D017 School Law Question and
answers 100% correct 2026
Common School Movement - correct answer 1837 Horace Mann
Paved the way for putting kids in school (not just the wealthy). Children of manufacturer parents were
put into classroom to make them into civil members of society. "Non-politicized and
nondenominational" but had a very clear undertone of protestant republicans in the books and
curriculum.
Common Law - correct answer Parents choose whether, how, and where to educate their students.
Compulsory Attendance - correct answer State legislated mandates for attendance in public schools,
and when broken, parents were responsible and could be sentenced to jail and fines. Paved the way for
permanent records, welfare visitations, school health, and vaccine mandates.
Compulsory Attendance Act - correct answer 1852 First law requiring students 8-14 to attend school.
The intent was to remove children from factories (child lab law later).
parens patriae - correct answer the state as parent; the state as guardian and protector of all citizens
(such as juveniles) who cannot protect themselves
National Defense EducationAct (NDEA) - correct answer 1957 Passed in response to Sputnik and
provided an opportunity for college for all students. It allocated funds to upgrade science, foreign
language, guidance services, and teaching innovation programs. The government felt we as a people
were behind, and the NDEA was made in response to fill that gap.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) - correct answer 1965 - Provided federal funding for
primary and secondary education and was meant to improve the education of poor people. This was the
first federal program to fund education. It is updated (and usually renamed) every 5 years to meet the
needs to schools such as professional development, instructional needs, and resources.
,A Nation at Risk - correct answer 1983 National Commission report calling for extensive educational
reforms, including more academic course requirements, more stringent college entrance requirements,
upgraded and updated textbooks, and longer school days and year.
Improving America's Schools Act - correct answer Clinton's 1994 reauthorization of the ESEA. Supported
schools in moving all children toward higher academic standards.
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) - correct answer A U.S. law enacted in 2001 by George W. Bush 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.
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) - correct answer 2015 The most recent reauthorization of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), replaced NCLB. Provides federal education funding and
sets official federal education policy with specific requirements related to instruction, assessment,
accountability, and other educational issues.
Plessy v. Ferguson - correct answer Plessy was on a train in the white section and refused to move, he
argued that the two train cars were not equal. A 1896 Supreme Court decision which legalized state
ordered segregation so long as the facilities for blacks and whites were allowed and not
unconstitutional.
Brown v. Board of Education - correct answer 1954 - Brown was transported to a black school far from
her house when there was a school closer to home that offered the same education (white school). The
Supreme Court overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, declared that racially segregated facilities are inherently
unequal and ordered all public schools desegregated.
Public School - correct answer free schools funded through taxes and is subject to all federal and state
laws
, Private School - correct answer A school that is privately owned and does not rely on government
money to operate. This school is funded by grants, donations, and student tuition and is not subject to
state or federal laws.
Charter School - correct answer Public schools that have been given the autonomy to establish their
own curricula and teaching practices. They are funded through taxes as well as donations and are
subject to some federal laws and all state laws.
Role of state government in Schools - correct answer holds primary responsibility of education; can
exercise authority over the local school board
Role of federal government in schools - correct answer provides funding and enforces constitutional
rights
Primary Sources of Law - correct answer Are created by the 3 branches of the US government and occur
at the federal, state, and district/school level. Primary sources are defined as the law itself and include
the constitution, statutes, regulations, and common law.
Judicial System - correct answer State versus federal courts
State courts can take all cases involving any question while federal courts can only take cases involving
federal constitutional or statutory questions or when parties are from different states.
14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause - correct answer Declares that all persons born in the. US are
citizens and are guaranteed equal protection of the laws. This specific clause has been used in cases of
combatting discrimination.
Separate but Equal Doctrine - correct answer the doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) that
African Americans could constitutionally be kept in separate but equal facilities (despite the obviousness
of them not being equal: Jim Crow Laws).
De jour vs. de facto - correct answer De jour=south; actually written in law
answers 100% correct 2026
Common School Movement - correct answer 1837 Horace Mann
Paved the way for putting kids in school (not just the wealthy). Children of manufacturer parents were
put into classroom to make them into civil members of society. "Non-politicized and
nondenominational" but had a very clear undertone of protestant republicans in the books and
curriculum.
Common Law - correct answer Parents choose whether, how, and where to educate their students.
Compulsory Attendance - correct answer State legislated mandates for attendance in public schools,
and when broken, parents were responsible and could be sentenced to jail and fines. Paved the way for
permanent records, welfare visitations, school health, and vaccine mandates.
Compulsory Attendance Act - correct answer 1852 First law requiring students 8-14 to attend school.
The intent was to remove children from factories (child lab law later).
parens patriae - correct answer the state as parent; the state as guardian and protector of all citizens
(such as juveniles) who cannot protect themselves
National Defense EducationAct (NDEA) - correct answer 1957 Passed in response to Sputnik and
provided an opportunity for college for all students. It allocated funds to upgrade science, foreign
language, guidance services, and teaching innovation programs. The government felt we as a people
were behind, and the NDEA was made in response to fill that gap.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) - correct answer 1965 - Provided federal funding for
primary and secondary education and was meant to improve the education of poor people. This was the
first federal program to fund education. It is updated (and usually renamed) every 5 years to meet the
needs to schools such as professional development, instructional needs, and resources.
,A Nation at Risk - correct answer 1983 National Commission report calling for extensive educational
reforms, including more academic course requirements, more stringent college entrance requirements,
upgraded and updated textbooks, and longer school days and year.
Improving America's Schools Act - correct answer Clinton's 1994 reauthorization of the ESEA. Supported
schools in moving all children toward higher academic standards.
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) - correct answer A U.S. law enacted in 2001 by George W. Bush 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.
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) - correct answer 2015 The most recent reauthorization of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), replaced NCLB. Provides federal education funding and
sets official federal education policy with specific requirements related to instruction, assessment,
accountability, and other educational issues.
Plessy v. Ferguson - correct answer Plessy was on a train in the white section and refused to move, he
argued that the two train cars were not equal. A 1896 Supreme Court decision which legalized state
ordered segregation so long as the facilities for blacks and whites were allowed and not
unconstitutional.
Brown v. Board of Education - correct answer 1954 - Brown was transported to a black school far from
her house when there was a school closer to home that offered the same education (white school). The
Supreme Court overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, declared that racially segregated facilities are inherently
unequal and ordered all public schools desegregated.
Public School - correct answer free schools funded through taxes and is subject to all federal and state
laws
, Private School - correct answer A school that is privately owned and does not rely on government
money to operate. This school is funded by grants, donations, and student tuition and is not subject to
state or federal laws.
Charter School - correct answer Public schools that have been given the autonomy to establish their
own curricula and teaching practices. They are funded through taxes as well as donations and are
subject to some federal laws and all state laws.
Role of state government in Schools - correct answer holds primary responsibility of education; can
exercise authority over the local school board
Role of federal government in schools - correct answer provides funding and enforces constitutional
rights
Primary Sources of Law - correct answer Are created by the 3 branches of the US government and occur
at the federal, state, and district/school level. Primary sources are defined as the law itself and include
the constitution, statutes, regulations, and common law.
Judicial System - correct answer State versus federal courts
State courts can take all cases involving any question while federal courts can only take cases involving
federal constitutional or statutory questions or when parties are from different states.
14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause - correct answer Declares that all persons born in the. US are
citizens and are guaranteed equal protection of the laws. This specific clause has been used in cases of
combatting discrimination.
Separate but Equal Doctrine - correct answer the doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) that
African Americans could constitutionally be kept in separate but equal facilities (despite the obviousness
of them not being equal: Jim Crow Laws).
De jour vs. de facto - correct answer De jour=south; actually written in law
