ALTA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct Flashcards

A CALT is providing services to a student with dyslexia when the school district requests access to all session notes, progress data, and informal assessment results for a re-evaluation. The CALT has a private-pay contract with the family, not the district. Under ALTA's Code of Ethics, what is the CALT's most ethically sound course of action?

Answer: Obtain written consent from the parent or guardian before releasing any records to the district, as the CALT's duty of confidentiality runs to the client.

ALTA's Code of Ethics requires CALTs to protect client confidentiality and obtain informed consent before disclosing records to third parties. Even when the requesting party is a school district conducting a legitimate re-evaluation, the CALT's contractual and ethical relationship is with the family. Written parental consent is required before any records are released to outside parties, including educational institutions.

A CALT who specializes in Structured Literacy is approached by a well-funded EdTech company to endorse their new reading app, which the CALT has used informally with a few students with mixed results. The company offers significant compensation and provides a script claiming the app is 'scientifically proven.' Under ALTA's Code of Ethics, which statement BEST describes the CALT's ethical obligation?

Answer: The CALT may not make or endorse claims about the app's efficacy that exceed what current evidence supports, and must not allow financial interests to compromise professional integrity.

ALTA's Code of Ethics requires members to base professional claims on evidence and to avoid conflicts of interest that compromise professional judgment. A CALT cannot endorse efficacy claims that exceed the current research base, regardless of compensation offered. The ethical obligation is to accurately represent the state of evidence—endorsing scripted claims of 'scientifically proven' effectiveness when evidence is mixed violates this standard.

A CALT learns through a social media post that a former colleague—also a CALT—is marketing themselves as a 'certified dyslexia specialist' and using intervention approaches that contradict Structured Literacy principles. The colleague's certification lapsed two years ago. Under ALTA's Code of Ethics, what is the most appropriate first step for the CALT?

Answer: Attempt to address the concern directly with the colleague first when feasible, and if unresolved, report through appropriate professional channels.

ALTA's Code of Ethics outlines a professional responsibility to address ethical violations but generally calls for addressing concerns with the individual directly as a first step when it is safe and feasible to do so. If direct resolution fails or is not possible, the CALT should then report through the appropriate channels (ALTA's ethics board, licensing authorities). Bypassing direct contact as the first step or resorting to public shaming conflicts with professional conduct standards.

A CALT is working with a 10-year-old student and during a session the student discloses something that raises a reasonable suspicion of emotional abuse at home. The student pleads with the CALT not to tell anyone. Under ALTA's Code of Ethics and applicable law, how should the CALT respond?

Answer: Fulfill the mandatory reporting obligation regardless of the student's request, as child welfare supersedes confidentiality in cases of suspected abuse.

ALTA's Code of Ethics explicitly recognizes that confidentiality has limits when client welfare or legal obligations require disclosure. Mandatory reporting laws in all U.S. jurisdictions require licensed and certified professionals to report reasonable suspicions of child abuse or neglect. Neither the student's request for privacy nor the desire to preserve the therapeutic relationship overrides this legal and ethical duty. The report must be made promptly.

A CALT is hired by a private school to both provide Structured Literacy intervention to students AND evaluate those same students to determine eligibility for the school's intensive services program. The CALT realizes this creates a dual role. Under ALTA's Code of Ethics, which response best reflects the standard of professional conduct?

Answer: The CALT should proactively disclose the dual role to all stakeholders and ideally arrange for evaluations to be conducted by an independent evaluator to preserve objectivity.

ALTA's Code of Ethics requires members to recognize and manage conflicts of interest, including dual roles that can compromise objectivity. Serving as both interventionist and evaluator for the same students creates a conflict because the CALT has a vested interest in the outcomes of evaluations that determine their own caseload. The ethical response is transparent disclosure to stakeholders and, where feasible, separating the roles so an independent evaluator conducts eligibility assessments.

A CALT completes their 5-year recertification but realizes afterward that two of the professional development hours they reported came from a workshop that, on reflection, did not meet ALTA's standards for qualifying continuing education. The error was unintentional. Under ALTA's Code of Ethics, what is the ethically required course of action?

Answer: Self-disclose the discrepancy to ALTA, complete equivalent qualifying hours, and correct the record, even though the certification has been issued.

ALTA's Code of Ethics holds members to standards of honesty and integrity, including in self-reporting for certification and recertification. Discovering that reported hours do not qualify—even unintentionally—creates an obligation to self-disclose and correct the record. Waiting until the next renewal cycle or taking no action because the error was unintentional does not satisfy the ethical standard of integrity in professional credentialing. The correct action is prompt self-disclosure and remediation.