule 290-8-9-.02(1)(b) mandates that the public agency has $60$
calendar days from the date of receiving signed parental consent to conduct and
complete the initial evaluation. Once the evaluation is completed, the public agency has
an additional $30$ calendar day to convene the eligibility committee and determine
special education eligibility.
Question 2
In the landmark Supreme Court ruling Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District
(2017), how did the Court clarify the legal standard for Free Appropriate Public
,Education (FAPE) under IDEA, updating the earlier Board of Education v. Rowley
(1982) benchmark?
● A. Schools are required to maximize every child's potential to match
top-performing general education peers.
● B. Schools must offer an IEP reasonably calculated to enable a child to make
progress appropriate in light of the child's circumstances, requiring more than de
minimis (merely trivial) educational benefit.
● C. Schools are only required to provide basic access to public school buildings
and passing grades.
● D. Schools must guarantee that all students with disabilities obtain a standard
high school diploma by age 18.
Correct Answer: B. Schools must offer an IEP reasonably calculated to enable a child
to make progress appropriate in light of the child's circumstances, requiring more than
de minimis (merely trivial) educational benefit.
Rationale: The Endrew F. decision raised the standard for FAPE beyond the "some
educational benefit" standard interpreted from Rowley. The Supreme Court ruled that
for a child to receive FAPE, an educational program must be appropriately ambitious
and enable the student to make meaningful academic and functional progress given
their individual circumstances.
Question 3
A 16-year-old student with a Section 504 Plan for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD) is caught selling illegal prescription drugs on school grounds. The
administration moves to expel the student for the remainder of the school year. Under
Section 504 regulations (29 U.S.C. § 705(20)(C)(iv)), what procedural protection applies
regarding a Manifestation Determination Review (MDR)?
● A. The district must hold an MDR before taking any disciplinary action, exactly as
under IDEA.
● B. If the student is currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs or alcohol, the
school district may take disciplinary action to the same extent as for students
without disabilities, without holding an MDR.
● C. The student cannot be disciplined under any circumstances because ADHD
impairs impulse control.
● D. The district must automatically convert the 504 Plan into an IDEA IEP prior to
expulsion.
, Correct Answer: B. If the student is currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs or
alcohol, the school district may take disciplinary action to the same extent as for
students without disabilities, without holding an MDR.
Rationale: Under Title V of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), a student who is
currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs or alcohol loses Section 504 protection
regarding disciplinary actions involving those offenses. The school LEA may discipline
the student using the same policies applied to non-disabled students without conducting
a Manifestation Determination Review.
Question 4
A school psychologist keeps personal, shorthand clinical notes regarding weekly
counseling sessions with an 8th-grade student. These notes are kept in a locked drawer
and are never shared with teachers, administrators, or parents. Under the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), how are these notes classified?
● A. Official educational records accessible to parents upon written request within
$45$ days.
● B. Sole-possession records exempt from FERPA's definition of educational
records and parental inspection.
● C. Public records accessible under Freedom of Information requests.
● D. Illegal records that violate student rights under the 4th Amendment.
Correct Answer: B. Sole-possession records exempt from FERPA's definition of
educational records and parental inspection.
Rationale: FERPA specifically excludes "sole-possession notes" from the definition of
educational records. To maintain this status, the notes must serve as a private memory
aid, remain in the sole possession of the maker, and never be shared with or made
accessible to any other individual (except a temporary substitute).
Question 5
During an evaluation feedback meeting, a parent requests a photocopy of the
completed test booklet protocol (containing the student's raw responses and
copyrighted test items) for a WISC-V administered to their child. How should the school
psychologist ethically and legally respond under FERPA and copyright law?
● A. Give the parent a copy immediately, as FERPA grants absolute rights to copy
all evaluation items.
● B. Refuse all parental inspection of any evaluation records.
CERTIFICATION EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 100% ORRET!!
Special Focus Practice Module: Legal Issues in School
Psychology (IDEA, FERPA, & Section 504)
Question 1
On October $1$, a parent in an Alabama school district signs written consent for an
initial psychoeducational evaluation. According to Alabama Administrative Code (AAC
Rule 290-8-9-.02), by which date must the public agency complete the evaluation, and
within how many days following completion must the eligibility committee convene?
● A. Complete within $30$ calendar days; convene eligibility committee within $15$
calendar days.
● B. Complete within $45$ school days; convene eligibility committee within $30$
school days.
● C. Complete within $60$ calendar days; convene eligibility committee within
$30$ calendar days.
● D. Complete within $90$ calendar days; convene eligibility committee within
$10$ school days.
Correct Answer: C. Complete within $60$ calendar days; convene eligibility committee
within $30$ calendar days.
Rationale: AAC Rule 290-8-9-.02(1)(b) mandates that the public agency has $60$
calendar days from the date of receiving signed parental consent to conduct and
complete the initial evaluation. Once the evaluation is completed, the public agency has
an additional $30$ calendar day to convene the eligibility committee and determine
special education eligibility.
Question 2
In the landmark Supreme Court ruling Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District
(2017), how did the Court clarify the legal standard for Free Appropriate Public
,Education (FAPE) under IDEA, updating the earlier Board of Education v. Rowley
(1982) benchmark?
● A. Schools are required to maximize every child's potential to match
top-performing general education peers.
● B. Schools must offer an IEP reasonably calculated to enable a child to make
progress appropriate in light of the child's circumstances, requiring more than de
minimis (merely trivial) educational benefit.
● C. Schools are only required to provide basic access to public school buildings
and passing grades.
● D. Schools must guarantee that all students with disabilities obtain a standard
high school diploma by age 18.
Correct Answer: B. Schools must offer an IEP reasonably calculated to enable a child
to make progress appropriate in light of the child's circumstances, requiring more than
de minimis (merely trivial) educational benefit.
Rationale: The Endrew F. decision raised the standard for FAPE beyond the "some
educational benefit" standard interpreted from Rowley. The Supreme Court ruled that
for a child to receive FAPE, an educational program must be appropriately ambitious
and enable the student to make meaningful academic and functional progress given
their individual circumstances.
Question 3
A 16-year-old student with a Section 504 Plan for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD) is caught selling illegal prescription drugs on school grounds. The
administration moves to expel the student for the remainder of the school year. Under
Section 504 regulations (29 U.S.C. § 705(20)(C)(iv)), what procedural protection applies
regarding a Manifestation Determination Review (MDR)?
● A. The district must hold an MDR before taking any disciplinary action, exactly as
under IDEA.
● B. If the student is currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs or alcohol, the
school district may take disciplinary action to the same extent as for students
without disabilities, without holding an MDR.
● C. The student cannot be disciplined under any circumstances because ADHD
impairs impulse control.
● D. The district must automatically convert the 504 Plan into an IDEA IEP prior to
expulsion.
, Correct Answer: B. If the student is currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs or
alcohol, the school district may take disciplinary action to the same extent as for
students without disabilities, without holding an MDR.
Rationale: Under Title V of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), a student who is
currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs or alcohol loses Section 504 protection
regarding disciplinary actions involving those offenses. The school LEA may discipline
the student using the same policies applied to non-disabled students without conducting
a Manifestation Determination Review.
Question 4
A school psychologist keeps personal, shorthand clinical notes regarding weekly
counseling sessions with an 8th-grade student. These notes are kept in a locked drawer
and are never shared with teachers, administrators, or parents. Under the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), how are these notes classified?
● A. Official educational records accessible to parents upon written request within
$45$ days.
● B. Sole-possession records exempt from FERPA's definition of educational
records and parental inspection.
● C. Public records accessible under Freedom of Information requests.
● D. Illegal records that violate student rights under the 4th Amendment.
Correct Answer: B. Sole-possession records exempt from FERPA's definition of
educational records and parental inspection.
Rationale: FERPA specifically excludes "sole-possession notes" from the definition of
educational records. To maintain this status, the notes must serve as a private memory
aid, remain in the sole possession of the maker, and never be shared with or made
accessible to any other individual (except a temporary substitute).
Question 5
During an evaluation feedback meeting, a parent requests a photocopy of the
completed test booklet protocol (containing the student's raw responses and
copyrighted test items) for a WISC-V administered to their child. How should the school
psychologist ethically and legally respond under FERPA and copyright law?
● A. Give the parent a copy immediately, as FERPA grants absolute rights to copy
all evaluation items.
● B. Refuse all parental inspection of any evaluation records.
