Study Guide

Field 234: Director of Special Education 
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

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Each multiple-choice question has four answer choices. Read each question and its answer choices carefully and choose the ONE best answer.

During the test you should try to answer all questions. Even if you are unsure of an answer, it is better to guess than not to answer a question at all. You will NOT be penalized for choosing an incorrect response.

Objective 0001 
Understand foundations of education and instruction for special populations.

1. As a proponent of the social constructivist approach to learning, psychologist Lev Vygotsky described the zone of proximal development as the distance between a child's current level of cognitive development and:

  1. the child's overall level of physical development.
  2. the level of expectations demonstrated by the child's adult caregivers.
  3. the developmental benchmarks for the child's age.
  4. the child's potential in collaboration with more capable peers or adults.
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Vygotsky’s concept of the zone of proximal development refers to the difference between what a child can do without support and what that child can do with supports, such as the guidance of an adult or collaboration with peers who have already mastered relevant skills. This foundational theory of how children learn informs general and special education instructional practices including small group learning and tier one interventions.

Objective 0001 
Understand foundations of education and instruction for special populations.

2. A director of special education can best protect the civil rights of diverse student populations by prioritizing which of the following practices?

  1. ensuring that assessments used in the evaluation and special education placement processes are free of biases
  2. ensuring transparency in the distribution of human and financial resources related to special education to district schools
  3. encouraging collaboration among special education staff to make sure that multiple perspectives are gathered and valued
  4. reviewing special education policies and procedures to confirm that they reflect and are responsive to the district's diversity
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
Assessments used in the evaluation process are a primary means of determining a student's eligibility for special education services, as well as that student’s placement on the continuum of services. Ensuring that the assessments used are, to the extent possible, free of biases can reduce and prevent the misidentification and inappropriate placement of students, thus protecting the rights of student populations that have historically been disproportionately represented in special education.

Objective 0002 
Understand the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of excellence in special education.

3. A director of special education has been tasked with assembling a working group of stakeholders to review the district's special education programming. Which of the following strategies is most likely to produce a group that is representative of the range of stakeholders in the district?

  1. developing explicit, consistent criteria to determine eligibility for participation in the working group
  2. identifying stakeholder groups who, historically, have not provided their perspectives and experiences
  3. ensuring that information about the programming review is accessible for diverse stakeholder groups
  4. inviting local businesses and community organizations to recommend individuals for the working group
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Actively seeking out and engaging with stakeholder groups who have not historically been represented in decision-making processes is an important function of leadership. By widening the range of candidates for working groups and committees, education leaders can increase the likelihood that diverse perspectives and ideas and new solutions for issues confronting schools will be considered.

Objective 0002 
Understand the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of excellence in special education.

4. Which of the following benefits best exemplifies the importance of engaging educators in collaborative action research to reduce the ambiguity and uncertainty of the educational change process?

  1. establishing broadly accepted procedures for carrying out necessary changes
  2. defining the roles and responsibilities of teachers and administrators in the change process
  3. enabling teachers and administrators to influence and shape the change process
  4. ensuring that decisions about the implementation of changes are based on appropriate data
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Action research is research embedded in educational practice. When teachers and administrators who are affected by educational change processes have the opportunity to frame questions for inquiry aligned with expected outcomes, collect and analyze data, and adjust their practices in response—and to do so collaboratively—they are more likely to become invested in the processes, gaining a deeper understanding of and an ability to influence the implementation of change.

Objective 0003 
Understand school climate, learning environment, instruction, and assessment.

5. A special education director is working with district staff to establish a climate of high expectations for all students in district schools. Which of the following strategies is most important in ensuring that high expectations are applied to students with disabilities?

  1. directing classroom teachers to provide the same curriculum materials to all students
  2. shifting responsibility for meeting students' Individualized Education Program ( I E P ) goals away from general education teachers and to special education teachers
  3. encouraging classroom teachers to gain a clear understanding of the strengths and challenges of students with disabilities
  4. ensuring that all teachers are knowledgeable about students' Individualized Education Programs ( I E Pees ) and are providing appropriate accommodations and supports
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
The accommodations and supports defined in students’  I E Pees  are intended to provide students with disabilities equal opportunity to participate in the general curriculum and demonstrate their knowledge. Teachers who are familiar with and knowledgeable about their students’  I E Pees  and required accommodations and supports are less likely to alter what the students learn or limit the ways in which they can demonstrate what they’ve learned, thus ensuring high expectations for all students.

Objective 0003 
Understand school climate, learning environment, instruction, and assessment.

6. The school-based management team at a middle school conducts annual surveys of the students, parents/guardians, and instructional staff about the effectiveness of its instructional program. The surveys are specific to each grade level and subject area. The management team analyzes the survey results and uses the data to develop action plans for the next school year. The primary benefit of this activity is that it:

  1. helps determine appropriate budget allotments within the instructional program.
  2. provides ongoing support for improving the instructional program for all students.
  3. identifies teaching strategies that can best address each student's learning needs.
  4. supports all students in making progress toward achieving state learning standards.
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Analyzing a range of stakeholder survey data can provide important evidence of trends and can also validate results between the surveys. Utilizing survey results that have a high degree of concurrence to determine strategic direction and focus for action plans can ensure the action plans are responsive to identified student needs and likely to have the support of the school community.

Objective 0004 
Understand school governance; school law, including federal and state statutes affecting the education of students with disabilities; and school finance.

7. According to federal law and Illinois state regulations, a student who receives special education and related services would most likely be eligible for extended school year services under which of the following circumstances?

  1. The student's family is unable to provide other educational services during the summer.
  2. The student would demonstrate significant regression without receiving summer services.
  3. The student would progress toward annual goals with the provision of summer services.
  4. The student's participation in summer programs is dependent on the provision of services.
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Under Illinois state law, extended school year services must be provided to students with disabilities at no cost to the student’s parents/guardians if the student’s Individualized Education Program ( I E P ) team determines such services are necessary. Evidence of loss of skills during school breaks is a critical factor in making this determination, as is evidence of regaining skills after school breaks end.

Objective 0005 
Understand evaluation and identification procedures for students with disabilities.

8. A ninth-grade student is often inattentive during English language arts classes and frequently causes distractions. The student's English language arts teacher voices concerns regarding these behaviors to the director of special education and asks if an evaluation might be appropriate. The most appropriate first step for the director to take in determining whether or not a referral for evaluation is appropriate would be to:

  1. gather information regarding the student's performance in other classes.
  2. assess the availability of special education staff to conduct an evaluation of the student.
  3. schedule a meeting with the student's parents/guardians to discuss evaluation.
  4. have a special education teacher observe the student during English language arts classes.
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
Ensuring access to high-quality instruction in all learning environments should be the first consideration when a student has difficulty in a specific area. Gathering data on the student’s performance in other classrooms can validate the teacher’s concerns or isolate the cause of the student’s difficulty to variables such as a specific classroom environment, instructional strategy, or teacher behavior.

Objective 0005 
Understand evaluation and identification procedures for students with disabilities.

9. A school district is evaluating a student to determine if the student is eligible for special education services. Under which of the following circumstances can an exception be made to the requirement that an initial eligibility determination must be made within 60 school days of receiving written consent to evaluate?

  1. The district extends the timeline with the verbal agreement of school officials and the student's parent/guardians.
  2. The student's parents/guardians are unavailable for or otherwise unable to attend the eligibility determination meeting.
  3. The evaluators notify the district director of special education in writing that they are delayed due to a lack of resources.
  4. The district fails to complete the evaluation as a result of the student's hearing or visual impairment, or other medical issues.
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
According to Illinois Compiled Statutes, a student’s eligibility for special education services must be determined and the IEP meeting completed within 60 school days from the date the students’ parents/guardians provide written consent. However, if the evaluations are completed within the 60-day timeline but the parents/guardians are unavailable or otherwise unable to attend the eligibility meeting, an exception can be made. Schools should maintain documentation regarding the assessment completion dates and the attempts made to schedule the eligibility determination meeting with the parents/guardians.

Objective 0006 
Understand the provision of services for students with disabilities.

10. A director of special education is creating a protocol for Individualized Education Program ( I E P ) teams to follow in order to ensure that teams link annual goals to the Illinois Learning Standards. In this protocol, the director should require  I E P  teams to consider which of the following questions first?

  1. How does the student's disability affect progress towards standards?
  2. Are the benchmark levels appropriate in relation to an individual student's current abilities?
  3. Could a student meet the standards if teachers provide appropriate assistance?
  4. How can the standards be met in conjunction with an individual student's instructional goals?
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
A student who is eligible for special education services must have a disability that affects the student’s educational performance.  I E P  teams need to write measurable goals that reflect the individual student’s performance and, specifically, the student’s progress toward learning standards. To ensure that they do so, teams should begin by examining in what ways the student’s disability affects the student’s progress.

Objective 0006 
Understand the provision of services for students with disabilities.

11. A director of special education is seeking to increase the participation of students with disabilities in the general education program throughout the district. Which of the following actions by the director would most directly support the achievement of this goal?

  1. promoting collaboration between general and special education teachers on writing curriculum objectives
  2. providing professional development for general education teachers on instructional strategies for inclusive classrooms
  3. adopting a rubric aligned with the general education curriculum for use in teacher observations and coaching sessions
  4. ensuring that assessments used in special education are aligned with the general education curriculum learning standards
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Increasing the capacity of general education teachers to provide inclusive instructional strategies benefits all students, not just students with disabilities. Inclusive classrooms remove barriers that prevent diverse students from accessing the curriculum. Administrators who invest in this type of professional development for teachers increase educational equity in their schools.

Objective 0007 
Understand research-based instruction and support for students with disabilities.

12. Which of the following planning strategies would best provide access for students with disabilities in general education classrooms?

  1. revising performance standards within curriculum units to accommodate students with a range of ability and skill levels
  2. including opportunities for student choice and decision-making autonomy throughout curriculum units
  3. planning curricular units that include multiple instructional delivery models, such as interactive technology and peer tutoring
  4. planning curricular units so that classroom tasks and assignments are aligned with the most important content
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Planning instruction and curricular units that include multiple instructional delivery models creates multiple pathways for students to engage with the curriculum, as well as multiple ways in which students can demonstrate mastery of content. Over the course of a curricular unit, students will encounter and access content in diverse modalities that match diverse learning needs. This approach creates opportunities for all students to learn, particularly students with disabilities.

Objective 0007 
Understand research-based instruction and support for students with disabilities.

13. Before adopting an instructional strategy for use with students with disabilities, which of the following considerations should be the highest priority for special educators?

  1. determining how to evaluate the effectiveness of the instructional strategy
  2. evaluating the capacity of existing district staff to implement the instructional strategy
  3. providing staff development for the implementation of the instructional strategy
  4. confirming that the instructional strategy is linked empirically to relevant learning outcomes
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Instructional strategies that target specific student needs must have documented success in producing the desired student learning outcome. Before considering the adoption of any instructional strategy, special educators should verify that there is a strong research base linking the strategy to a relevant learning outcome such as phonemic awareness, number sense, reading fluency, or social thinking.

Objective 0008 
Understand strategies related to the management of the special education program.

14. For school leaders, the primary advantage of using the goal-setting model of performance appraisal when working with experienced and highly motivated teachers is that it:

  1. allows teachers to identify meaningful areas for individual improvement.
  2. documents instructional practices that can be used to promote staff effectiveness.
  3. emphasizes student performance and outcomes rather than instructional techniques.
  4. encourages teachers to develop skills and abilities by working closely with supervisors.
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
By facilitating this type of goal setting within a performance appraisal system, school leaders model mutual respect for and trust in the faculty while allowing new approaches to teaching and learning to flourish. Motivated, experienced, and professional teachers who have developed the capacity for reflection and continuous individual professional growth do not require extrinsic factors to determine meaningful areas for their professional growth.

Objective 0008 
Understand strategies related to the management of the special education program.

15. In developing guidance for Individualized Education Program ( I E P ) teams on the consideration and provision of assistive technology for students with disabilities, a director of special education should prioritize which of the following topics?

  1. incorporating assistive technology appropriately in Behavior Intervention Plans ( B I Pees )
  2. modifying curriculum and instruction to reflect the expected effect of assistive technology on students' abilities and performance
  3. developing  I E P  goals that reflect a student's appropriate use of assistive technology
  4. using assistive technology to augment students' abilities and provide alternate modes for students to accomplish learning tasks
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
The appropriate use of assistive technology allows students with disabilities to access the general educational program but does not change the content or delivery of the instructional program. A key purpose for assistive technology is to enhance students’ performance on specific tasks, or to allow students to maintain current performance levels and consequently succeed in their instructional programs. These are key considerations for making determinations on the use of assistive technology in  I E Pees .

Objective 0009 
Understand professional and ethical responsibilities and practices regarding the education of students with disabilities.

16. A school district's new vision identifies issues of disproportionality as a central civil rights concern. District leadership can most effectively begin to identify instances of disproportionality using which of the following approaches?

  1. holding a series of stakeholder meetings to elicit input from multiple perspectives
  2. forming focus groups in which students and teachers can discuss their perspectives on school climate
  3. analyzing monthly discipline referral, suspension, and special education referral data
  4. disaggregating achievement data for English language learners, students with disabilities, and other student groups
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
By analyzing disaggregated data on special education referrals, suspensions, and discipline referrals, district leaders can identify trends that indicate disproportionate impacts on specific student populations. Making a practice of data analysis can remove obstacles to necessary changes in practices in schools, as well as ensure transparency when allocating resources to correct inequities.

Objective 0009 
Understand professional and ethical responsibilities and practices regarding the education of students with disabilities.

17. Which of the following questions is most important for school district leaders to consider in order to ensure that decisions about district policies related to students with disabilities are based on their legal implications?

  1. Will this policy increase the access of students to the general education curriculum?
  2. Will this policy ensure that instruction is designed to help students achieve their maximum potential?
  3. Will this policy provide students with learning experiences designed to meet their needs?
  4. Will this policy support students in meeting goals that are aligned with family and community expectations?
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
The intent of Public Law 94-142 is to provide a free and appropriate education for students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. Policies that increase the access of all students to the general education curriculum are in compliance with this foundational legal mandate. An affirmative response to the question posed in Response A is an argument for the adoption or revision of district policies.

Objective 0010 
Understand skills and strategies necessary for effective communication and collaboration.

18. According to research, which of the following factors has the greatest effect on the involvement of families in the education of their children?

  1. the practices of individual teachers
  2. policies established at the district level
  3. programs established by the principal
  4. the strength of local parent-teacher groups
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
Effective and meaningful family engagement in a child’s education hinges on the classroom teacher’s ability to provide multiple ways for families to participate in their children’s education and encourage and support their children’s success. Teachers who understand the link between proactive engagement with families and student success make engagement a priority throughout the school year, not just during parent/teacher conferences or special school events.

Objective 0011 
Understand principles of professional growth and development for educators.

19. Engaging in reflective practices with a partner typically yields the greatest benefits for the professional development of special educators when the partners assist each other in:

  1. identifying areas of need and developing strategies for improvement.
  2. challenging assumptions and considering events from different perspectives.
  3. implementing appropriate behavioral interventions for students with disabilities.
  4. rehearsing approaches to communicating with families of students with disabilities.
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Individualized professional development is grounded in the ability to engage in critical reflection. When special educators work together to engage in reflective practice, after establishing a relationship of trust, they have the opportunity to share their perspectives and support each other in recognizing assumptions that could impede professional growth. For example, a partner in reflection could challenge a special educator's assumptions about a student's progress toward a goal defined in the student's Individualized Education Program ( I E P ).

Objective 0011 
Understand principles of professional growth and development for educators.

20. After completing a preparation program and becoming certified, a special educator with years of experience has been appointed as a district's director of special education. During the first year, the new director's personal professional growth plan should prioritize which of the following responsibilities of the position?

  1. reviewing Individualized Education Programs ( I E Pees ) to ensure they meet all legal requirements
  2. monitoring student annual goals to ensure they are aligned with Illinois learning standards
  3. supervising and evaluating the performance of staff working with students with disabilities
  4. understanding regulations regarding special education eligibility and their implementation
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
A key difference between administrative and teaching positions is the responsibility for effectively supervising and evaluating staff to ensure that students with disabilities have access to high-quality educational services. Ensuring that a new special education director develops these specialized skills is crucial to that administrator’s professional development.