You can simplify this by just adding a new test case to the existing Course Handouts test--

        it "can open course handouts with bad html on edit", ->
            # Enter some bad html in handouts section, verifying that the
            # model/handoutform opens when "Edit" is clicked
            @model = new ModuleInfo({
              id: 'handouts-id',
              data: '<p><a href="[URL OF FILE]>[LINK TEXT]</a></p>'
            })

            @handoutsEdit = new CourseInfoHandoutsView({
              el: $('#course-handouts-view'),
              model: @model,
              base_asset_url: 'base-asset-url/'
            });

            @handoutsEdit.render()

            expect($('.edit-handouts-form').is(':hidden')).toEqual(true)
            @handoutsEdit.$el.find('.edit-button').click()
            expect(@handoutsEdit.$codeMirror.getValue()).toEqual('<p><a href="[URL OF FILE]>[LINK TEXT]</a></p>')
            expect($('.edit-handouts-form').is(':hidden')).toEqual(false)

Or if you find it ugly that it is recreating the model and handoutsEdit created in beforeEach, it's fine to keep it as its own test. But I don't think there is value in having beforeEach defined for a single test point. Consolidate down to what you actually need.