Climate and Culture

A high school student with a history of fighting is suspended from school after another violent incident. Because of the student’s repeated offenses, the school leader recommends expulsion. Which of the following actions should the school leader take before the expulsion hearing to ensure compliance with due process?

• Notifying the student and parents, orally or in writing, of the accusations and evidence gathered

• Alerting the superintendent that expulsion is being considered for a chronically disruptive student

• Reviewing the school’s behavioral expectations and discipline policy with all students

• Sending a copy of the student’s discipline record to the parents via certified mail

When acting as a cultural leader, a school leader focuses on

• facilitating smooth operations through effective management of the building and schedules

• guiding curriculum development and instruction at each grade level and content area

• managing teachers and community resources to maximize capital and time commitments

• enhancing student achievement by seeking to develop a community with a common purpose

Which of the following should be a school leader’s primary concern when instituting a school-wide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) program?

• Communicating the program’s purpose to parents

• Informing other school leaders in the district

• Establishing a thorough list of behavioral expectations

• Ensuring consistent implementation of the program

A school leader promotes professionalism by encouraging teacher participation in a cycle of continuous improvement. Which THREE of the following are the primary outcomes expected for teachers who participate in this practice?

• Feeling part of a committed community of learners

• Ensuring that lessons are differentiated to meet at-risk student learning needs

• Gaining the confidence to try new instructional approaches and methods

• Engaging in collaborative professional development activities

• Gaining confidence to participate in a master’s level degree program

School leaders can best empower teachers to bring about positive change in their schools by

• publicly acknowledging student accomplishments

• acquiring trending instructional materials and technology

• promoting a culture that encourages teacher leadership

• seeking teacher candidates who have a record of success

Ms.Miss Gomez is the new school leader in a K–5 elementary school in a large urban district. She is concerned about the high percentage of students in her school who receive special education services. She identifies two initial steps for investigating her concern.

Review the placements of all students in special education Evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s RTI process

According to studies on student populations in special education, which of the following is the most likely explanation for the high percentage of students in special education in Ms. Gomez’ school?

• Over-identification of linguistically and culturally diverse students

• Increase in intervention services for at-risk students

• Inadequate staff understanding of eligibility criteria

• Administrative concern with meeting student proficiency standards

Ms.Miss Gomez is the new school leader in a K–5 elementary school in a large urban district. She is concerned about the high percentage of students in her school who receive special education services. She identifies two initial steps for investigating her concern.

Review the placements of all students in special education Evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s RTI process

Which of the following is the best way for Ms. Gomez to involve stakeholders in addressing any problems revealed by her investigation?

• Facilitating the establishment of an advocacy group for advancing the causes of students in the school’s RTI and special education programs

• Forming a task force of varied individuals selected for their expertise, experience, and interest in the school’s RTI and special education programs

• Creating a dedicated media outlet for communicating general information about the school’s RTI and special education programs

• Establishing a training program for volunteers who are interested in tutoring students in the school’s RTI and special education programs

Ms. Gomez is the new school leader in a K–5 elementary school in a large urban district. She is concerned about the high percentage of students in her school who receive special education services. She identifies two initial steps for investigating her concern.

Review the placements of all students in special education Evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s RTI process

Which of the following will provide Ms.Miss Gomez with the most valuable data for completing step II?

• A universal screening assessment that identifies students at risk of poor learning outcomes

• A graph that tracks the progress of individual students through the tiers of support

• A teacher checklist that records the implementation of critical components of the RTI process

• A progress-monitoring instrument that quantifies rates of student improvement

Which of the following actions by school leadership has the best potential for reducing the technology gap for students who are economically disadvantaged, transient, or homeless?

• Providing students with tablets enabled with mobile hot-spot devices

• Working with the librarian to assess students’ computer-literacy skills

• Asking teachers to make assignments that do not rely on technology

• Directing parents to agencies that provide low-cost Internet service

The new school leader of a high school hears the following comments from teachers regarding changes in student demographics and low scores on state-mandated assessments.

1. “Why are they sending these kids to our school now?”
2. “These new kids do not seem to value getting a good education.”

Which of the following is the best first step for the school leader to take to improve the school culture?

• Comparing current student summative assessment data with previous data that indicate academic success in the past

• Acknowledging the challenges of teaching a diverse student population in a positive and inclusive manner

• Hosting monthly events to recognize the accomplishments and successes of different cultures within the school community

• Adjusting the core curriculum to provide for a lower level of student mastery of grade-level knowledge and skills