Which case defined FAPE as "reasonably calculated to enable the child to achieve passing marks and advance from grade to grade"?

Which case defined FAPE as "reasonably calculated to enable the child to achieve passing marks and advance from grade to grade"?

• A. Hanson v. Hobson
• B. Mills v. Board of Education D.C.
• C. Board of Education v. Rowley
• D. PARC v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Answer: (C)

Free Appropriate Public Education means the school must provide special education and related services that lead to educational benefit for the student. The case that defines this benefit as “reasonably calculated to enable the child to achieve passing marks and advance from grade to grade” is Board of Education v. Rowley. In Rowley, the Supreme Court said the IEP need only be reasonably calculated to provide educational benefit—enough for the student to progress through the ordinary curriculum, not necessarily to achieve the highest possible outcome. This sets a floor for adequacy, not a guarantee of perfection. While earlier cases like PARC and Mills established that students with disabilities have rights to public education and appropriate education, Rowley specifies how that education is measured in terms of progress and benefit.

Free Appropriate Public Education means the school must provide special education and related services that lead to educational benefit for the student. The case that defines this benefit as “reasonably calculated to enable the child to achieve passing marks and advance from grade to grade” is Board of Education v. Rowley. In Rowley, the Supreme Court said the IEP need only be reasonably calculated to provide educational benefit—enough for the student to progress through the ordinary curriculum, not necessarily to achieve the highest possible outcome. This sets a floor for adequacy, not a guarantee of perfection. While earlier cases like PARC and Mills established that students with disabilities have rights to public education and appropriate education, Rowley specifies how that education is measured in terms of progress and benefit.