TExES Superintendent (195) Test Preparation Manual

Transcription

TExES
| Texas Examinations of Educator Standards
Preparation
Manual
195 Superintendent
Copyright © 2011 by Texas Education Agency (TEA). All rights reserved. The Texas Education Agency logo and TEA are registered trademarks of
Texas Education Agency. Texas Examinations of Educator Standards, TExES and the TExES logo are trademarks of Texas Education Agency.
This publication has been produced for Texas Education Agency (TEA) by ETS. ETS is under contract to Texas Education Agency to administer the
Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) program and the Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas (ExCET) program. The
TExES and ExCET programs are administered under the authority of Texas Education Agency; regulations and standards governing the program are
subject to change at the discretion of Texas Education Agency. Texas Education Agency and ETS do not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in the administration of the testing program or the provision of related services.
TA B L E
OF
CO N T E N T S
Chapter 1:
Introduction to the Superintendent Test and Suggestions
for Using This Test Preparation Manual ........................................................1
Overview
Using the Test Framework
Organization of the TExES Test Framework
• Sample Competency
• Sample Descriptive Statements
Studying for the TExES Test
Chapter 2:
Background Information on the TExES Testing Program................................5
The TExES Tests for Texas Teachers
• Development of the New TExES Tests
Taking the TExES Test and Receiving Scores
• Educator Standards
Chapter 3:
Study Topics .................................................................................................9
Test Framework for Field 195: Superintendent
• The Domains
• Total Test Breakdown
Competencies
• Domain I — Leadership of the Educational Community
• Domain II — Instructional Leadership
• Domain III — Administrative Leadership
Chapter 4:
Succeeding on Multiple-Choice Questions.................................................19
Approaches to Answering Multiple-Choice Questions
Question Formats
• Single Questions
• Decision Sets
• Decision Set: Sample Stimulus Material
• Decision Set: Single Question
• Decision Set: Second Stimulus
• Clustered Questions
Chapter 5:
Supplemental Material for Multiple-Choice Practice Questions.................27
Case Study
AEIS Section
Chapter 6:
Multiple-Choice Practice Questions...........................................................91
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions
Answer Key
Chapter 7:
Are You Ready? – Last-Minute Tips ...........................................................117
Preparing to Take the Test
Appendix A Study Plan Sheet.......................................................................................121
Appendix B Preparation Resources..............................................................................123
1
Chapter 1
Introduction to the Superintendent Test
and Suggestions for Using This
Test Preparation Manual
INTRODUCTION TO THE SUPERINTENDENT TEST
AND SUGGESTIONS FOR USING THIS TEST PREPARATION MANUAL
1 OVERVIEW
The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) has approved Texas educator standards that
delineate what the beginning educator should know and be able to do. These standards, which are
based on the state-required curriculum for students — the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
(TEKS) — form the basis for the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards® (TExES® ) program.
This initiative, administered by Texas Education Agency (TEA), will affect all areas of Texas
education — from the more than 170 approved Texas Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) to the
more than 7,000 Texas school campuses. This standards-based system reflects SBEC’s commitment
to help align Texas education from kindergarten through college. SBEC and TEA’s roles in this K–16
initiative will ensure that newly certified Texas educators have the essential knowledge and skills to
teach the TEKS to the state’s public school students.
This manual is designed to help examinees prepare for the TExES test in this field. Its purpose is to
familiarize examinees with the competencies to be tested, test question formats and pertinent study
resources. EPP staff may also find this information useful as they help examinees prepare for careers
as Texas educators.
KEY FEATURES OF THE MANUAL
• List of competencies that will be tested
• Strategies for answering multiple-choice questions
• Sample test questions and answer key
If you have any questions after reading this preparation manual or you would like additional
information about the TExES tests or the educator standards, please visit the TEA website at
www.tea.state.tx.us.
2
TExES Preparation Manual — Superintendent
AND
SUGGESTIONS
FOR USING THIS TEST PREPARATION MANUAL
USING THE TEST FRAMEWORK
1
The Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) Superintendent test measures the content
and professional knowledge required of an entry-level superintendent or assistant superintendent in
Texas public schools. This manual is designed to guide your preparation by helping you become
familiar with the material to be covered on the test you are planning to take, identify areas where
you feel you may be weak and increase your knowledge in those areas by helping you design a
study plan.
When preparing for this test, you should focus on the competencies and descriptive
statements, which delineate the content that is eligible for testing. A portion of the content
is represented in the sample questions that are included in this manual. These test questions
represent only a sampling of questions. Thus, your test preparation should focus on the
competencies and descriptive statements and not simply on the sample questions.
ORGANIZATION OF THE TEXES TEST FRAMEWORK
The test framework is based on the educator standards for this field.
The content covered by this test is organized into broad areas of content called domains. Each
domain covers one or more of the educator standards for this field. Within each domain, the content
is further defined by a set of competencies. Each competency is composed of two major parts:
1. the competency statement, which broadly defines what an entry-level educator in this field
in Texas public schools should know and be able to do, and
2. the descriptive statements, which describe in greater detail the knowledge and skills eligible
for testing.
The certification standards being assessed within each domain are listed for reference at the
beginning of the test framework, which begins on page 10. These are followed by a complete set of
the framework’s competencies and descriptive statements.
An example of a competency and its accompanying descriptive statements is provided below.
SAMPLE COMPETENCY
Superintendent
competency 001
THE SUPERINTENDENT KNOWS HOW TO ACT WITH INTEGRITY, FAIRNESS AND IN AN
ETHICAL MANNER IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THE SUCCESS OF ALL STUDENTS.
3
AND SUGGESTIONS FOR USING THIS TEST PREPARATION MANUAL
1
SAMPLE DESCRIPTIVE STATEMENTS
The superintendent knows how to:
A. serve as an advocate for all children.
B. model and promote the highest standard of conduct, ethical principles and integrity in
decision making, actions and behaviors.
C. exhibit understanding and implement policies and procedures that promote district personnel
compliance with The Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators.
D. monitor and address ethical issues affecting education.
E. apply laws, policies and procedures in a fair and reasonable manner.
F. interact with district staff, students, school board and community in a professional and ethical
manner.
STUDYING FOR THE TEXES TEST
The following steps may be helpful in preparing for the TExES test.
1. Identify the information the test will cover by reading through the test competencies
(see Chapter 3). Within each domain of this TExES test, each competency will receive
approximately equal coverage.
2. Read each competency with its descriptive statements in order to get a more specific idea
of the knowledge you will be required to demonstrate on the test. You may wish to use this
review of the competencies to set priorities for your study time.
3. Review the “Preparation Resources” section of this manual (Appendix B) for possible
resources to consult. Also, compile key materials from your preparation course work that
are aligned with the competencies.
4. Study this manual for approaches to taking the TExES test.
5. When using resources, concentrate on the key skills and important abilities that are
discussed in the competencies and descriptive statements.
6. Use the study plan sheet (Appendix A) to help you plan your study.
NOTE: This preparation manual is the only TExES test study material endorsed by Texas
Education Agency (TEA) for this field. Other preparation materials may not accurately reflect
the content of the test or the policies and procedures of the TExES program.
4
2
Chapter 2
Background Information on the TExES
Testing Program
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE TEXES TESTING PROGRAM
THE TEXES TESTS FOR TEXAS TEACHERS
2
As required by the Texas Education Code §21.048, successful performance on educator certification
examinations is required for the issuance of a Texas educator certificate. Each TExES test is a
criterion-referenced examination designed to measure the knowledge and skills delineated in the
corresponding TExES test framework. Each test framework is based on standards that were
developed by Texas educators and other education stakeholders.
Each TExES test is designed to measure the requisite knowledge and skills that an entry-level
educator in this field in Texas public schools must possess. The tests include both individual
(stand-alone) test questions and questions that are arranged in clustered sets based on real-world
situations faced by educators.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TExES TESTS
Committees of Texas educators and members of the community guide the development of the
new TExES tests by participating in each stage of the test development process. These working
committees are composed of Texas educators from public and charter schools, university and EPP
faculty, education service center staff, representatives from professional educator organizations,
content experts and members of the business community. The committees are balanced in terms of
position, affiliation, years of experience, ethnicity, gender and geographical location. The committee
membership is rotated during the development process so that numerous Texas stakeholders may be
actively involved. The steps in the process to develop the TExES tests are described below.
1. Develop Standards. Committees are established to recommend what the beginning educator
should know and be able to do. Using the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) as
the focal point, draft standards are prepared to define the knowledge and skills required of the
beginning educator.
2. Review Standards. Committees review and revise the draft standards. The revised draft
standards are then placed on the TEA website for public review and comment. These
comments are used to prepare a final draft of the standards that will be presented to the SBEC
Board for discussion, the State Board of Education (SBOE) for review and comment and the
SBEC Board for approval. Standards not based specifically on the TEKS, such as those for
librarians and counselors, are proposed as rule by the SBEC Board; sent to the SBOE for its
90-day review; and, if not rejected by the SBOE, adopted by the SBEC Board.
3. Develop Test Frameworks. Committees review and revise draft test frameworks that are
based on the standards. These frameworks outline the specific competencies to be measured
on the new TExES tests. Draft frameworks are not finalized until after the standards are
approved and the job analysis/content validation survey (see #4) is complete.
4. Conduct Job Analysis/Content Validation Surveys. A representative sample of Texas
educators who practice in or prepare individuals for each of the fields for which an educator
certificate has been proposed are surveyed to determine the relative job importance of each
competency outlined in the test framework for that content area. Frameworks are revised as
needed following an analysis of the survey responses.
6
5. Develop and Review New Test Questions. The test contractor develops draft questions that
are designed to measure the competencies described in the test framework. Committees
review the newly developed test questions that have been written to reflect the competencies
in the new test framework. Committee members scrutinize the draft questions for
appropriateness of content and difficulty; clarity; match to the competencies; and potential
ethnic, gender and regional bias.
6. Conduct Pilot Test of New Test Questions. All of the newly developed test questions that
have been deemed acceptable by the question review committees are then administered to an
appropriate sample of candidates for certification.
7. Review Pilot Test Data. Pilot test results are reviewed to ensure that the test questions are
valid, reliable and free from bias.
8. Administer TExES Tests. New TExES tests are constructed to reflect the competencies, and
the tests are administered to candidates for certification.
9. Set Passing Standard. A Standard Setting Committee convenes to review performance data
from the initial administration of each new TExES test and to recommend a final passing
standard for that test. The SBEC Board considers this recommendation as it establishes a
passing score on the test.
7
2
TAKING THE TEXES TEST AND RECEIVING SCORES
Please refer to the current TExES Registration Bulletin or the ETS TExES website at
www.texes.ets.org for information on test dates, test centers, fees, registration procedures and
program policies.
2
Your score report will be available to you in your testing account on the ETS TExES online
registration system by 5 p.m. Central time on the score reporting date indicated in the
Registration Bulletin. The report will indicate whether you have passed the test and will include:
• A total test scaled score. Scaled scores are reported to allow for the comparison of
scores on the same content-area test taken on different test administration dates.
The total scaled score is not the percentage of questions answered correctly and is
not determined by averaging the number of questions answered correctly in each
domain.
– For all TExES tests, the score scale is 100–300 with a scaled score of 240 as the
minimum passing score. This score represents the minimum level of competency
required to be an entry-level educator in this field in Texas public schools.
• Your performance in the major content domains of the test and in the specific
content competencies of the test.
– This information may be useful in identifying strengths and weaknesses in your
content preparation and can be used for further study or for preparing to retake the
test. However, it is important to use caution when interpreting scores reported by
domain and competency as these scores are typically based on a smaller number of
items than the total score and therefore may not be as reliable as the total score.
• A link to information to help you understand the score scale and interpret your
results.
A score report will not be available to you if you are absent or choose to cancel your score.
For more information about scores or to access scores online, go to www.texes.ets.org.
EDUCATOR STANDARDS
Complete, approved educator standards are posted on the TEA website at www.tea.state.tx.us.
8
3
Chapter 3
Study Topics
STUDY TOPICS
TEST FRAMEWORK FOR FIELD 195: SUPERINTENDENT
THE DOMAINS
Domain III
30%
3
Domain I
40%
Domain II
30%
• Domain I: Leadership of the Educational Community
• Domain II: Instructional Leadership
• Domain III: Administrative Leadership
TOTAL TEST BREAKDOWN
• Exam is offered as a paper-based test
• 100 Multiple-Choice Questions (80 Scored Questions*)
*The number of scored questions will not vary; however, the number of questions that are not scored
may vary in the actual test. Your final scaled score will be based only on scored questions.
10
STUDY TOPICS
COMPETENCIES
DOMAIN I — LEADERSHIP OF THE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY
competency 001
THE SUPERINTENDENT KNOWS HOW TO ACT WITH INTEGRITY, FAIRNESS AND IN AN
ETHICAL MANNER IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THE SUCCESS OF ALL STUDENTS.
3
A. serve as an advocate for all children.
B. model and promote the highest standard of conduct, ethical principles and integrity
in decision making, actions and behaviors.
C. exhibit understanding and implement policies and procedures that promote district
personnel compliance with The Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas
Educators.
D. monitor and address ethical issues affecting education.
E. apply laws, policies and procedures in a fair and reasonable manner.
F. interact with district staff, students, school board and community in a professional
and ethical manner.
competency 002
THE SUPERINTENDENT KNOWS HOW TO SHAPE DISTRICT CULTURE BY FACILITATING
THE DEVELOPMENT, ARTICULATION, IMPLEMENTATION AND STEWARDSHIP OF A VISION
OF LEARNING THAT IS SHARED AND SUPPORTED BY THE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY.
A. establish and support a district culture that promotes learning, high expectations and
academic rigor for self, students and staff.
B. facilitate the development and implementation of a shared vision that focuses on
teaching and learning and ensures the success of all students.
C. implement strategies for involving all stakeholders in planning processes and for
facilitating planning between constituencies.
D. use formal and informal techniques to monitor and assess district/school climate for
effective, responsive decision making.
E. institute procedures for monitoring the accomplishment of district goals and
objectives to achieve the district’s vision.
F. facilitate the development, use and allocation of all available resources, including
human resources, to support implementation of the district’s vision and goals.
G. recognize and celebrate contributions of staff and community toward realization of
the district’s vision.
11
STUDY TOPICS
H. maintain awareness of emerging issues and trends affecting public education and
communicate their significance to the local educational community.
I.
encourage and model innovative thinking and risk taking and view problems as
opportunities.
J. promote multicultural awareness, gender sensitivity and the appreciation of diversity
in the educational community.
K. understand and support educational programs for all student populations, including
students with special needs.
3
competency 003
THE SUPERINTENDENT KNOWS HOW TO COMMUNICATE AND COLLABORATE WITH
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, RESPOND TO DIVERSE COMMUNITY INTERESTS
AND NEEDS AND MOBILIZE COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO ENSURE EDUCATIONAL
SUCCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS.
A. serve as an articulate, effective communicator for the importance of public education
in a free democratic society.
B. develop and implement an effective and comprehensive internal and external district
communications plan and public relations program.
C. analyze community and district structures and identify major opinion leaders and
their relationships to district goals and programs.
D. establish partnerships with families, area businesses, institutions of higher education
and community groups to strengthen programs and support district goals.
E. implement effective strategies for systematically communicating with and gathering
input from all stakeholders in the district.
F. communicate and work effectively with diverse groups in the district and community,
i.e., social, cultural, political, ethnic and racial groups, so that all students receive
appropriate resources and instructional support to ensure educational success.
G. develop and use formal and informal techniques to gain an accurate view of the
perceptions of district staff, families and community members.
H. use effective consensus-building and conflict-management skills.
I.
articulate the district’s vision and priorities to the community and to the media.
J. influence the media by using proactive communication strategies that serve to
enhance and promote the district’s vision.
K. communicate effectively about positions on educational issues using effective
writing, speaking and active listening skills to ensure educational success for all
students.
12
STUDY TOPICS
competency 004
THE SUPERINTENDENT KNOWS HOW TO RESPOND TO AND INFLUENCE THE LARGER
POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, LEGAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT, INCLUDING
WORKING WITH THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, TO ACHIEVE THE DISTRICT’S EDUCATIONAL
VISION.
A. analyze and respond to political, social, economic and cultural factors affecting
students and education.
3
B. provide leadership in defining superintendent–board roles and establishing mutual
expectations.
C. communicate and work effectively with board members in varied contexts, including
problem solving and decision making.
D. work with the board of trustees to define and consistently adhere to mutual
expectations, policies and standards.
E. access and work with local, state and national political systems and organizations to
provide input on critical educational issues.
F. use legal guidelines to protect the rights of students and staff and to improve learning
opportunities.
G. prepare and recommend district policies to improve student learning and district
performance in compliance with state and federal requirements.
DOMAIN II — INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP
competency 005
THE SUPERINTENDENT KNOWS HOW TO FACILITATE THE PLANNING AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLANS THAT ENHANCE TEACHING AND LEARNING;
ENSURE ALIGNMENT AMONG CURRICULUM, CURRICULUM RESOURCES AND
ASSESSMENT; USE THE CURRENT ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM; AND PROMOTE THE USE
OF VARIED ASSESSMENTS TO MEASURE STUDENT PERFORMANCE.
A. facilitate effective curricular decision making based on an understanding of
pedagogy, curriculum design, cognitive development, learning processes and child
and adolescent growth and development.
B. implement planning procedures to develop rigorous curricula that achieve optimal
student learning and that anticipate and respond to occupational and economic
trends.
C. implement curriculum design and delivery systems to ensure instructional quality,
appropriate depth of learning and alignment across the district.
D. develop and implement collaborative processes for systematically assessing and
renewing the curriculum to meet the needs of all students and ensure appropriate
scope, sequence, content and alignment.
13
STUDY TOPICS
E. use assessment to measure student learning, diagnose student needs and determine
effectiveness of the curriculum to ensure educational accountability.
F. evaluate district curricula and provide direction for improving curricula based on
sound, research-based practices.
G. facilitate the integration of technology into the school district curriculum to enhance
learning for all students.
H. facilitate the use of creative thinking, critical thinking and problem solving by
appropriate school district staff and other individuals involved in curricular design
and delivery.
3
I.
facilitate the effective coordination of district and campus curricular and
extracurricular programs.
J. ensure that staff members have a working knowledge of the accountability system
and are monitoring its components to increase student performance.
competency 006
THE SUPERINTENDENT KNOWS HOW TO ADVOCATE, PROMOTE AND SUSTAIN AN
INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM AND A DISTRICT CULTURE THAT ARE CONDUCIVE TO
STUDENT LEARNING AND STAFF PROFESSIONAL GROWTH.
A. apply knowledge of motivational theories and strategies to encourage staff, students,
families/caregivers and the community to strive to achieve the district’s vision.
B. facilitate the implementation of sound, research-based theories and techniques of
classroom management, student discipline and school safety to ensure a school
district environment conducive to learning.
C. facilitate the development of a learning organization that encompasses high student
engagement and learning with academic rigor through the use of effective planning
and lesson design.
D. facilitate the ongoing study of current best practice and relevant research and
encourage the application of this knowledge to district/school improvement
initiatives.
E. implement and support student services and activity programs to address
developmental, scholastic, social, emotional, cultural, physical and leadership needs.
F. establish a comprehensive school district program of student assessment,
interpretation of data and reporting of state and national data results for improvement
of student learning.
G. apply knowledge of special programs to ensure that students are provided with
appropriate resources and effective, flexible instructional programs and services.
14
STUDY TOPICS
H. analyze instructional resource needs and deploy instructional resources effectively
and equitably to enhance student learning.
I.
analyze the implications of various organizational factors (e.g., staffing patterns,
class scheduling formats, school organizational structures, student discipline
practices) for teaching and learning.
J. develop and use appropriate change processes to improve student and adult learning.
K. ensure responsiveness to diverse sociological, linguistic, cultural, psychological and
other factors that may affect student development and learning and create an
environment in which all students will learn.
competency 007
THE SUPERINTENDENT KNOWS HOW TO IMPLEMENT A STAFF EVALUATION AND
DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM AND SELECT APPROPRIATE MODELS FOR SUPERVISION AND
STAFF DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE OF ALL STAFF MEMBERS.
A. improve teaching and learning by participating in quality, relevant professional
development activities and studying current professional literature and research.
B. develop, implement and evaluate a comprehensive professional development plan to
address identified areas of district, campus and/or staff need.
C. facilitate the application of adult learning principles to all professional development
activities, including the use of support and follow-up strategies to facilitate
implementation.
D. implement strategies to increase the expertise and skill of staff at the district and
campus level.
E. work collaboratively with other district personnel to plan, implement and evaluate
professional growth programs.
F. deliver effective presentations and facilitate learning for both small and large groups.
G. implement effective strategies for the recruitment, selection, induction, development,
evaluation and promotion of staff.
H. develop and implement comprehensive staff evaluation models that include both
formative and summative assessment and appraisal strategies.
I.
assess and support the organizational health and climate by implementing necessary
strategies to improve the performance of all staff members.
15
3
STUDY TOPICS
DOMAIN III — ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP
competency 008
THE SUPERINTENDENT KNOWS HOW TO APPLY PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP
AND MANAGEMENT IN RELATION TO DISTRICT BUDGETING, PERSONNEL, RESOURCE
UTILIZATION, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS.
3
A. apply procedures for effective budget planning and management.
B. work collaboratively with board of trustees and appropriate personnel to develop
district budgets.
C. facilitate and evaluate effective account auditing and monitoring that complies with
legal requirements and local district policy.
D. establish district procedures for accurate, effective, ethical purchasing and financial
record keeping and reporting.
E. acquire, allocate and manage resources according to district vision and priorities,
including obtaining and using funding from various sources.
F. use district and staff evaluation data for personnel policy development and decision
making.
G. apply knowledge associated with personnel management, including requirements
related to certifying, recruiting, screening, selecting, evaluating, disciplining,
reassigning and dismissing personnel.
H. manage one’s own time and the time of others to enhance district operations.
I.
develop and implement plans for using technology and information systems to
enhance efficiency and effectiveness of school district operations.
J. apply legal concepts, regulations and codes as required.
K. use revenue forecasting and enrollment forecasting to address personnel and
budgetary needs accurately.
16
STUDY TOPICS
competency 009
THE SUPERINTENDENT KNOWS HOW TO APPLY PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP AND
MANAGEMENT TO THE DISTRICT’S PHYSICAL PLANT AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS TO
ENSURE A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
A. apply procedures for planning, funding, renovating and/or constructing school
facilities to support the district’s mission and goals.
B. implement strategies that enable the district’s physical plant, equipment and support
systems to operate safely, efficiently and effectively.
C. apply strategies for ensuring the safety of students and personnel and for addressing
emergencies and security concerns.
D. develop and implement procedures for emergency planning and for responding to
crises.
E. apply and evaluate procedures for ensuring the effective, efficient operation and
maintenance of district facilities.
F. implement and evaluate appropriate procedures to ensure efficient, effective district
transportation services, food services, health services and other services.
G. apply legal concepts, regulations and codes as required.
competency 010
THE SUPERINTENDENT KNOWS HOW TO APPLY ORGANIZATIONAL, DECISION-MAKING
AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL AND STATE
REQUIREMENTS AND FACILITATE POSITIVE CHANGE IN VARIED CONTEXTS.
A. implement appropriate leadership skills, techniques and group process skills to
define roles, assign functions, delegate effectively and determine accountability for
goal attainment.
B. implement processes for gathering, analyzing and using data for informed decision
making to attain district goals.
C. identify, analyze and resolve problems using appropriate problem-solving techniques
and decision-making skills.
D. use strategies for working with others, including the board of trustees, to promote
collaborative decision making and problem solving, facilitate team building and
develop consensus.
E. encourage and facilitate positive change, enlist support for change and overcome
obstacles to change in varied educational contexts.
F. analyze and use political influences to benefit the educational organization.
17
3
4
Chapter 4
Succeeding on Multiple-Choice Questions
SUCCEEDING ON MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
APPROACHES TO ANSWERING MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
The purpose of this section is to describe multiple-choice question formats that you will see on the
Superintendent test and to suggest possible ways to approach thinking about and answering the
multiple-choice questions. However, these approaches are not intended to replace familiar test-taking
strategies with which you are already comfortable and that work for you.
4
The Superintendent test is designed to include a total of 100 multiple-choice questions, out of which
80 are scored. The number of scored questions will not vary; however, the number of questions that
are not scored may vary in the actual test. Your final scaled score will be based only on scored
questions. The questions that are not scored are being pilot tested in order to collect information
about how these questions will perform under actual testing conditions. These questions are not
identified on the test.
All multiple-choice questions on this test are designed to assess your knowledge of the content
described in the test framework. In most cases, you are expected to demonstrate more than just
your ability to recall factual information. You may be asked to think critically about a situation,
to analyze it, consider it carefully, compare it to other knowledge you have or make a judgment
about it.
When you are ready to respond to a multiple-choice question, you must choose one of four answer
options labeled A, B, C and D. Leave no questions unanswered. Nothing is subtracted from your
score if you answer a question incorrectly. Questions for which you mark no answer or more than
one answer are not counted in scoring. Your score will be determined by the number of questions for
which you select the best answer.
QUESTION FORMATS
You may see the following types of multiple-choice questions on the test.
—
—
—
—
—
—
Single Questions
Decision Sets
Decision Set: Sample Stimulus Material
Decision Set: Single Question
Decision Set: Second Stimulus
Clustered Questions
On the following pages, you will find descriptions of these commonly used question formats, along
with suggested approaches for responding to each type of question. In the actual testing situation,
you may mark the test questions and/or write in the margins of your test booklet. Your final
response must be indicated on the answer sheet provided.
20
SINGLE QUESTIONS
In a single-question format, a problem is presented as a direct question or as an incomplete statement,
and four answer choices appear below the question. The following question is an example of this
type. It assesses knowledge of Superintendent Competency 003: The superintendent knows how to
communicate and collaborate with families and community members, respond to diverse community
interests and needs and mobilize community resources to ensure educational success for all students.
EXAMPLE
The final expenditures for a major school construction project in a district run over budget by
approximately twenty percent. A series of articles on the discrepancy appears in the local
newspaper, including some highly critical editorials. Which of the following would be the
superintendent’s best strategy for addressing this situation?
A. Contact the publisher of the local newspaper to explore whether the paper might be
willing to moderate its criticism
B. Appeal to supporters of the project to organize a district-wide letter writing campaign
to counter the negative publicity
C. Initiate a communication plan to account fully for all expenditures, including cost
overruns, related to the new facility
D. Refrain from responding directly to the criticism, but issue a series of press releases
publicizing the benefits of the new facility
SUGGESTED APPROACH
Read the question carefully and critically. Think about what it is asking and the situation it is describing.
Eliminate any obviously wrong answers, select the correct answer choice and mark your answer.
As you read this question, consider the situation described. Public criticism is being leveled at
the school district for significant cost overruns on a major construction project. Under such
circumstances, the superintendent is responsible for ensuring that the public be provided with all
relevant information on the issue (option C). Options B and D could both be seen as attempts to
avoid accountability, and either response would be contrary to the superintendent’s responsibility to
be forthcoming about issues of legitimate public interest. With regard to option A, trying to influence
press coverage in the manner described would be an unethical response on the superintendent’s part.
Option C is therefore the correct answer.
21
4
DECISION SETS
Decision sets contain approximately three to twelve questions that are all about a particular situation
faced by a superintendent in a hypothetical Texas school district. The decision set format helps to
simulate situations that superintendents encounter and in which they must make decisions that affect
staff, students and the larger school community. Each decision set begins with stimulus material,
which sets the scene and provides information to use in answering the questions that follow. In many
decision sets, additional stimulus material is provided at one or more junctures. This stimulus
material typically provides additional information or a subsequent development that you will need to
answer the questions that follow.
DECISION SET: SAMPLE STIMULUS MATERIAL
4
The decision set stimulus material may include demographic information about the district, a
description of the community served by the district or information about district staff in general or
one or more particular staff members. Each decision set stimulus describes a situation that a
superintendent is facing.
In a test booklet, the beginning and end of each decision set will be clearly marked. For simplicity in
the test booklet, a decision set is referred to as a “Set.” The following sample shows the first stimulus
for a decision set about a successful bond election that has already taken place and the superintendent,
Dr. Smith, and Grantwood ISD staff are in the early stages of planning the construction of a new
school to replace an existing facility.
PART 1
Dr. Julian Smith, the superintendent of Grantwood ISD, is overseeing plans for a new
school in the district. The new facility will replace an existing one that is old and in very
poor condition. After gaining voter approval of the necessary bond issues, district officials
begin planning construction of the new school.
The stimulus material presents essential information for the decision set. This stimulus indicates that
a successful bond election has already taken place and that Dr. Smith and Grantwood ISD staff are in
the early stages of planning the construction of a new school to replace the existing facility.
In a decision set, the stimulus is an important scene setter. As you consider the test questions that
follow, check the stimulus as needed. As you progress through the decision set, additional stimuli
may introduce new information. The decision set is often set up as a kind of story line that develops
over time. You may find it helpful to skim all of the questions and stimulus materials in a decision set
before answering any questions. Such a quick read-through may give you a richer understanding of
the context for the questions. However, as you select your answer for each question, be sure to base
your choice on only the information that has already been presented about the situation.
22
Regardless of the strategy you use, keep in mind that every piece of information in each stimulus and
question is important. You should base your answers on the particular situation presented, not on
similar situations you have encountered or studied. With each question, you should think about the
knowledge and skills outlined in the test framework.
DECISION SET: SINGLE QUESTION
In the single-question format, a problem is presented as a direct question or an incomplete statement,
and four answer options appear below the question. The following question is an example of this
type. It assesses knowledge of Superintendent Competency 009: The superintendent knows how to
apply principles of leadership and management to the district’s physical plant and support systems to
ensure a safe and effective learning environment.
4
EXAMPLE
Dr. Smith’s first step in the planning process for building the new school should be to
A. schedule public forums to discuss instructional needs and space requirements for the
new school.
B. meet with the designated architect to discuss design options for the new school.
C. work with district and campus representatives to develop educational specifications
for the new school.
D. ask the principal of the new school to prepare a brief report on anticipated space
needs.
SUGGESTED APPROACH
Read the question carefully and critically. Think about what it its asking and the situation it is
describing. Eliminate any obviously wrong answers, select the correct answer choice and mark
your answer.
As you read this question, think about what steps must be taken during the process of planning
school construction projects and in what order they should take place. All decisions about building
and classroom design should be driven by the instructional needs of the student population to be
served in the new facility. This must be the primary consideration before any specific plans or
designs can be made. Also, districts must ensure that a new facility meets the standards approved by
the State Board of Education. To facilitate this process, the Texas Administrative Code (TAC)
requires districts to draft educational specifications for new facilities that include descriptions of the
new school’s student population and instructional program. These specifications include, among
other things, the number of students to be served, the grade-level configuration of the student
population a description of the instructional programs required by this population and a list of
specialized classrooms and other support areas that will be needed. Therefore, option C is the
correct answer to this question.
23
DECISION SET: SECOND STIMULUS
The next few questions are part of the same decision set. These questions follow a second stimulus.
Each sample question is followed by a suggested approach to answering it. Additional stimulus
material is sometimes provided in a decision set to provide more information or to introduce a new
development in a situation. In this case, the following stimulus supplies additional information
regarding district needs and how Dr. Smith plans to address them.
PART 2
Dr. Smith considers building the campus library as a shared use public library in
collaboration with city officials. In addition, other organizations have voiced to Dr. Smith
their interest in using the school facilities during non-school hours. Since Dr. Smith has a
small administrative staff with no expertise in facility planning, he wants to hire an
outside consultant to assist with the planning process.
4
EXAMPLE 1
Which of the following provides the primary advantages of joint use arrangements between
schools and other organizations?
A. Responding to the lack of recreational space in expanding areas and the need to
efficiently use limited public resources
B. Meeting compliance obligations from state and local building codes and responding
to a strong research base showing the effectiveness of joint use
C. Decreasing maintenance requirements for the building and relieving time contraints
on custodial staff
D. Effectively aligning and coordinating multiple agency’s funding sources and
authority structures
SUGGESTED APPROACH
Read the question carefully and critically. Think about what it is asking and the situation it is
describing. Eliminate any obviously wrong answers, select the correct answer choice and mark
your answer.
24
As you read this question, think about the many perspectives a superintendent must consider when
making decisions for new construction planning. While school facilities are an integral component of
public infrastructure, they largely sit empty after students complete their school day. With state
finance budgets so tight around the state and nation, superintendents look for ways to be fiscally
responsible and build partnerships with other non-school organizations to reduce costs and better
serve the community. There is currently not a large amount of research available to define the
effectiveness of this movement, and this initiative is guided largely by local policy and procedures,
which invalidates option B. Despite the benefits, this joint arrangement is like a “forced marriage”
and because each entity involved has complex decision-making structures, systems and policies and
procedures that must be followed, the relationship between the school and non-school group is
strained. Utilization often suffers as a result of these complexities, as well as the many competing
political agendas. There is usually an increased demand on the building and custodial staff due to
increased hours the campus is in use. So, the disadvantages and obstacles of this initiative are shown
in options C and D. Therefore, option A is the correct answer to this question.
EXAMPLE 2
In defining Dr. Smith’s working relationship with the independent contractor he plans to hire,
Dr. Smith should ask the contractor to
A. make decisions on educational matters that relate to the new facility because this is
his area of expertise.
B. administer the facilities planning process so that an efficient and effective system is
maintained.
C. utilize the district’s long-range plans and facility plans to meet the needs of students
in the district.
D. request an architect develop long-range plans for the district to ensure the facility is
align with district needs.
SUGGESTED APPROACH
As the district’s leader, the superintendent is responsible for administering facilities projects and
reporting the status to board members, and should not delegate this role to an outside consultant. It is
always tempting for educators to rely on the professional judgment of other professionals when they
have very limited personnel resources. Only the educator can know the educational programs of the
school system now and in the future, so Dr. Smith should provide the advice on educational matters.
This includes the development of long-range plans for the district. These rationales invalidate options
A, B and D. It is prudent for the superintendent to develop long-range plans and facility plans with
the district stakeholders and ask the consultant to use them throughout the building and planning
phase. Option C is the correct answer.
25
4
EXAMPLE 3
The independent educational consultant hired by Dr. Smith discusses state regulations and
policies describing the general parameters for selecting a builder for the new facility. Which of
the following statements accurately describes the legal guidelines Grantwood ISD must follow
when awarding construction contracts to build the new school?
A. The district must use the request for proposal method when awarding contracts for
the construction of new schools or other district facilities
B. Competitive bidding is one of several methods the district may select, depending on
which option provides the best value to the district
4
C. The district must use either the request for proposal method or a design/build
contract, depending on which option provides the best value to the district
D. Competitive bidding is the only approved method for the district to use when
awarding contracts for the construction of new schools or other district facilities
SUGGESTED APPROACH
As the district’s leader, the superintendent must use an understanding of legal issues to make sound
decisions. The Texas Education Code provides a variety of options to school districts that are
awarding construction contracts for the building of new schools or for major renovation projects. The
district may use whichever method provides the best value to the district, including but not limited to
competitive bidding. Option B is the correct response.
CLUSTERED QUESTIONS
You may have one or more questions related to a single stimulus. When you have at least two
questions related to a single stimulus, the group of questions is called a cluster.
26
Chapter 5
Supplemental Material for Multiple-Choice
Practice Questions
5
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL FOR MULTIPLE-CHOICE PRACTICE QUESTIONS
CASE STUDY
Sample questions 1–15 in Chapter 6 refer to material in the following case study. In the actual test
this case study material will be in a separate Supplemental Booklet.
Note: Some of the documents are meant to reflect types of materials produced by the state and do
not necessarily reflect current reporting formats. It is important that you use only the materials in this
chapter to answer the questions.
CASE STUDY SCENARIO
5
Dr. Bugle is the superintendent of Sweetville Independent School District (SISD), a small suburban
district with eight schools. One of the middle schools, Sweetville Middle School (SMS), a Title I
school, has received notification from Texas Education Agency (TEA) that the campus did not make
adequate yearly progress (AYP) in the category of mathematics performance. Dr. Bugle coordinates
with the principal, Ms. Akon, to respond to this information and begin developing professional
learning communities (PLCs) for all district schools.
Some teachers have voiced concerns regarding the teacher selection process for the new professional
learning communities. A teacher at Sweetville MS, Susan Martin, has filed a grievance as a result of
the teacher selection process for the PLC planning committee. Mr. Bugle plans to review all the
pertinent information and respond appropriately.
Examine the following documents and respond to the questions:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Letter from superintendent to Sweetville Middle School parents
Superintendent memo to principals with article on professional learning communities
Sweetville Middle School AYP data and budget considerations
Level I grievance from a campus department chair, Susan Martin
Level I grievance response from principal
Level II appeal notice from Susan Martin
District grievance policy
28
5
29
5
30
By Shirley M. Hord
— NSDC’s scholar laureate. Hord has conducted
research on educational change and professional
learning communities in positions at the university
and classroom level and as the former scholar
emeritus at SEDL. You can contact her at
[email protected].
W
e can all agree that the purpose of schools is student
learning, and that the most significant factor in whether
students learn well is teaching quality. Further, teaching
quality is improved through continuous professional
learning. The context most supportive of the learning of
professionals is the professional learning community
(Hord & Hirsh, 2008). Here I define what happens in the
professional learning community and what makes such
communities possible.
First, what is the community learning? “It is vital … that
staff members understand the linkage between learning
with students in the classroom and learning with
colleagues” (Lambert, 2003, p.21). Members of the
community thoughtfully study multiple sources of
student data to discover where students are performing
well, and thus where staff members can celebrate.
Importantly, the areas that receive the staff’s most
meticulous attention are the areas where students do not
perform successfully. The staff members prioritize these
student learning needs, and define one area to which
they give immediate attention. The staff collectively
takes responsibility to learn new content, strategies or
approaches to increase its effectiveness in teaching to
these problem areas. Learning is not an add-on to the
role of the professional. It is a habitual activity where the
group learns how to learn together continuously.
Here is a small example: In my first fieldwork
assignment in 1986 for the Southwest Educational
Development Laboratory, I supported the school
improvement efforts of an 18-member faculty of a small
rural school. As we studied and interpreted item analysis
data, the young science teacher leaped to his feet and
loudly proclaimed, “They didn’t get it.” After a long
pause, he added, “Next time, I will have to learn how to
teach that differently.” This yo ung teacher got it! And he
got it through examining data in concert with his peers.
There is a second aspect in working to define a
community of professional learners: the community
itself. “The term ‘community’ has almost come to mean
any gathering of people in a social setting. But real
communities ask more of us. …They assume a focus on
a shared purpose, mutual regard and caring, and an
insistence on integrity and truthfulness. To elevate our
work in schools to the level required by a true
community, then we must direct our energies and
attention toward something greater than ourselves”
(Lambert, 2003, p. 4).
The most common teaching/learning pattern for adults
and children today emphasizes individual learner work
flowing from an instructor’s lecture. This
teacher-centered style, where the teacher pontificates
about a topic or skill, is followed by directions from the
teacher for the adult learner’s assigned application task.
Changing this teaching/learning process from
instructor-centered to learner-centered (whether for
children or adults) constitutes a fundamental change.
The professional learning community models the
self-initiating learner working in concert with peers. This
is a constructivist view of the learning process (Brooks
& Brooks, 1993). As Lambert notes, “Professional
development designs that attend to both teacher and
student learning might use what I refer to as the
‘reciprocal processes of constructive learning.’ By this, I
mean learning that is mutual and interactive, thereby
investing in the growth of all participants” (2003, p. 22).
Constructivism recognizes learning as the process of
making sense of information and experiences. Learning
constructively requires an environment in which learners
work collegially and is situated in authentic activities
and context.
Burns, Menchaca and Dimock (2001) identified six
principles as important to constructivist learning theory:
1. Learners bring unique prior knowledge, experience
and beliefs to a learning situation.
2. Knowledge is constructed uniquely and individually,
in multiple ways, through a variety of authentic
tools, resources, experiences and contexts.
3. Learning is both an active and reflective process.
4. Learning is a developmental process of
accommodation, assimilation or rejection to
construct new conceptual structures, meaningful
representations or new mental models.
5. Social interaction introduces multiple perspectives
through reflection, collaboration, negotiation and
shared meaning.
6. Learning is internally controlled and mediated by the
learner.
31
5
These six principles of constructivism are closely
connected to the concepts and dimensions of the
professional learning community.
5
The professional learning community is defined by what
the words state:
• Professionals: Those individuals who are
responsible and accountable for delivering an
effective instructional program to students so that
they each learn well. Professionals show up with a
passionate commitment to their own learning and
that of students, and share responsibility to this
purpose.
• Learning: The activity in which professionals
engage in order to enhance their knowledge and
skills.
• Community: Individuals coming together in a
group in order to interact in meaningful activities to
learn deeply with colleagues about an identified
topic, to develop shared meaning and identify shared
purposes related to the topic.
The professional learning community encourages
constructivism by providing the setting and the working
relationships demanded of constructivist learning. Six
research-based dimensions of professional learning
communities are:
• Shared beliefs, values and a vision of what the
school should be;
• Shared and supportive leadership where power,
authority and decision-making are distributed across
the community;
• Supportive structural conditions, such as time, place
and resources;
• Supportive relational conditions that include respect
and caring among the community, with trust as an
imperative;
• Collective learning, intentionally determined, to
address student needs and the increased
effectiveness of the professionals; and
• Peers sharing their practice to gain feedback, and
thus individual and organizational improvement.
The professional learning community, whose purpose is
the learning of the community’s members, models
constructivist learning. When the community operates
according to the research base on professional
community learning, this learner-centered environment
for educators results in important outcomes for teachers
and administrators and significant achievement for their
students.
32
What does a community of professionals need to
implement constructivist learning?
Community membership. First consider the
community members. Two ways to organize the
professional community’s work are of particular interest.
One is the regular weekly (or more frequent) meetings of
the grade-level or academic subject-matter teams. In
these small groups, members focus on their student’s
needs, their curriculum and instructional practices that
appropriately address their students. The team’s learning
focuses directly on these students. A parallel structure is
the whole staff meeting at least monthly, more often if
possible, to study school data, define goals and
determine what learning they need to achieve these
goals. They must also decide how to go about their
learning. They share and discuss their team-group
learning. This structure provides common purpose for
the school.
Leadership. The principal’s role is important in
launching the communities’ meetings. Defining purpose
for these gatherings is vital, and the principal’s
leadership in supporting and leading collaborative
dialogue about students’ needs and how staffs’ learning
can contribute to student learning is key to the effort.
Time for learning. Also important is the principal’s role
in soliciting teacher’s cooperation in finding or creating
time for meetings. In one possible model, the district
office creates a schedule where all schools’ instructional
day would be extended by 15 to 20 minutes four days a
week and adjourned after lunch one day a week. With
this model, the district maintains student instructional
time and average daily attendance, dismisses students
early on one day, and the staff is free of any obligations
other than to meet and learn together. Schools and
districts have found other ways to access time. However,
advice from the book Eat, Pray, Love playfully but
accurately suggests that “time — when pursued like a
bandit — will behave like one” (Gilbert, 2006). Helping
parents and other members of the school community
understand the need to adjust the school schedule to
enable educator learning is another task for the principal
and teachers.
Space for learning. Principals must identify space that
can accommodate the entire faculty. One principal
rotated the meetings around to every teacher’s
classroom. Not only did this provide space, but teachers
of all grade levels and subjects gained insight into their
fellow teachers’ work. The visitors noted evidence of
their colleagues’ teaching practices and artifacts of
student learning.
Data use support. Reviewing, studying and interpreting
data is the foundation of professional learning
communities. Someone must be responsible for
organizing the various sources of data in formats that are
user-friendly. This can be a formidable job for smaller
districts and schools with limited personnel. Eventually,
all teachers should learn how to do this task so that they
have ready access to current data.
Distributed leadership. Of equal importance to guiding
a processional learning community is the principal’s
willingness to share power and authority. As the staff
learns to use appropriate conversation modes, select the
best decision-making model for their needs, and engage
in conflict resolution, the principal removes himself or
herself as the “sage on stage” to become the guide on the
side, “working in democratic participation with the
staff.”
Staff members, with their school leaders, are using data
to make decisions about what to learn, how to learn it,
how to transfer and apply it to their classrooms, and how
to assess its effectiveness. In doing so, professional
learning community members operate as constructivist
learners, making collegial decisions and planning
self-generated learning. In addition to acting
constructively in their learning, they demonstrate
professional behavior — consistently increasing their
effectiveness through continuous learning.
References:
Brooks, J. G. and Brooks, M. G. (1993). In search of
understanding: The case for constructivist
classrooms. Alexandria, Va.: ASCD.
Burns, M., Menchaca, M., and Dimock, V. (2001).
Applying technology to restructuring and learning.
Paper presented at the 2002 Computer Supported
Collaborative Learning (CSCL) Conference,
Pedagogy Track: Teachers and CSCL, Boulder,
Colo.
Gilbert, E. (2006). Eat, Pray, Love: One woman’s
search for everything across Italy, India, and
Indonesia. New York: Viking.
Hord, S. M and Hirsh, S. A. (2008). Making the promise
a reality.
A. M. Blankstein, P. D. Houston, and R. W. Cole (Eds.),
Sustaining professional learning communities.
Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin Press.
Lambert, L. (2003). Leadership capacity for lasting
school improvement. Alexandria, Va.: ASCD
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The
development of higher psychological processes.
Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
33
5
5
34
5
35
5
36
5
37
5
38
Employee Complaint Form – Level One
Name:
Susan Martin
Address:
Position/Department/Campus:
123 South First Street, Sweetville
Middle School Chairperson/Teacher/ Sweetville MS
If you will be represented by another person, please identify the person representing you:
Name: _______________________________ Telephone: ___________________________
Please describe the decision or circumstances causing your complaint:
Ms. Akon, the principal of Sweetville MS, has decided to hire teachers with little or no experience for planning for PLC
implementation and staff development. This act is clearly age discrimination since the newer teachers are all younger and
do not require a daily rate of pay that is equal to that of the more experienced teachers on the campus. This attempt to save
money has resulted in ageism and is clearly a violation of board policy.
What was the date of the decision or cicumstances causing your complaint?
5
August 22, 2010
Please explain how you have been harmed by this decision or circumstance:
Not only have I been made to feel useless due to my age, I have also been denied pay for services that I am entitled to as a
chairperson. I should sit on the committee for the PLC planning and for curriculum writing over the summer months and
into the school year. The logical choice for the aforementioned events is a group of both experienced and new teachers in
order to get a wide range of input and perspective.
Please describe and efforts you have made to resolve your complaint informally and the responses to your efforts:
I called the principal and director of curriculum to voice my concerns about the possible hiring of younger teachers in an
effort to save money. I discussed this with them and asked to be placed on the PLC planning committee, but was told that
the committee was already formed. Neither gave me an answer that was satisfactory
With whom did you communicate?
Principal of Sweetville Middle School; Director for Curriculum for Sweetville ISD
On what date?:
August 22, 2010
Please describe the outcome or remedy you seek for this complaint:
I would like to be placed on the PLC Planning committee and be compensated at my current daily rate of pay for the work
I do while on the committee.
Employee signature:
Susan Martin
Date of filing:
August 25, 2010
Please note: A complaint form that is incomplete in any material way may be dismissed, but may be refiled with all the
required information if the refiling is within the designated time for filing a complaint. Attach to this form any
documents you believe will support the complaint; if unavailable when you submit this form, they may be presented no
later than the Level One conference. Please keep a copy of the completed form and any supporting documentation for
your records.
39
Response to Level-One Complaint
August 28, 2010
Dear Ms. Martin of 123 South First St., Sweetville:
Having considered the complaints we discussed in our level one conference on August 27, I have decided on the
following remedies to your complaint:
•
5
Teachers have been hired to serve on the PLC committee without regard to their years of experience or salary.
For your other concerns, I am unable to provide the remedy you seek.
•
The planning committee for PLCs has already been formed and the members are meeting to plan for the coming
year. I was unaware of your desire to serve on the committee until I received your level-one complaint. I took
requests from any teacher interested in serving on the committee via e-mail for a two-week period in August. I did
not receive a request from you. I sent a reminder e-mail two days before the deadline. Request denied.
Ms. Akon
Principal
Complainant, please note: To appeal this response, you must file a written notice of appeal with the executive director
within the time limits set in DBGA (Local).
40
5
41
5
42
5
43
5
44
5
45
AEIS SECTION
Sample questions 16–24 in Chapter 6 refer to material in the following AEIS report. In the actual test
this report will be in a separate Supplemental Booklet. These are meant to reflect types of materials
produced by the state and do not necessarily reflect current reporting formats.
AEIS SCENARIO
Dr. Madison is the new superintendent of Texas Star Independent School District (TSISD). The
district has three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. Dr. Madison reviews
the information in the most recent Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) reports for the
district and individual campuses. He wants to familiarize himself with the district’s problem areas as
they relate to state standardized testing and, therefore, focuses on the secondary campuses and the
district report.
5
46
5
47
5
48
5
49
5
50
5
51
5
52
5
53
5
54
5
55
5
56
5
57
5
58
5
59
5
60
5
61
5
62
5
63
5
64
5
65
5
66
5
67
5
68
5
69
5
70
5
71
5
72
5
73
5
74
5
75
5
76
5
77
5
78
5
79
5
80
5
81
5
82
5
83
5
84
5
85
5
86
5
87
5
88
5
89
5
90
Chapter 6
Multiple-Choice Practice Questions
6
MULTIPLE-CHOICE PRACTICE QUESTIONS
SAMPLE MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
This section presents some sample test questions for you to review as part of your preparation for the
test. To demonstrate how each competency may be assessed, each sample question is accompanied
by the competency that it measures. While studying, you may wish to read the competency before
and after you consider each sample question. Please note that the competency statements will not
appear on the actual test.
An answer key follows the sample questions. The answer key lists the question number and correct
answer for each sample test question. Please note that the answer key also lists the competency
assessed by each question and that the sample questions are not necessarily presented in competency
order.
The sample questions are included to illustrate the formats and types of questions you will see on the
test; however, your performance on the sample questions should not be viewed as a predictor of your
performance on the actual test.
6
92
Questions 1–15 refer to material in the case study in Chapter 5.
competency 010
1.
Dr. Bugle wants to ensure that all
employees understand the state and
federal accountability system in order
for students to be successful on state
assessments. Which of the following
statements by Dr. Bugle best
addresses this goal?
A. When considering federal
accountability, schools can move from
academically unacceptable to acceptable
by improving student performance on
the state standardized test
competency 010
2.
If Sweetville Middle School fails to
make progress resulting in Stage 2
restrictions, which of the following
will be required?
A. Meeting year-one requirements and
paying for supplemental education
services, such as tutoring for
low-income children
B. Revising the curriculum, replacing
school staff, extending the school day
or taking authority away from the
principal
B. When a school misses AYP, that school
has not met one or more of the criteria
for the state accountability system
based on their student scores on the
state standardized test
C. Conducting an in-house audit of
student testing processes at each
campus rated academically
unacceptable
C. There are two accountability systems
in place, a state accountability system,
AEIS and a federal accountability
system measured by AYP
D. Reconstituting campuses receiving an
academically unacceptable rating and
replacing each of these schools’
principals
6
D. School districts should address the
issues in the lowest performing
schools, as a way to increase student
performance on AEIS, the federal
accountability system
93
competency 005
3.
As the district plans to implement
PLCs, Dr. Bugle wants to ensure that
all principals understand how to use
student performance data to improve
instruction at their campuses. Which
of the following provides Dr. Bugle
an opportunity to share compiled
district data trends with principals
while demonstrating the use of
PLCs?
competency 002
5.
A. Sharing the projected budget needs
with principals, asking them for input
on finding additional monies to fund
the project
A. Forwarding the data directly to
principals and directing them to
improve scores in the next year
B. Forwarding the memo from the
director of curriculum to all principals,
requesting that they move campus
professional development funds to the
district level
B. Providing a memo to leadership teams
that expresses the opinions of campus
principals on the data and its
implications
6
C. Distributing the data at a general
meeting of principals and providing
time for them to collaborate on
solutions for problem areas
C. Requesting that each campus advisory
committee vote on the suggestions
outlined in the director’s memo to
move campus funds to the district level
D. Working in vertical teams to review all
the data with the representative campus
teachers and campus leaders
D. Relying on the additional funding
sources to be provided by the federal
government to support the project that
they have initiated
competency 006
4.
According to the article provided by
Dr. Bugle to principals and their
staff, which of the following
adjustments to their practice is
appropriate?
A. Grouping students by achievement
levels
B. Modifying the courses or grade levels
taught
C. Adjusting instruction to meet student
needs
D. Scoring assessments according to a
bell curve
94
Dr. Bugle knows that while
implementing PLCs can successfully
move teachers’ thinking forward, the
process will require additional
funding. Which of the following
strategies can Dr. Bugle use to best
ensure the budgetary needs are met
for all schools during planning and
implementation of the project?
competency 001
6.
Which of the following strategies
should Dr. Bugle implement to best
address Susan Martin’s concerns?
A. Paying all teachers the same amount
for participation in the selection
process
B. Hiring only non-tenured teachers to
participate in the selection process
C. Including teacher representation in
determining the selection process
D. Identifying participants by principal
recommendation to be part of the
selection process
competency 001
7.
In accordance with board policy,
which of the following responses
from Dr. Bugle to Susan Martin’s
level-two grievance is most
appropriate?
competency 008
9.
A. Instructing her principal to meet with
her to address her concerns
B. Meeting with her himself to address
her concerns and providing a follow-up
memo summarizing the conference
A. Guiding principles
C. Instructing the assistant superintendent
to meet with her and include a
follow-up memo summarizing the
conference
C. Jurisdictional referral
D. Waiting to reply to the teacher until
a district decision has been made
regarding the implementation of the
new initiative
competency 001
8.
A group of teachers from Sweetville
Middle School send a letter to
Dr. Bugle outlining their intention
to join Susan Martin in her pending
grievance. If their grievance is
officially filed, which portion of
SISD’s board policy address how
Dr. Bugle should respond?
If Susan Martin appeals the level-two
decision, what is the most appropriate
next step for Dr. Bugle to take?
A. Deny any level-two appeal so that the
complaint goes to the board
B. Review any level-two appeal himself
and provide a written response
C. Forward any level-two appeal to the
district legal team to hear
D. Send the level-two appeal back to the
principal for a resolution
B. Notice to employees
D. Consolidating complaints
competency 005
10.
6
Dr. Bugle analyzes the AYP campus
data table for Sweetville Middle
School. Which of the following
provides the most appropriate
response needed to meet AYP in
the future?
A. Focusing on both reading interventions
needed for the special education
sub-population and mathematics
strategies for all students
B. Addressing reading strategies over
mathematics intervention because the
special education sub-population
performed the poorest in this subject
area
C. Remedying deficiencies in
mathematics receives the sole attention
of faculty and staff because reading
performance is strong across all
sub-populations
D. Implementing motivational strategies
that improve student attendance to
better meet AYP participation criteria
95
competency 003
competency 005
11.
12.
A group of teachers tells a local
television station that they are being
discriminated against based on their
age. A news story is broadcast during
which the group recounts a rumor
that Dr. Bugle is allowing principals
to hire younger teachers to serve on
the PLCs planning committee in
order to keep personnel costs down.
The group calls the actions ageism,
and the teachers threaten to file a
federal discrimination lawsuit. Which
of the following is the most
appropriate response from Dr. Bugle?
A. Ignoring the news story and moving
forward with the planned selection
process for the planning committee,
and then later calling the newspaper
with the correct information
6
B. Informing the school board president
of the news story, explaining the
planned selection process to all
employees and board members, and
then calling the media with the
information
C. Providing the media with the planned
selection process for the planning
committee, calling the school board to
inform them of the situation, and
meeting with the teachers for a
question-and-answer session
The principal at a middle school in
the district meets with campus
instructional chairpersons. The group
members believe they do not need to
engage in PLCs since student
performance has dropped due to the
shift in the socioeconomic status of
the school population, not the quality
of teaching. Which of the following
strategies can Dr. Bugle use to
encourage the team to participate in
the initiative?
A. Sending a directive to all principals
that participation is not optional and
any employee that complains should
be reprimanded in writing
B. Conferencing with the principal
regarding campus data to broaden
Dr. Bugle’s understanding of each
area of underperformance
C. Instructing the principal to meet with
the team to discuss strategies for
meeting the needs of diverse learners
and how PLC can meet those needs
D. Working with campus instructional
chairs to chart the progress of current
middle and high school students over
time
D. Contacting the board president to act
as the district’s official spokesperson to
the media to explain the selection
process for the planning committee
and then report back to the
superintendent
96
competency 007
competency 007
13.
15.
According to the principles discussed
in the article provided by Dr. Bugle,
which of the following sets of
professional development topics best
supports the implementation of PLCs?
A. Curriculum, pedagogy and assessments
B. Curriculum, alignment, articulation
and design
C. Mission, vision, values and goals
D. Historical perspective, practice and
pedagogy
competency 007
14.
Dr. Bugle believes that PLCs will not
be sustainable if the change initiative
is not embedded in the culture of the
schools. To begin changing the
district and campus culture, the
school leadership team will need to
address how to
A. assign staff, schedule classes and
discipline students.
B. articulate shared values, facilitate
reflective dialogue and create time to
celebrate.
C. create district benchmarks, common
assessments and time for data
desegregation.
After several months of implementing
PLCs, district staff and principals
begin to see improvements with the
district-created common assessments
and the increasing excitement from
teachers involved. Which of the
following strategies is the most
appropriate first step for Dr. Bugle to
take to communicate these successes
and foster continued improvement?
A. Providing the local media with a press
release stating that the initiative has
been successful and reinforcing that
the successes occurred despite the
selection process controversy
B. Sending the data and feedback to
campus principals and requesting they
share it with the teachers who were
involved in the controversy
surrounding the planning committee
selections
C. Requesting the director of curriculum
to compile the data and share it with
campus principals at the next regular
meeting as a checkpoint for the
initiative
D. Sharing the data with the school board
president and asking that it be placed
on the agenda for the next regular
board meeting as consideration for
future budget decisions
D. plan professional development
activities and timely follow-up
strategies.
97
6
Questions 16–24 refer to material in the AEIS Report in Chapter 5.
competency 004
competency 006
16.
17.
Dr. Madison reviews Simms Middle
School’s campus improvement plan,
which makes the statement below as
part of its student performance
summary. According to the campus
AEIS report, which of the following
may identify evidence of this
campuswide concern?
A. Passing rate of students who had
previously failed the state standardized
tests
B. Campus-level results for
eleventh-grade mathematics
Our concern is that gaps and holes in
the district curriculum are limiting
our ability to attain the goal of
exemplary performance in all core
areas.
6
A. Changes in commended performance
at all grade levels
Texas Star High School shows
improvement in mathematics through
which of the following?
C. Mathematics sum of all grades tested
for special education
D. Advanced Placement/International
Baccalaureate tests
competency 006
18.
B. Differences between reading scores
and mathematics scores
Which of the following answer
choices most accurately describes a
characteristic of programs at Texas
Star High School?
C. Success rate of eighth-grade males
compared with females in mathematics
A. Employs an ethnically diverse staff
that mirrors the student population
D. Decreases in eighth-grade reading
performance from 2008–2009
B. Lacks an instructional staff with a
strong experience base
C. Achieves strong SAT and ACT scores
and percent tested
D. Struggles with weak social studies
performance across gender groups
98
competency 006
19.
Which of the following is the most appropriate observation and response for Dr. Madison to
make regarding special programs and subpopulations at individual campuses in Texas
Star ISD?
Observation
Response
A.
The percent of students identified for
services in the gifted program is low
at many campuses in the district
compared with the state average
Review district identification
practices compared with best
practices nationwide for the gifted
program and determine what changes
should be made
B.
Students identified as economically
disadvantaged made greater gains
from 2008 to 2009 than most other
student subgroups
Determine which instructional
programs likely contributed to these
gains and determine if the programs
should be expanded
C.
Retention rates among special
education students at Simms Middle
School far exceed retention rates for
the district and state
Develop performance objectives and
professional development plans for
the elementary school principal that
are tied to improvement in this
retention rate
D.
Students identified as economically
disadvantaged at Lone Star High
School perform better in language
arts than other subgroups
Review the district’s language arts
curricular program and determine
whether it should be updated
6
99
competency 008
competency 002
20.
22.
Dr. Madison informs the school board
that district teachers have requested a
pay raise for the following school
year. Teachers complain that their
pay scale is low compared with the
state average, and the district
struggles to retain teachers as a
result. Which of the following data
from the district AEIS report
supports the teachers’ claims?
A. Average years experience for district
teachers
B. Turnover rate for district teachers
C. Distribution of teachers by years of
experience
6
D. Average teacher salary
competency 002
21.
In examining student and staff
information to assess how accurately
the ethnic distribution of district staff
reflects the district’s student
population, Dr. Madison should
recognize which of the following in
the report?
A. The district’s teaching staff does not
represent the ethnic diversity of the
school’s student population
As Dr. Madison creates a vision for
the next few years, he recognizes
mathematics as an area where
districtwide curricular improvements
are needed. Which of the following
actions should Dr. Madison take first
so that principals and teachers
understand the need for improvement?
A. Direct the financial officers and
mathematics coordinator to prepare
cost estimates on current expenditures
for mathematics and cost estimates on
various curriculum packages
B. Direct the district’s mathematics
coordinator to summarize the district’s
current practices and investigate
relevant innovative, research-driven
mathematics practices appropriate for
all levels
C. Ask campus leaders to phase in a new
mathematics program immediately to
begin seeing progress by the time
students are tested again on the
state-mandated assessment tests
D. Ask the district’s mathematics
coordinator to work with campuses to
assess their strengths and needs in
mathematics and to identify strategies
to improve student achievement in this
area
B. The Asian student group is not
reflected among the district’s teaching
staff
C. The diverse ethnic backgrounds of
students are mirrored in the ethnic
backgrounds of the district’s teaching
staff
D. The number of Native American
students is overrepresented in the
district’s teaching staff
100
competency 008
competency 002
23.
24.
Which of the following data in Section II
of the district AEIS report shows
community values shaping decision
making on programs and budgets?
A. Underfunding instruction compared
with overspending for cocurricular
activities
B. Restricting class size to twenty-two
students or fewer at the elementary
level
C. Maintaining local taxes that outpace
the state average
D. Overspending on security and
monitoring services compared with the
state average
Dr. Madison knows that celebrating
small successes is essential to
ensuring that staff members feel
valued. While there are many
achievements worthy of
acknowledgement, which of the
following areas of districtwide
achievement needs requires further
improvement before being
celebrated?
A. Strong performance in eighth-grade
reading and social studies
B. Excellent performance of students who
previously failed the state standardized
test
C. Growth in most college-readiness
indicators for high school students
6
D. Low rate of identifying students
needing special education services
101
Questions 25–28 refer to the following material.
Near the end of the school year, Dr. Sarah Yin, the superintendent of Blackburn Independent School
District (BISD), receives a letter from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) that contains the final
Summary of Finances (SOF) and other related reports for the district. Dr. Yin is working with the
director of finance to close out the budget for this current year. At the same time, she is also
collaborating with her staff, the district site-based decision-making committee and the school board
to develop a budget for the next school year. In order to balance the budget for the next school year,
Dr. Yin is considering an increase to the tax rate for maintenance and operations which will require
voter approval. The increase is needed to cover salaries, offset the decline in transportation revenue
and average daily attendance monies.
competency 002
25.
Dr. Yin wants members of the district site-based decision-making team to be familiar
with the Summary of Finances report from TEA and understand its value in shaping the
budget and associated district goals. Which of the following best explains how this
document is used by superintendents?
A. Calculating local funding elements which will supplement state aid
6
B. Estimating state revenue using projected and actual data from the previous year
C. Providing an accurate account of money spent in each expenditure area
D. Supporting the locally generated budgets with aid from the federal government
102
Read the following excerpt of the 2009–2010 SOF.
competency 008
competency 008
26.
27.
In comparing the legislative planning
amount with the final total state aid
amount for Blackburn ISD’s
2009–2010 SOF, which of the
following should Dr. Yin consider
when planning the 2010–2011
budget?
A. The positive impact the settle-up will
have on the 2009–2010 budget
B. The negative impact the settle-up will
C. The positive impact the settle-up will
D. The negative impact the settle-up will
During the school board budget
hearing, a board member asks, “How
will raising local taxes generate
revenue in Tier I and Tier II?” Which
of the following would be the most
appropriate response from Dr. Yin?
6
A. “Maximizing the interest and sinking
tax rate will generate revenue in both
tiers by increasing additional property
tax revenue locally.”
B. “Increasing the maintenance and
operations tax rate can generate more
revenue for both tiers using the basic
allotment and the guaranteed yield.”
C. “Generating funding for the local
budget through increased taxes will
confirm how supportive taxpayers are
regarding a tax ratification election.”
D. “Increasing the total tax rate will
automatically generate useable
increases in revenue for both tiers.”
103
competency 010
28.
After the new budget is approved,
which of the following is Dr. Yin’s
most appropriate next step?
A. Submitting the budget to the Texas
Education Agency for approval
B. Requesting that the board approve the
tax rate supporting the budget
C. Filing the budget with the county
appraisal district office
D. Allocating funds for projects with next
year’s budget money
Questions 29–34 refer to the following material.
6
Following an incident at a district high school in which a student threatened a classmate with a gun,
parents throughout Brody Independent School District (BISD), a large suburban district, have been
demanding that something be done to make the schools safer. The superintendent, Dr. Luke Barnes,
who has just begun his tenure at BISD, meets with district officials both to discuss the specific
incident and to address the larger issue of school safety.
competency 009
competency 003
29.
30.
In regard to the student who brought the
gun to school, which of the following
disciplinary alternatives are legally
available to school administrators?
A. Expulsion from school or placement in
an Alternative Education Program
(AEP)
B. Expulsion from school or three-day
suspension from school
C. Placement in an Alternative Education
Program (AEP) or three-day
D. In-school suspension or three-day
District officials decide to survey
students’ and parents’ opinions about
how safe the schools are. An
important benefit of such a survey is
A. clarifying for district officials the types
of misconduct the public feels should
receive the most severe disciplinary
measures.
B. helping district officials assess whether
community perception of the problem
matches the reality of the situation.
C. communicating to constituents that
their own behavior and attitudes can
directly affect the safety of their public
schools.
D. motivating district and campus
personnel to make school safety a
primary campus focus.
104
competency 006
competency 003
31.
33.
District officials agree that one key
strategy for promoting safe schools is
for the developmental guidance
program to place strong emphasis on
instruction in conflict resolution,
problem solving and social skills.
The primary advantage of this
strategy is that it will
A. help students recognize that they have
the power to modify their own and
other’s behavior in ways that will
result in safer schools.
B. ensure that students, teachers and
administrators share the burden of
dealing with discipline problems.
C. help community members recognize
that school officials alone cannot
remove all potential threats to student
safety.
D. create an environment in which
discipline is based on peer pressure
rather than on coercion by adults.
Mr. Barnes feels strongly that the
district should institute a policy of
reporting to the police all fights
involving secondary school students.
Which of the following accurately
identifies a disadvantage of this
policy?
A. Students are less likely to respond
cooperatively to directives from
campus police officers
B. Disagreements between students may
go unresolved, resulting in greater
violence outside of school
C. Teachers are likely to feel that they are
being blamed for discipline problems
that are not their fault
D. The community may develop the
perception that BISD has a more
severe safety problem than other
districts
competency 007
32.
One measure mandated by the Texas
Education Code to promote safety in
the public schools is compulsory staff
development in the areas of
A. positive discipline strategies and
student coaching techniques.
B. safe methods of physical restraint and
conflict resolution.
C. peer counseling strategies and bullying
identification.
D. student mediation and gang
identification techniques.
105
6
competency 004
34.
Mr. Barnes considers recommending that the board of trustees create a district police force
for middle schools and high schools. Which of the following lines identifies both a
potential problem with this idea and an appropriate action step for the superintendent to
take to solve that problem?
Potential Problem
Action Step
A.
Police officers, school counselors
and social service workers are likely
to view their roles as conflicting
Ensure that all district staff
understand why a police presence is
necessary in the schools
B.
Many students and parents are likely
to perceive on-campus police officers
as threatening
Prepare the community for this
program in a way that emphasizes
the roles of police officers as
protectors and role models
C.
Police officers are unlikely to be as
experienced working with young
people as are district educators
Encourage district staff to report to
their principals any specific concerns
they have about the behavior of
school police
D.
Some school principals may interpret
the presence of police officers as a
criticism of their handling of school
discipline
Be publicly supportive of all
principals and encourage them to
collaborate closely with district
police
6
106
Questions 35–37 refer to the following information.
A school district has grown in size over the last decade, leading to overcrowding at its aging
elementary school. To address this need, the board proposes to replace the existing school and hires
an architectural firm to draw up plans and estimate final costs for a new school. Although the state
has agreed to pay for part of the cost of building a new school, the rest of the money must be raised
through a bond issue that requires the approval of a majority of district voters. This bond issue is
strongly opposed by a group of district residents.
competency 009
competency 009
35.
36.
During the planning stage for the
design of the new school building,
which of the following trends should
be weighed most heavily?
When reviewing the architect’s plans
for the new elementary school, the
superintendent should be aware of
federal and state regulations that
A. Changes in the size of the state’s
overall budget for construction of new
public school facilities
A. mandate the use of construction
materials produced in the United States
wherever possible.
B. Projected changes in the cultural and
ethnic make-up of district communities
B. specify the amount of floor space that
must be allowed for each classroom.
C. Possible long-term changes in state
mandates regarding facilities devoted
to special education
C. mandate the use of designs that ensure
accessibility for individuals with
disabilities.
D. Projected increases in the population
of district communities over the next
ten years
D. specify the minimum amount of
insulation that must be used in walls
and ceilings.
competency 010
37.
Which of the following is the most
important responsibility of the
superintendent in regard to the
upcoming bond election?
A. Advocating for students to ensure that
their educational needs are met
B. Mediating between community
members who are on opposite sides of
the debate
C. Organizing proponents of the bond
issue to lobby for its passage
D. Acting as an intermediary between the
board of trustees and the community
107
6
PART 1
Dr. Trenessa Louis is the new superintendent of Hutchins Ridge ISD (HRISD). Shortly after
beginning work in HRISD, she held individual meetings with district principals to discuss, among
other topics, the strengths and needs of the district in terms of technology use and availability.
Following are some of the key points Dr. Louis noted during these meetings.
• There is no districtwide technology plan.
• Several schools mention the use of technology in their Campus Improvement Plans;
however, these uses are very limited.
• Technology resources are limited and are distributed unevenly districtwide.
• District libraries are partially automated and need updating.
• The district has limited networking capability.
• Relatively few teachers districtwide have received staff development in the use of the latest
types of instructional technology.
6
After gathering this background information, Dr. Louis decides that two of her primary goals during
her first year as superintendent of HRISD will be to ensure that a comprehensive district technology
plan is developed and that implementation of the plan is begun. She will begin by forming a
technology planning committee (TPC).
competency 003
38.
To make sure that the new district technology plan is realistic and has the greatest chance
for success, Dr. Louis should ensure that the technology planning committee
A. is directed by an objective outside consultant who has expertise in the area of instructional
technology.
B. comprises members of all constituent groups, including people with varying backgrounds
in and attitudes toward technology.
C. is encouraged to develop a technology plan that would require a minimum of financial
support from the district.
D. bases its plan closely on the technology plans developed by other Texas school districts.
108
competency 005
39.
Dr. Louis wants to ensure that
technology becomes integrated into
the district curriculum and is not seen
as a separate program. She could best
achieve this by encouraging the
curriculum development committee
in each subject area to support the
work of the TPC by
A. reviewing and recommending for
purchase specific learning software
packages for its area of the curriculum.
B. providing the TPC with a copy of its
curriculum and any other requested
documents.
C. rethinking its area of the curriculum in
terms of how and what types of
technologies might be used to support
learning.
6
D. reading and approving all parts of the
TPC’s plan that relate to its area of the
curriculum.
109
PART 2
Once the new technology vision for the district has been established by the TPC and approved by the
board of trustees, Dr. Louis encourages the technology planning committee to develop specific
student goals and an implementation plan.
competency 002
competency 003
40.
41.
Following is the opening line of the
mission statement in the new district
technology plan:
HRISD is committed to preparing all
students to be successful workers
and ongoing learners in the
information age.
The district could best fulfill its stated
mission by establishing which of the
following goals for students?
6
A. By graduation, all students will be
active users of a variety of
technologies that support
communication and problem solving
B. By graduation, all students will be
fluent in one or more programming
languages commonly used in the
modern workplace
Dr. Louis wants to ensure that the new
technology plan has a high level of
credibility and will be able to win
and maintain community and grant
support. To accomplish these goals,
the implementation plan should
include specific plans to
A. issue a technical report to the public
detailing what specific hardware is
installed in district facilities.
B. conduct a cost-benefit analyses of
district investments in campus
infrastructure improvement projects.
C. use objective data to assess the impact
of various technologies and to guide
program decisions and modifications.
D. solicit endorsements of the plan from
community leaders and district experts.
C. By graduation, all students will be able
to store, retrieve and manipulate
numerical data through the use of
technology
D. By graduation, all students will be
proficient in the use of databases and
CD-ROM resources to support
research
110
competency 005
42.
Which of the following guidelines should be included in a successful professional
development plan in the area of instructional technology?
A. Teacher trainers should be selected from among the most highly skilled math, science, and
business education teachers in the district
B. Training opportunities should be varied to take into account different learning styles and
needs
C. Training should supported through grant dollars from national education foundations
D. Teachers should be supported in visiting schools and workplaces in which current
technologies are utilized
competency 004
43.
While attending a high school basketball game, a superintendent observes a school board
member shouting insults at the referees whenever he disagrees with their decisions.
Which of the following would be the superintendent’s most appropriate first response?
6
A. Send the school board member a formal letter of reprimand pointing out that such behavior
violates the school’s tradition of sportsmanship
B. Speak to the school board member privately about the importance of serving as a positive
role model for students
C. Suggest that the school board member complete a course in anger management before his
next evaluation by the superintendent
D. Take no action at this time but plan to monitor the board member’s behavior at future
sporting events
111
competency 004
competency 004
44.
45.
A superintendent is working with the
school board to develop a new vision
statement for the district. Several
board members wish to include
language about preparing students to
live in the information age. Other
members question whether it is proper
for a vision statement to include such
references. The superintendent could
best respond by pointing out that
A. Conducting research into current
principles of best practice and
pedagogical approaches for career
training
A. it is appropriate for a vision statement
to reflect emerging issues and trends in
education.
B. Disseminating a survey to students and
parents to identify specific career goals
B. a vision statement should not include
points that are likely to cause
controversy in the district.
6
C. Drafting a provisional list of course
offerings for review by principals and
teachers
C. it is appropriate for a vision statement
to list major weaknesses the district
needs to remedy.
D. a vision statement should be a detailed
action plan identifying specific goals
as well as strategies for implementing
those goals.
Due to changing demographics in a
growing city, community members
believe some changes are needed
to the district’s career-oriented
curriculum. Which of the following
would be the most appropriate role
of the office of the superintendent in
developing an effective career-oriented
curriculum for a district?
D. Acting as a liaison with business
coalitions in identifying specific skills
applicable to success in the workplace
competency 004
46.
Which of the following describes the
primary role of a board of trustees in
implementing a new vision and
strategic plan for a school district?
A. Identifying sources of funding to
enable the district to achieve its vision
and goals
B. Communicating to stakeholders the
underlying values and beliefs of the
district’s vision and goals
C. Identifying operational practices and
procedures to help achieve the
D. Developing policies that provide
guidance for accomplishing the
112
competency 007
competency 001
47.
48.
Elementary school teachers in a district
have just finished attending a series
of professional development sessions
on classroom-based observational
assessments. How could district
administrators best ensure that
students reap the greatest possible
benefits from their teachers’
participation in this effort?
A. Talking to the parents of a district
student about the choice of college for
their child
B. Suggesting that a school’s principal
hire a friend of the superintendent for a
teaching position
A. Creating a program of follow-up
activities and consultation to support
all participants’ application of new
skills
C. Inviting principals in the district to a
dinner at the superintendent’s home
annually
B. Asking teachers who participated to
make presentations at their own
schools on the basics of observational
assessment
C. Sending out bi-monthly follow-up
questionnaires asking participants to
report their current use of
observational assessments
D. Requiring that all participants pass a
test on the principles and applications
of observational assessment
Which of the following actions taken
by a superintendent represents a clear
conflict of interest?
D. Serving as a character witness for a
neighbor’s son who is a student in the
district accused of shoplifting
6
competency 010
49.
A new superintendent is aware that
community members wish to be
involved in improving the district’s
schools. In response to this interest,
the superintendent seeks ways to
promote community involvement in
district schools. Which of the
following strategies provide the
superintendent the best opportunity
to involve community members in
educational decision-making in the
district?
A. Soliciting community members’
opinions of the performance of
administrative and teaching staff
B. Requesting contributions of time and
expertise for physical improvements to
district facilities
C. Inviting community members to
participate in the development and
revision of curriculum
D. Seeking the input of community
members with regard to the assignment
of district personnel
113
competency 001
competency 009
50.
51.
A superintendent receives a note from
a female staff member at a district
school complaining that a male
principal habitually addresses female
staff as “honey” or “dear.” The
superintendent investigates the
complaint and finds that the staff
member’s observation is accurate.
However, most of the other female
staff members do not feel that the
principal’s behavior implies
disrespect for female staff. Which of
the following steps would be most
appropriate for the superintendent to
take in response to this complaint?
A. Hold a meeting with the principal and
all female staff members of the school
to review state and federal laws
banning sexual harassment in the
workplace
6
B. Inform the staff member who raised
the issue that most other female staff
members do not find the principal’s
manner of address objectionable
A new superintendent has been informed
that certain building materials that
were used when district schools were
built may contain asbestos. The
superintendent’s best response to this
information would be to
A. hire a contractor immediately to begin
the process of removing any and all
asbestos-containing materials from
district schools.
B. ask the local Board of Health to
inspect district schools and report its
findings to the superintendent’s office.
C. assemble a committee of district
stakeholders to study the issue and
draft a plan for removing all asbestos
from district schools.
D. engage a licensed professional to
inspect district schools and develop
plans for managing asbestos
containing materials as necessary.
C. Explain to the principal that his mode
of address is offensive to some staff
members and that it provides an
inappropriate model for students
D. Meet with the principal to discuss his
apparent lack of respect for female
staff and to request that he publicly
apologize to all who were offended by
his behavior
114
competency 009
52.
A school board reviews bids from
several vendors to provide food
services to district schools. One
vendor’s bid is substantially lower
than the rest, but a board member
expresses reservations based on some
negative comments she has heard
about this vendor’s work. In this
situation, the best action for the
superintendent to take next would
be to
A. contact other consumers who have
used the low-bidding vendor to inquire
about the quality of the vendor’s
services.
B. recommend that the board accept the
low bid in conformity with state law
requiring acceptance of the lowest bid
to provide goods and services.
6
C. reopen the bidding process after
informing all participating vendors of
the amount of the lowest bid.
D. recommend that the board reject the
lowest bid and award the contract to a
higher-bidding but more reputable
vendor.
115
ANSWER KEY
Question
Number
Correct
Answer
Competency
Question
Number
Correct
Answer
Competency
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
C
A
D
C
A
C
C
B
D
A
B
C
C
B
C
B
A
D
A
D
A
D
A
D
B
D
010
010
005
006
002
001
001
001
008
005
003
005
007
007
007
004
006
006
006
008
002
002
008
002
002
008
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
B
B
A
B
A
B
D
B
D
C
A
B
C
A
C
B
B
A
D
D
A
B
C
C
D
A
008
010
009
003
006
007
003
004
009
009
010
003
005
002
003
005
004
004
004
004
007
001
010
001
009
009
6
116
Chapter 7
Are You Ready? – Last-Minute Tips
7
ARE YOU READY? – LAST-MINUTE TIPS
PREPARING TO TAKE THE TEST
CHECKLIST
Complete this checklist to determine if you are ready to take your test.
Do you know the testing requirements for your administrative field?
Have you followed the test registration procedures?
Have you reviewed the test center identification document requirements in the Registration
Bulletin or on the ETS TExES website at www.texes.ets.org?
Do you know the test frameworks that will be covered in each of the tests you plan to take?
Have you used the study plan sheet at the end of this manual to identify what content you
already know well and what content you will need to focus on in your studying?
Have you reviewed any textbooks, class notes and course readings that relate to the
frameworks covered?
Do you know how long the test will take and the number of questions it contains? Have you
considered how you will pace your work?
Are you familiar with the test directions and the types of questions for your test?
Are you familiar with the recommended test-taking strategies and tips?
7
Have you practiced by working through the sample test questions at a pace similar to that of
an actual test?
If constructed-response questions are part of your test, do you understand the scoring criteria
for these questions?
If you are repeating a test, have you analyzed your previous score report to determine areas
where additional study and test preparation could be useful?
118
ARE YOU READY? – LAST-MINUTE TIPS
THE DAY OF THE TEST
You should have ended your review a day or two before the actual test date. Many clichés you may
have heard about the day of the test are true. You should:
•
Be well rested.
•
Take the appropriate identification document(s) with you to the test center (identification
requirements are listed in the Registration Bulletin and on the ETS TExES website at
www.texes.ets.org).
•
Take 3 or 4 well-sharpened soft-lead (No. 2 or HD) pencils with good erasers.
•
Eat before you take the test.
•
Be prepared to stand in line to check in or to wait while other test takers are being
checked in.
•
Stay calm. You can’t control the testing situation, but you can control yourself. Test
administrators are well trained and make every effort to provide uniform testing
conditions, but don’t let it bother you if a test doesn’t start exactly on time. You will have
the necessary amount of time once it does start. Using the Reducing Test Anxiety booklet
in the days before you test may be helpful in mentally and emotionally preparing yourself
to test. It is available free at www.texes.ets.org.
You can think of preparing for this test as training for an athletic event. Once you have trained,
prepared and rested, give it everything you’ve got. Good luck.
7
119
Appendix A
Study Plan Sheet
A
STUDY PLAN SHEET
STUDY PLAN
Content covered
on test
How well do I
know the content?
What material do I What material do I
have for studying
need for studying
this content?
this content?
Where can I find
the materials
I need?
Dates planned for
study of content
Date
completed
A
122
Appendix B
Preparation Resources
B
PREPARATION RESOURCES
The resources listed below may help you prepare for the TExES test in this field. These preparation
resources have been identified by content experts in the field to provide up-to-date information that
relates to the field in general. You may wish to use current issues or editions to obtain information on
specific topics for study and review.
ORGANIZATIONS
The following is a list of organizations you may wish to contact as you prepare to take the
Superintendent test. These organizations publish journals and other materials that address issues
relevant to Texas administrators.
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
1703 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
(800) 933-2723
Association of American School Administrators
801 N. Quincy Street, Suite 700
Arlington, VA 22203-1730
(703) 528-0700
National Association of State Boards of Education
2121 Crystal Drive, Suite #350
Alexandria, VA 22202
(703) 684-4000
National School Boards Association
1680 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 838-6722
National Staff Development Council
P.O. Box 240
Oxford, OH 45056
(513) 523-6029
Phi Delta Kappan, Inc.
408 N. Union Street
P.O. Box 789
Bloomington, IN 47402
(812) 339-1156
B
Texas Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
1601 Rio Grande, Suite 451
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 477-8200
124
Texas Association of School Administrators
406 E. 11th Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 477-6361
Texas Association of School Boards
P.O. Box 400
Austin, TX 78767-0400
(512) 456-0222
Texas School Administrators’ Legal Digest
1601 Rio Grande, Suite 441
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 478-2113
JOURNALS AND PERIODICALS
These journals provide up-to-date information about the field. You may wish to use current issues
to review certain topics that you have identified for study and review.
American School Board Journal, National School Boards Association.
ASCD Education Update, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
ASCD Express Yearbooks, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
IJEPL, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Educational Leadership, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
INSIGHT, Texas Association of School Administrators.
The School Administrator, American Association of School Administrators.
New Superintendents E-Journal, American Association of School Administrators.
Phi Delta Kappan, Phi Delta Kappa.
Legal Insights, TASA Administrative Services Resource Center.
Texas Lone Star, Texas Association of School Boards.
OTHER RESOURCES
Banks, James A. (2007) An Introduction to Multicultural Education, Fourth Edition. Boston: Allyn
and Bacon.
Barth, Roland S., DuFour, Rebecca, Eaker, Robert E., and Eason-Watkins, Barbara (2005) On
Common Ground: The Power of Professional Learning Communities. Bloomington, Ind.:
Solution Tree Press.
Bjork, Lars G., and Kowalski, Theodore J. (2005) The Contemporary Superintendent: Preparation,
Practice, and Development. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.
Blankstein, Alan M., Houston, Paul D., and Cole, Robert W. (2009) Building Sustainable Leadership
Capacity. (Part of the Soul of Educational Leadership Series). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.
125
B
Castallo, Richard T. (2003) Focused Leadership: School Boards and Superintendents Working
Together. Lanham, Mass.: The Scarecrow Press.
Cawelti, Gordon (Ed.) (2004) Handbook of Research on Improving Student Achievement, Second
Edition. Arlington, Va.: Educational Research Service.
Conzemius, Anne and O’Neill (2005) The Power of SMART Goals: Using Goals to Improve Student
Learning. Bloomington, Ind.: Solution Tree Press.
Covey, S. R. (1990) Principle-Centered Leadership. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Deal, T. E., and Peterson, K. D. (2009) Shaping School Culture: Pitfalls, Paradoxes, and Promises.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Diaz, Carlos (Ed.) (2000) Multicultural Education for the 21st Century. Washington, District of
Columbia: National Education Association Professional Library, National Education Association.
Earthman, Glen I. (2009) Planning Educational Facilities: What Every Educator Needs to Know.
Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Education.
Eller, John, and Carlson, Howard (2008) So Now You’re the Superintendent! Thousand Oaks, Calif.:
Corwin Press.
English, Fenwick W. (2000) Deciding What to Teacher and Test: Developing, Aligning, and Auditing
the Curriculum. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.
Getting Started as a New School Board Member. (2005) Austin: Leadership Team Services of Texas
Association of School Boards.
B
Glatthorn, Allan A., Boschee, Floyd, and Whitehad, Bruce M. (2008). Curriculum Leadership:
Strategies for Development and Implementation. Place, Publisher.
Hack, Walter G., Candoli, Carl I., Guthrie, James W., and Hart, Christina. (2007) School Business
Administration: A Planning Approach, Ninth Edition. Needham Heights, Mass.: Allyn and
Bacon.
Harris, Alma (Ed.) (2004) Leading Teachers, Leading Schools Series. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage
Publications. (5 books in this series)
Harris, Sandra, and Petrie, Garth F. (2003) Bullying: The Bullies, the Victims, the Bystanders.
Lanham, Mass.: The Scarecrow Press.
Harvey, James, Cambron-McCabe, Nelda, Cunningham, Luvern L., and Koff, Robert H. (2004) The
Superintendent’s Fieldbook: A Guide for Leaders of Learning. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin
Press.
Henderson, Anne T., Johnson, Vivian R., and Davies, Don (2007) Beyond the Bake Sale: The
Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships. New York, N.Y.: The New Press.
Hoyle, John R., Bjork, Lars G., Collier, Virginia, and Glass, Thomas E. (2005) The Superintendent
as CEO: Standards-Based Performance. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.
Kemerer, Frank R., and Crain, John A. (2005) The Documentation Handbook: Appraisal,
Nonrenewal & Termination, Sixth Edition. Denton: Texas School Administrators’ Legal Digest.
Kemerer, Frank, and Walsh, Jim (2005) The Educator’s Guide to Texas School Law, Sixth Edition.
Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press.
126
Kowalski, Theodore J. (2007) Case Studies on Educational Administration, Fifth Edition. White
Plains, N.Y.: Longman.
Kowalski, Theodore J. (2003) Public Relations in Schools. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Merrill Education
Products.
Kowalski, Theodore J. (2005) The School Superintendent: Theory, Practice, and Cases. Thousand
Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications.
Lambert, Linda (2003) Leadership Capacity for Lasting School Improvement. Alexandria, Va.:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Lawrence, C. Edward, and Vachon, Myra K. (1995) How to Handle Staff Misconduct: A Practical
Guide for School Principals and Supervisors, Second Edition. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin
Press, Inc.
Marzano, Robert, Pickering, Debra, Pollock, Jane. (2004) Classroom Instruction that Works:
Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Prentice Hall.
Marzano, Robert (2003) What Works in Schools: Translating Research Into Action. Alexandria, Va.:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Marzano, Robert, Waters, Timothy, and McNulty, Brian (2005) School Leadership That Works.
Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Miller, Teresa N., Devin, Mary E., and Shoop, Robert J. (2007) Closing the Leadership Gap: How
District and University Partnerships Shape Effective School Leaders. Thousand Oaks, Calif.:
Corwin Press.
Peterson, George J. (2005) The Politics of Leadership: Superintendents and School Boards in
Changing Times. Place: Publisher. Charlotte, N.C.: Information Age Publishing Inc.
Schlechty, P. C. (2002) Working on the Work: An Action Plan for Teachers, Principals, and
Superintendents. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Schlechty, Phillip C. (2005) Creating Great Schools: Six Critical Systems at the Heart of
Educational Innovation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Schmoker, Mike (1999) Results: The Key to Continuous School Improvement, Second Edition.
Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Schmoker, Michael (2006) Results Now: How We Can Achieve Unprecedented Improvements in
Teacher and Learning. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.
School Official’s Quick Guide to the Texas Open Meetings Act. (2007) Austin: Legal Services of the
Texas Association of School Boards.
Sergiovanni, Thomas J., and Staratt, Robert. (2006) Supervision: A Redefinition. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Sergiovanni, Thomas J., Kelleher, Paul, McCarthy, Martha M., and Fowler, Frances C. (2008)
Educational Governance and Administration, Sixth Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Publishers.
Short, Paula M., and Greer, John T. (2001) Leadership in Empowered Schools: Themes from
Innovative Efforts, Second Edition. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill, an imprint of Prentice Hall.
127
B
Students with Disabilities and Special Education Law. (2010) Rosemont, Minn.: Center for
Education & Employment Law.
Townsend, Rene S., Johnston, Gloria L., Gross, Gwen E., and Lynch, Margaret. (2006) Effective
Superintendent-School Board Practices: Strategies for Developing and Maintaining Good
Relationships with your Board. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.
Villa, Richard. A, and Thousand, Jacqueline S. (2005) Creating An Inclusive School. Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development. Alexandria, Va.
Webb, David (2008) Leading Schools Financially – The ABCs of School Finance, Texas Edition.
Camby, Ind.: Power Publishing.
Webb, L. Dean, and Norton, M. Scott (2008) Human Resources Administration: Personnel Issues
and Needs in Education, Fifth Edition. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Education Commission of the States — www.ecs.org
Education Law – Guide to Education Law — www.hg.org/edu.html
National Center on Educational Outcomes — www.cehd.umn.edu/nceo/
Texas Administrative Code — www.sos.state.tx.us/tac/index.shtml
Texas Education Agency — www.tea.state.tx.us
Texas Education Code — www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us
Texas Project FIRST — www.texasprojectfirst.org/ARDIEP.html
U.S. Department of Education — www.ed.gov
B
128
x
x
x
86529-86529 • S211E.1 • Printed in U.S.A.
756109

TExES Superintendent (195) Test Preparation Manual

Transcription

Similar documents

bad weather 2 - Tamaqua Area School District

Greece School Board to Fire Chief

Michael Pachelo

Math Tier 2

Superintendent

Hanna Interviews Harry Harutunian

Today Spring, 2016 - Northmont City Schools

OSNABURG LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

TOWNSHOES PARK ROYAL FIT OUT

The School District of Lee County