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100+ Free ILTS Learning Behavior Specialist I (290) Practice Questions

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A teacher uses self-monitoring by having a student record whether they were on task at the sound of a periodic signal. The primary purpose of teaching self-monitoring is to

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: ILTS Learning Behavior Specialist I (290) Exam

240

Passing Scaled Score

ILTS LBS I (290) test page

$98

Test Fee (2026)

ILTS LBS I (290) test page

100 MC

Test Format (80 scored)

ILTS LBS I (290) test page

3 hr 15 min

Testing Time

ILTS LBS I (290) test page

5 subareas

Content Domains

ILTS Field 290 test framework

31%

Heaviest Subarea (Supporting Development and Learning)

ILTS Field 290 test framework

23%

Assessment and Individualized Programs Weight

ILTS Field 290 test framework

100-300

Score Scale

ILTS LBS I (290) test page

ILTS Learning Behavior Specialist I (290) is Illinois' special education content licensure test, delivered by Pearson as a computer-based exam with 100 multiple-choice questions (80 scored, 20 unscored pretest) and a passing scaled score of 240 on a 100-300 scale. Content is weighted across five subareas: Understanding Students with Disabilities 16%, Assessing Students and Developing Individualized Programs 23%, Supporting Development and Learning 31%, Working in a Collaborative Learning Community 15%, and Foundations and Professional Practice 15%. The current registration fee is $98, the appointment runs 3 hours 30 minutes (3 hours 15 minutes of testing), and no reference materials are provided. This free 100-question bank mirrors the official subarea weighting so candidates can practice across every subarea.

Sample ILTS Learning Behavior Specialist I (290) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your ILTS Learning Behavior Specialist I (290) exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A prekindergarten student has difficulty lacing shoes, using scissors, and manipulating small buttons. Targeted intervention to support this student should focus primarily on developing which type of skill?
A.Fine motor
B.Gross motor
C.Receptive language
D.Social-emotional
Explanation: Lacing, cutting with scissors, and buttoning all require coordinated use of the small muscles of the hands and fingers, which is the definition of fine motor skill. Targeting fine motor development directly addresses the observed difficulties.
2According to typical patterns of physical development, which sequence best describes the direction in which motor control generally emerges in young children?
A.From the head and trunk outward to the extremities (cephalocaudal and proximodistal)
B.From the fingers and toes inward to the trunk
C.Simultaneously across all body regions at the same rate
D.From the lower limbs upward to the head before any trunk control
Explanation: Physical development follows cephalocaudal (head-to-toe) and proximodistal (center-outward) patterns, so infants control the head and trunk before the arms, hands, and fingers. Understanding this sequence helps a specialist judge whether a delay is typical or atypical.
3A special education teacher wants to choose an instructional approach supported by the strongest evidence of effectiveness. Which source would provide the most reliable research base?
A.Peer-reviewed studies using experimental or quasi-experimental designs
B.A vendor's product brochure describing program benefits
C.Anecdotal testimonials posted on a parent social media group
D.A blog post written by an enthusiastic classroom teacher
Explanation: Evidence-based practice relies on findings from peer-reviewed research using rigorous experimental or quasi-experimental designs that can establish effectiveness. These sources are vetted by experts and replicate findings across studies.
4A young child who is deaf-blind is beginning to develop intentional communication. Which approach would most effectively support early communication for this student?
A.Establishing consistent tactile cues and object symbols within predictable routines
B.Relying primarily on whole-group spoken directions during lessons
C.Posting printed word walls around the classroom for reference
D.Using recorded audio prompts played at the start of each activity
Explanation: Students who are deaf-blind access information mainly through touch, so consistent tactile cues and object symbols embedded in predictable routines build the associations needed for intentional communication. Predictability and a tactile modality match the learner's primary access channel.
5Which of the following best describes a defining characteristic of a specific learning disability under IDEA?
A.A disorder in one or more basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using language, with a significant gap between ability and achievement not primarily due to other conditions
B.A general slowness in all areas of cognitive functioning accompanied by deficits in adaptive behavior
C.A pervasive difficulty with social communication and the presence of restricted, repetitive behaviors
D.A health condition that limits strength, vitality, or alertness and adversely affects educational performance
Explanation: IDEA defines a specific learning disability as a disorder in one or more basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using spoken or written language, which may manifest in listening, thinking, reading, writing, spelling, or math. Eligibility requires ruling out other primary causes such as sensory or intellectual disability.
6A student demonstrates significant difficulty with phonological processing, decoding unfamiliar words, and spelling, despite adequate instruction and intelligence. These characteristics are most consistent with which condition?
A.Dyslexia
B.Dyscalculia
C.Dysgraphia
D.Dyspraxia
Explanation: Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability characterized by difficulty with accurate and fluent word recognition, decoding, and spelling that often stems from a deficit in phonological processing. The pattern described matches the core features of dyslexia.
7A teacher notices that a student with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) struggles most with sustaining attention during long independent tasks. Which characteristic of ADHD does this difficulty most directly reflect?
A.Deficits in executive functioning, particularly sustained attention and working memory
B.A primary deficit in receptive vocabulary and language comprehension
C.An underlying sensory processing disorder affecting visual input
D.A global intellectual delay across all academic domains
Explanation: ADHD is associated with weaknesses in executive functions such as sustained attention, working memory, and self-regulation, which makes lengthy independent work especially difficult. Recognizing this helps the teacher provide supports like chunking tasks and frequent check-ins.
8A student with an emotional disability frequently escalates when given unexpected changes to the daily schedule. Which factor should the teacher consider first when planning supports?
A.The student's need for predictability and advance warning of transitions
B.The student's preference for a particular reward at the end of the day
C.The student's reading level in relation to grade-level texts
D.The student's seating position relative to classmates
Explanation: Difficulty with unexpected change suggests that predictability and preparation reduce the student's anxiety and escalation. Providing advance warning, visual schedules, and previews of upcoming changes proactively addresses the trigger.
9Which statement best reflects how culture and language background can influence the identification of students with disabilities?
A.Behaviors and language differences rooted in culture or second-language acquisition can be misinterpreted as disabilities, leading to disproportionate identification
B.Cultural and linguistic background has no measurable effect on assessment results
C.Students from diverse backgrounds always require fewer special education services
D.Disability identification should rely solely on a single standardized test score regardless of background
Explanation: Cultural norms and the normal process of second-language acquisition can produce behaviors or language patterns that resemble disability characteristics, contributing to overidentification or underidentification. Specialists must distinguish difference from disability to ensure equitable, accurate identification.
10A high school student who is recovering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) shows new difficulty with organization, memory, and processing speed. Which instructional response is most appropriate?
A.Provide memory aids, allow extra processing time, and reteach using structured routines
B.Assume the deficits are permanent and reduce all academic expectations indefinitely
C.Avoid any accommodations so the student relearns skills independently
D.Place the student in a setting with no structured supports to build resilience
Explanation: Students recovering from TBI often experience changing cognitive needs and benefit from compensatory strategies such as memory aids, additional processing time, and predictable routines. These supports accommodate current functioning while allowing for recovery and reassessment.

About the ILTS Learning Behavior Specialist I (290) Exam

The ILTS Learning Behavior Specialist I (290) test is the special education content assessment required for the Illinois Learning Behavior Specialist I endorsement. The computer-based test contains 100 multiple-choice questions (80 scored and 20 unscored pretest items) organized into five subareas spanning disability characteristics and development, assessment and individualized programs, supporting development and learning, collaboration, and the legal and professional foundations of special education.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

3 hours 15 minutes testing (3 hours 30 minutes total appointment)

Passing Score

240 scaled score (scale of 100-300)

Exam Fee

$98 (Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) / Pearson)

ILTS Learning Behavior Specialist I (290) Exam Content Outline

16% of this test

Understanding Students with Disabilities (Subarea I)

Processes of human growth and development and factors including disability that affect development and learning, plus the characteristics and needs of students across disability categories such as specific learning disabilities, autism, intellectual disability, emotional disability, ADHD, communication disorders, and sensory and physical disabilities.

23% of this test

Assessing Students and Developing Individualized Programs (Subarea II)

Types and characteristics of assessment measures including reliability, validity, and nondiscriminatory practice; interpreting and communicating results for eligibility, instructional design, and ongoing adjustment; and policies and procedures for program planning, placement, and developing and implementing IEPs, IFSPs, and other individualized plans.

31% of this test

Supporting Development and Learning (Subarea III)

Evidence- and research-based strategies for planning and managing the learning environment, instructional design that makes content meaningful and promotes engagement, individualizing explicit and systematic instruction toward rigorous content goals, and developing behavior interventions that support the social-emotional and behavioral development of students with disabilities.

15% of this test

Working in a Collaborative Learning Community (Subarea IV)

Strategies for communicating and collaborating in a culturally responsive manner with school team members to address instructional and behavioral needs, and promoting positive relationships among home, community, and school that enhance learning opportunities and encourage family involvement.

15% of this test

Foundations and Professional Practice (Subarea V)

Historical, legal, and ethical issues relevant to special education including IDEA, FAPE, LRE, Section 504, and key case law, and the roles of teachers as professionals and leaders engaged in reflection, self-evaluation, advocacy, and ongoing professional development.

How to Pass the ILTS Learning Behavior Specialist I (290) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 240 scaled score (scale of 100-300)
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: 3 hours 15 minutes testing (3 hours 30 minutes total appointment)
  • Exam fee: $98

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

ILTS Learning Behavior Specialist I (290) Study Tips from Top Performers

1Allocate study time by subarea weight: Supporting Development and Learning is the heaviest at 31%, followed by Assessment and Individualized Programs at 23%
2Master IDEA fundamentals such as FAPE, LRE, IEP and IFSP components, eligibility, procedural safeguards, child find, and zero reject
3Know key legal milestones, including the Endrew F. progress standard and the role of Section 504 and FERPA
4Practice applying functional behavior assessment, behavior intervention plans, and function-based replacement behaviors to classroom scenarios
5Review evidence-based instruction such as explicit systematic instruction, UDL, scaffolding, differentiation, and task analysis with chaining
6Expect scenario-based items that ask for the best application of practice rather than simple recall, and use elimination strategies under the two-minute-per-question pace

Frequently Asked Questions

What is on the ILTS Learning Behavior Specialist I (290) test?

The test covers five subareas: Understanding Students with Disabilities (16%), Assessing Students and Developing Individualized Programs (23%), Supporting Development and Learning (31%), Working in a Collaborative Learning Community (15%), and Foundations and Professional Practice (15%). All subareas are assessed with multiple-choice questions.

How many questions are on the ILTS 290 test and what is the format?

The computer-based test has 100 multiple-choice questions, but only 80 count toward your score. The other 20 are unscored pretest items mixed throughout the test that cannot be distinguished from scored questions, so you should answer every question.

What is the passing score for the ILTS LBS I (290) test?

You need a total scaled score of 240 on a scale of 100 to 300 to pass the ILTS Learning Behavior Specialist I (290) test. Subarea scores are reported only to help you assess strengths and weaknesses and do not separately pass or fail.

How much does the ILTS 290 test cost in 2026?

The current registration fee for the ILTS Learning Behavior Specialist I (290) test is $98. Always confirm the exact amount in your ISBE/ELIS and Pearson registration portal before checkout, as additional service fees may apply.

How long is the ILTS LBS I (290) test appointment?

The total appointment is 3 hours and 30 minutes, which includes 15 minutes for the CBT tutorial and nondisclosure agreement, leaving 3 hours and 15 minutes of testing time. That gives you roughly two minutes per multiple-choice question.

Are reference materials or a calculator provided on the ILTS 290 test?

No reference materials are provided for the ILTS Learning Behavior Specialist I (290) test. The exam focuses on applying special education knowledge such as IDEA requirements, assessment practices, instruction, and behavior interventions rather than on calculations requiring a reference sheet.