D017 SCHOOL LAW - WGU EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+
Horace Mann began school reform in Massachusetts, 1837
Innovators and reformers like Horace Mann and Henry Barnard made it possible for
common schools to establish themselves as the first public schools in the nation.
represented school reformers
Common Schools
Public schools available to children from all levels of society. Common School
movement began in Massachusetts in 1837
Compulsory attendance laws
laws requiring children to attend school for a certain part of the year. The new
compulsory attendance statutes typically required parents to send children aged eight
through fourteen to school for twelve weeks per year, six weeks of which had to be
consecutive, unless exempted because of distance, poverty, physical or mental
handicap, or other cause
Compulsory Attendance Act of 1852
the first law requiring student participation in schooling; however. it was passed by the
state legislature of Massachusetts. The law included mandatory attendance for children
between the ages of 8 and 14 for at least three months out of each year. Of these
twelve weeks, at least six had to be consecutive.
Parens patriae authority
occurs when the state takes responsibility from the parents for the care and custody of
minors under the age of 18
parens patriae
A legal doctrine that gives the state the authority to act in a child's best interest.
Commonwealth v. Hall (1983)
which upheld a similar truancy conviction, school boards have the discretionary
authority to determine the appropriateness of school absences.
National Defense Education Act (NDEA)
The act that was passed in response to Sputnik; it provided an opportunity and stimulus
for college education for many Americans. It allocated funds for upgrading funds in the
sciences, foreign language, guidance services, and teaching innovation.
Education Consolidation & Improvement Act
Merged the federal Office of Gifted and talented with other federal programs. States
received block grants to determine which programs and students to support.
No Child Left Behind Act
A U.S. law enacted in 2001 that was intended to increase accountability in education by
requiring states to qualify for federal educational funding by administering standardized
tests to measure school achievement.
Plessy v. Ferguson
a 1896 Supreme Court decision which legalized state ordered segregation so long as
the facilities for blacks and whites were equal
Improving America's Schools Act
, 1994 supports schools in moving all children toward higher academic standards; Clinton
Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka
1954- court decision that declared state laws segregating schools to be unconstitutional.
Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
Obama's act in 2015 that took over No Child Left Behind
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
1965 The Act is an extensive statute which funds primary and secondary education.
This allowed the government to help those who cannot achieve a good education.
Johnson
Lemon vs. Kurtzman
The 1971 Supreme Court decision that established that aid to church-related schools
must (1) have a secular legislative purpose; (2) have a primary effect that neither
advances nor inhibits religion; and (3) not foster excessive government entanglement
with religion.
Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education
In this 1971 Supreme Court Decision, the court ruled that, even though the schools in
the district worked out to be only minimally integrated because of the full black or white
neighborhood, the schools had to be intergraded based on the percentage of blacks in
the whole district, meaning that blacks had to be bussed over great distances to
integrate schools that naturally sat in all white neighborhoods. This cause a great push-
back from middle America, who saw the end of the neighborhood school
Wallace v. Jaffree
First Amendment/Establishment Clause - silent prayer in schools case, State
endorsement of prayer activities in schools is prohibited by the First Amendment.
Good News Club v. Milford Central School
Religious clubs that engage in religious activities can meet after school.
Lee v. Weisman
Public schools may not have clergy lead prayers at graduation ceremonies
Santa Fe Ind. School District v. Doe (2000)
school randomly selected a student to read a prayer over PA system before football
games. Doe wins school is supporting religion by allowing it to happen
Plyer v. Doe
Court case that determined that the 14th amendment prohibits states from denying a
free public education to undocumented children. Prohibits schools from request of any
documentation of legal status.
Lau v. Nicols (1974)
Castaneda vs Packard
Hazelwood vs Kuhlkeimer
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Public school students may wear armbands to class protesting against America's war in
Vietnam when such display does not disrupt classes
Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986)
Gave public school officials the authority to suspend students for speech considered to
be lewd or indecent
Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier
ANSWERS GRADED A+
Horace Mann began school reform in Massachusetts, 1837
Innovators and reformers like Horace Mann and Henry Barnard made it possible for
common schools to establish themselves as the first public schools in the nation.
represented school reformers
Common Schools
Public schools available to children from all levels of society. Common School
movement began in Massachusetts in 1837
Compulsory attendance laws
laws requiring children to attend school for a certain part of the year. The new
compulsory attendance statutes typically required parents to send children aged eight
through fourteen to school for twelve weeks per year, six weeks of which had to be
consecutive, unless exempted because of distance, poverty, physical or mental
handicap, or other cause
Compulsory Attendance Act of 1852
the first law requiring student participation in schooling; however. it was passed by the
state legislature of Massachusetts. The law included mandatory attendance for children
between the ages of 8 and 14 for at least three months out of each year. Of these
twelve weeks, at least six had to be consecutive.
Parens patriae authority
occurs when the state takes responsibility from the parents for the care and custody of
minors under the age of 18
parens patriae
A legal doctrine that gives the state the authority to act in a child's best interest.
Commonwealth v. Hall (1983)
which upheld a similar truancy conviction, school boards have the discretionary
authority to determine the appropriateness of school absences.
National Defense Education Act (NDEA)
The act that was passed in response to Sputnik; it provided an opportunity and stimulus
for college education for many Americans. It allocated funds for upgrading funds in the
sciences, foreign language, guidance services, and teaching innovation.
Education Consolidation & Improvement Act
Merged the federal Office of Gifted and talented with other federal programs. States
received block grants to determine which programs and students to support.
No Child Left Behind Act
A U.S. law enacted in 2001 that was intended to increase accountability in education by
requiring states to qualify for federal educational funding by administering standardized
tests to measure school achievement.
Plessy v. Ferguson
a 1896 Supreme Court decision which legalized state ordered segregation so long as
the facilities for blacks and whites were equal
Improving America's Schools Act
, 1994 supports schools in moving all children toward higher academic standards; Clinton
Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka
1954- court decision that declared state laws segregating schools to be unconstitutional.
Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
Obama's act in 2015 that took over No Child Left Behind
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
1965 The Act is an extensive statute which funds primary and secondary education.
This allowed the government to help those who cannot achieve a good education.
Johnson
Lemon vs. Kurtzman
The 1971 Supreme Court decision that established that aid to church-related schools
must (1) have a secular legislative purpose; (2) have a primary effect that neither
advances nor inhibits religion; and (3) not foster excessive government entanglement
with religion.
Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education
In this 1971 Supreme Court Decision, the court ruled that, even though the schools in
the district worked out to be only minimally integrated because of the full black or white
neighborhood, the schools had to be intergraded based on the percentage of blacks in
the whole district, meaning that blacks had to be bussed over great distances to
integrate schools that naturally sat in all white neighborhoods. This cause a great push-
back from middle America, who saw the end of the neighborhood school
Wallace v. Jaffree
First Amendment/Establishment Clause - silent prayer in schools case, State
endorsement of prayer activities in schools is prohibited by the First Amendment.
Good News Club v. Milford Central School
Religious clubs that engage in religious activities can meet after school.
Lee v. Weisman
Public schools may not have clergy lead prayers at graduation ceremonies
Santa Fe Ind. School District v. Doe (2000)
school randomly selected a student to read a prayer over PA system before football
games. Doe wins school is supporting religion by allowing it to happen
Plyer v. Doe
Court case that determined that the 14th amendment prohibits states from denying a
free public education to undocumented children. Prohibits schools from request of any
documentation of legal status.
Lau v. Nicols (1974)
Castaneda vs Packard
Hazelwood vs Kuhlkeimer
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Public school students may wear armbands to class protesting against America's war in
Vietnam when such display does not disrupt classes
Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986)
Gave public school officials the authority to suspend students for speech considered to
be lewd or indecent
Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier
