Instructional Leadership

Question 1

5.) A school leader observes a teacher’s mathematics lesson. The lesson plan indicates that the learning objective is teaching students to add fractions. The lesson begins with a minilesson on adding fractions, followed by guided and independent practice using several problems. The teacher provides students with feedback and support as they work. At the close of the lesson, the teacher provides each student with an exit slip. The exit slip contains three fractions for students to reduce to the lowest common denominator.

Which of the following is most important for the school leader to target in the teacher’s post-observation conference?

A.Aligning assessments with instructional goals
B.Selecting appropriate learning activities
C.Allowing students sufficient time on task
D.Acting as an instructional facilitator

Answer 1

A.Aligning assessments with instructional goals

The lesson was on adding fractions, not reducing. If assessments are not aligned to the purpose of instruction, the teacher’s knowledge of a student’s learning is inaccurate.

Question 2

8.) A school leader reviews a report regarding a new schoolwide mathematics program after its first year of implementation. Which of the following statements from the report best demonstrates the effectiveness of the program?

A.“State standards show alignment with the program objectives.”
B.“The program was used daily with fidelity by the entire school.”
C.“Student benchmark data indicates that program objectives were met.”
D.“Teachers were interviewed and shared positive insights about the new program.”

Answer 2

C.“Student benchmark data indicates that program objectives were met.”

This statement most effectively demonstrates the effectiveness of the program, explaining that benchmark data indicates that program objectives were met.

Question 3

23.) Which of the following actions best demonstrates a school leader’s commitment to building leadership capacity among the staff?

A.Meeting with grade-level representatives to present new school goals to them
B.Asking teachers to discuss instructional strategies with their peers regularly
C.Creating opportunities for staff to participate in collaborative decision making
D.Recognizing staff members who consistently receive outstanding performance evaluations

Answer 3

C.Creating opportunities for staff to participate in collaborative decision making

The process of collaborating with others who share the responsibility for decision making nurtures leadership.

Question 4

27.) Which of the following is the most effective way for school leaders to foster their personal professional growth?

A.Keeping abreast of research and trends related to school improvement
B.Joining a national professional organization for school leaders
C.Partnering with a peer to reflect on experiences, ideas, and challenges
D.Reviewing weaknesses noted in performance evaluations

Answer 4

C.Partnering with a peer to reflect on experiences, ideas, and challenges

Partnering with a peer to reflect on shared experiences, ideas, and challenges provides an opportunity to give and receive feedback from someone in the same leadership position.

Question 5

31.) The school leader of a middle school plans to share the results of the state assessment test with parents to help them understand how students are performing and where gaps exist in their achievement. Which of the following is the best method for the school leader to use to make the assessment data valuable to parents?

A.Posting the data in the parent portal of the student information system
B.Sending parents a letter containing the data for their child
C.Holding meetings with parents to explain how to interpret the data
D.Asking teachers to refer to the data during parent-teacher conferences

Answer 5

C.Holding meetings with parents to explain how to interpret the data

The potential value of data systems lies in the use of the information collected to improve outcomes for students. When effectively shared with families and community members, these data may influence the ways that families support their individual child’s progress and impact communities’ efforts to support education.

Question 6

32.) Which of the following is the best strategy for a school leader to use to keep teachers focused on their primary instructional goal?

A.Allowing teachers flexibility in planning instruction and assessment
B.Conducting monthly walk-throughs to evaluate teaching and learning
C.Ensuring alignment of the school’s vision with teachers’ actions through ongoing conversations and observations
D.Providing incentives, such as extra technological resources, to classes with the highest achievement scores

Answer 6

C.Ensuring alignment of the school’s vision with teachers’ actions through ongoing conversations and observations

A clear vision can help keep everyone at the school focused on their primary goal—student learning. Discussing the school vision and goals will help keep the focus on alignment with the current vision and goals.

Question 7

33.) The school leader of a high school who is examining data from the district’s annual freshman writing sample observes that students in certain teachers’ classes scored significantly higher than their peers in other classes. Which of the following is the school leader’s best initial response to the data?

A.Comparing value-added growth data of the teachers within the grade level
B.Assigning the teachers whose students had high scores to mentor their grade-level colleagues
C.Noting the score discrepancies in teachers’ summative performance evaluations
D.Planning professional development on research-based methods of writing instruction

Answer 7

A.Comparing value-added growth data of the teachers within the grade level

Comparing value-added growth data will help to identify teachers who are using effective methods to achieve greater gains with students.

Question 8

40.) Which of the following identifies the most important initial action for a school leader to take to promote teachers’ use of student achievement data to support instructional decision making?

A.Establishing a clear vision for the schoolwide use of data
B.Encouraging teachers to collect data from multiple sources
C.Scheduling professional-development sessions on data-based decision making
D.Asking teachers to form hypotheses about their teaching practices based on the analysis of data

Answer 8

A.Establishing a clear vision for the schoolwide use of data

A strong culture of data use is critical to effective data-based decision making.

Question 9

42.) School leaders can best implement academic goals with rigor and measurable expectations by establishing a curriculum based upon

A.high-quality standards
B.stakeholder input and beliefs
C.higher-order thinking skills
D.global competencies

Answer 9

A.high-quality standards

High-quality standards establish learning goals based on rigorous content and the application of knowledge through higher-order thinking skills.

Question 10

43.) Which of the following is the most appropriate direction for a school leader to give teachers regarding formative assessments?

A.Use assessment results to inform instructional decision making.
B.Design assessments that promote student reflection.
C.Use assessment results to guide grading practices.
D.Refer to the scope and sequence to determine when to assess learning.

Answer 10

A.Use assessment results to inform instructional decision making.

Formative assessment is used to inform instructional decision making. Teachers should use formative assessment to determine what students know and do not know in order to modify their instruction based on assessment results.

Question 11

45.) After conducting a ten-minute walk-through of a third-grade classroom, a school leader makes the following observations:

Students worked in flexible groups to sequence story events on cards that have key plot points.
Students, when asked, were unable to explain why they were sequencing story events.
A word wall presented key vocabulary terms: first, last, then, finally.
Which of the following is the most appropriate feedback for the school leader to give the teacher in a post-observation conference to improve the quality of the lesson?

A.Provide constructive and specific feedback to students on the quality of their work.
B.Provide opportunities for dialogue and discussion among students to promote collaboration.
C.Ensure that students can articulate the lesson objectives or learning targets.
D.Differentiate instruction to better address students’ learning needs.

Answer 11

C.Ensure that students can articulate the lesson objectives or learning targets.

The school leader noted that students were not able to articulate the purpose of the sequencing activity. It would be appropriate to discuss strategies for ensuring that students know why they are engaged in a particular task and what the learning target is for the lesson.

Question 12

49.) A school leader, Mr. Hernandez, reflects on his current professional performance. He finds that his complacent leadership style has resulted in minimal schoolwide progress toward campus goals, and he identifies his ability to adapt his leadership behavior to the demands of current situations as an area that needs improvement. Which of the following goals will best improve this area?

A.Developing his willingness to actively challenge and change the status quo
B.Encouraging teachers to accomplish personal goals through perseverance
C.Sharing leadership roles with other members of the staff to promote the school vision and goals
D.Advocating and leading the implementation of research-based initiatives that ensure the efficacy of teachers

Answer 12

A.Developing his willingness to actively challenge and change the status quo

The core idea behind the need to adapt the school leader’s leadership style is to help manage the potential challenges that come with implementing change.

Question 13

57.) During an informal observation of a lesson, a school leader notices a lack of differentiation. When the school leader asks the teacher about what strategies are used for the gifted students, the teacher comments, “The gifted students do not need any extra help to learn.” The school leader can best coach the teacher to improve instruction for gifted students by

A.guiding the teacher to challenge the assumption because it adversely affects student learning
B.prompting the teacher to provide higher level independent academic work for them
C.reminding the teacher that classroom assessments should match the level of each student
D.directing the teacher to have the same expectations for all the students in the class

Answer 13

A.guiding the teacher to challenge the assumption because it adversely affects student learning

The teacher has assumed that the gifted students require no additional differentiation in the classroom. It is the school leader’s responsibility to challenge this assumption and help the teacher understand that gifted students are at risk of underachievement and missed learning opportunities without differentiation.

Question 14

58.) Which of the following behaviors is the best indication that a school leader is a reflective practitioner?

A.Making students’ needs the first priority in educational decision making
B.Becoming knowledgeable about practices and policies to ensure informed leadership
C.Creating professional-development goals in collaboration with the school leadership team
D.Engaging in continuous learning by paying critical attention to experiences and values

Answer 14

D.Engaging in continuous learning by paying critical attention to experiences and values

Reflective practice is a process by which people stop and think about their practice, consciously analyzing their decision making to relate it to what is done in practice.

Question 15

60.) A new school leader meets with the school improvement team to analyze how the fifth‑grade students’ reading performance compares to the reading performance of a national sample of fifth graders. The school leader can best facilitate this analysis by reviewing data collected from

A.norm-referenced assessments
B.qualitative reading inventories
C.criterion-referenced tests
D.diagnostic comprehension measures

Answer 15

A.norm-referenced assessments

Analyzing norm-referenced assessment data would provide information on how the fifth graders are performing in reading compared to a national sample group of students.

Question 16

63.) A middle school leader meets weekly with grade-level teams to guide teachers in examining the class report graphs and item analysis graphs they have created from the results of classroom assessments. The leader asks the following questions to facilitate a targeted discussion.

Did certain classes outperform others?
Did certain class periods outperform others?
Which instructional strategies were used in the outperforming classrooms?
By facilitating this discussion, the school leader primarily emphasizes the importance of

A.using data analysis to improve instruction
B.identifying struggling students for interventions
C.exploring root causes of performance disparity
D.ensuring alignment to learning standards

Answer 16

A.using data analysis to improve instruction

By examining data from interim assessments and analyzing trends in ongoing discussions, teachers are able to develop strategies and interventions to influence student achievement. The school leader’s guiding questions are focused around identifying trends in performance and identifying what instructional approaches best promote student achievement.

Question 17

71.) Using which of the following instructional approaches is most effective for supporting the learning of a struggling student?

A.A multitiered intervention guided by student outcome data
B.An educational plan with specialized instruction and supportive services
C.Individualized distance learning modules
D.Positive behavioral interventions and supports

Answer 17

A.A multitiered intervention guided by student outcome data

A multitiered system of interventions, known as Response to Intervention, is an approach designed to remediate academic and behavioral issues.

Question 18

80.) Which of the following is the most effective use of student achievement data by a school leader to support decisions about teaching practices?

A.Analyzing state assessment data to identify strengths in students’ learning
B.Distributing state assessment data to staff for their independent review
C.Posting the data results on the school’s Web site for parents to review
D.Making data collection part of an ongoing cycle of instructional improvement

Answer 18

D.Making data collection part of an ongoing cycle of instructional improvement

Instructional decision making can be strengthened by making data part of the ongoing cycle of instructional improvement.

Question 19

83.) A school leader reviews the results of a summative assessment for fourth-grade science and observes that overall scores are unusually high. Further investigation reveals that the items on the assessment measure second- and third-grade concepts and skills. When meeting with the fourth-grade teaching team, the school leader can best address the discrepancy by

A.clarifying the difference between formative and summative assessment
B.emphasizing the importance of aligning assessment content with grade-level learning standards
C.ensuring that summative assessments test students’ prior knowledge
D.encouraging teachers to use both selected- and constructed-response items on assessments

Answer 19

B.emphasizing the importance of aligning assessment content with grade-level learning standards

The school leader should help teachers ensure that assessments align with grade-level learning outcomes to maintain validity.

Question 20

89.) Which of the following is the best question for a school leader to ask to determine the value of district-wide benchmark assessments?

A.Are the assessments providing information about students that is useful for instructional decision making?
B.Are the teachers who have the highest passing rates and overall student success rates leading the content-area teams?
C.Are parents receiving explanations about the assessment data that are helpful for supporting students at home?
D.Are teachers reflecting on how this summative data supports the effectiveness of their instructional methods?

Answer 20

A.Are the assessments providing information about students that is useful for instructional decision making?

If the reports are understandable and useful for the teachers to make corrective decisions in the classroom then the assessment data can impact instruction.

Question 21

91.) A school leader is concerned about a number of teachers who are resistant to integrating technology into their classroom instruction. Which of the following actions by the leader is most effective for addressing the concern?

A.Facilitating a teacher-to-teacher model for developing technological proficiency
B.Offering technology resources that allow teachers to self-train at their own pace
C.Requiring teachers to integrate technology into lessons at least once a week
D.Demonstrating how to use technology tools during staff meetings

Answer 21

A.Facilitating a teacher-to-teacher model for developing technological proficiency

School leaders need to facilitate effective professional development on how to use technology tools. To help teachers who may have anxiety about using unfamiliar tools, research supports using a teacher-to-teacher model of professional development in which teachers demonstrate to their peers and provide an opportunity for experimentation.

Question 22

104.) The school leader of an elementary school discusses a research-based instructional strategy during weekly grade-level team meetings. Which of the following actions best monitors implementation of the new instructional strategy?

A.Having teachers demonstrate a targeted instructional strategy at the monthly faculty meetings
B.Checking lesson plans for inclusion of the targeted instructional strategies
C.Selecting the targeted strategies as the focus for upcoming classroom walk-throughs
D.Reviewing the effectiveness of the instructional strategy using annual student achievement data

Answer 22

C.Selecting the targeted strategies as the focus for upcoming classroom walk-throughs

The school leader must monitor the implementation of the new instructional strategy and provide feedback to teachers to ensure that the strategy is being utilized effectively and is meaningful to students.

Question 23

105.) After conducting several classroom walk-throughs, a school leader observes that novice teachers are struggling to modify daily instruction based on the level of student mastery. Which of the following represents the most effective guidance the school leader can give the teachers?

A.Use formative assessment results to inform instructional practice.
B.Group students for guided instructional practice according to their ability.
C.Design scaffolded assignments that are differentiated by learning style.
D.Create learning stations that challenge students to use critical thinking.

Answer 23

A.Use formative assessment results to inform instructional practice.

The teachers need guidance on how to check for student understanding. Formative assessment provides teachers with data on how to adapt instruction to meet student needs.

Question 24

109.) A school leader is reviewing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) with a teacher who struggles with student misbehavior. Which of the following components of PBIS should the school leader emphasize first?

A.Creating generalized behavior plans to address the needs of all students
B.Designing behavior charts with individualized goals for misbehaving students
C.Teaching and monitoring clear behavioral expectations of all students
D.Implementing a consequence plan for misbehaving students

Answer 24

C.Teaching and monitoring clear behavioral expectations of all students

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) asserts that the process of teaching and monitoring expectations is one of the essential foundations for positive behavior. If many student misbehaviors are observed, it is a classroom problem, not an individual student issue.

Question 25

110.) Which of the following has research identified as a powerful instructional strategy that positively impacts student achievement?

A.Providing timely feedback to students on their work
B.Teaching students content that the teacher enjoys
C.Offering students extra materials to accomplish tasks
D.Using journals to teach comparison in core subjects

Answer 25

A.Providing timely feedback to students on their work

Research shows that providing feedback is one of the most powerful instructional strategies; it positively impacts student achievement by providing students with direction for their learning.

Question 26

115.) After each grading period, teams of elementary teachers meet with the school leader to discuss student performance data such as the results of formative and summative assessments. The most likely goal of this meeting is to have teachers

A.align curriculum vertically and horizontally
B.agree on how best to grade student work
C.compare the effectiveness of their teaching practices
D.identify trends by student groups in order to inform instruction

Answer 26

D.identify trends by student groups in order to inform instruction

Analyzing multiple sources of data will produce a more effective instructional program by targeting goals and learning gaps.

Question 27

119.) To best ensure that teachers have relevant data for educational decision making, a school leader should

A.require teachers to provide evidence of individual student growth each week
B.survey teachers about how they gather and store information on student performance
C.ensure that information in the student information system is updated frequently
D.train teachers to do item analysis on multiple-choice assessments

Answer 27

C.ensure that information in the student information system is updated frequently

The school leader wants to ensure that the student information system provides quick, easy access to data that is updated frequently to reflect the most up-to-date student progress. This data can help guide teachers to develop lessons that target concepts students are having difficulty with.