Principal Assessment-Praxis 5412

27. Which of the following factors will have the greatest impact on communication and working relationships when a school leader sends e-mails to teachers and staff?

• (A)  The length and syntactic complexity of the e-mails

• (B)  The subject line, opening, and closing of the e-mails

• (C)  The daily and weekly volume of the e-mails

• (D)  The timing, content, and tone of the e-mails

Answer explanation

The correct answer is (D). This question tests the school leader’s knowledge of professional conduct. Correct timing, the content of the message in its entirety, and how the message will be perceived by the reader are key factors in the overall efectiveness of e-mails. These are all factors that a school leader should consider when sending correspondence electronically.

20. The school leader of an elementary school is committed to a transformative model of multicultural education. Which of the following actions would be the most effective way to achieve this model?

• (A)  Incorporating a range of cultural perspectives into the curriculum

• (B)  Initiating an annual cultural event that celebrates the diversity of the student population

• (C)  Arranging for prominent speakers to discuss cultural issues in school assembly programs

• (D)  Convening a diversity committee made up of parents and community members

Answer explanation

The correct answer is (A). This question tests the school leader’s knowledge of providing equity and adequacy to meet students’ and families’ cultural and educational needs. Incorporating diferent cultural perspectives into a guaranteed and viable curriculum refects the actualization of this goal.

2. An elementary school leader is contacted by the parents of a student who broke his arm over the weekend. They are concerned that he will be unable to complete assignments because of his inability to write. The school leader can best address the parents’ concern by providing the student with services through

• (A)  temporary placement in special education

• (B)  Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

• (C)  Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

• (D)  occupational therapy

Answer explanation

The correct answer is (C). This question tests the school leader’s understanding of how to help maintain a supportive environment that meets the student’s educational needs. One of the eligibility factors for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a physical or mental impairment. The student can temporarily receive accommodations for completing assignments through Section 504.

5. The newly appointed school leader of an elementary school is concerned about the performance of the fourth grade on the state standardized tests for mathematics. Which of the following should be the school leader’s initial step in developing a plan to improve students’ scores?

• (A)  Hire a staff developer to teach staff innovative approaches to mathematics instruction

• (B)  Collect information about the instructional methods, materials, and assessments currently in use

• (C)  Conduct a curriculum audit of the mathematics program at all grade levels

• (D)  Administer another assessment to identify specifc areas of weakness in students’ performance

Answer explanation

The correct answer is (C). This question tests the school leader’s knowledge of developing a plan to improve student assessment outcomes. A mathematics curriculum audit is an appropriate frst step because it will allow the school leader to ensure the curriculum is properly aligned with the standards and instruction across all grade levels in order to improve student assessment outcomes.

6. According to due process, teachers are entitled to

• (A)  the presence of a defense counsel at any hearing and the right to refuse to testify

• (B)  adequate notice of the charges against them and a hearing in which they have the opportunity to defend themselves against those charges

• (C)  an appeal of an adverse decision and exemption from disciplinary action while the appeal is being decided

• (D)  a cross-examination of an adverse witness and the control of conditions under which such examination takes place

Answer explanation

The correct answer is (B). This question tests the school leader’s knowledge of the basic due-process protections aforded to school personnel. The United States Constitution and key court cases give teachers the right to hear and contest charges against them.

16. A school leader receives a letter from the parent of a homeschooled student asking whether the student can participate in an upcoming district interscholastic mathematics competition. The school leader should frst respond by

• (A)  referring to board policy before communicating with the parent

• (B)  determining an appropriate fee to charge the student for participation

• (C)  refusing the request because there is a limit on the number of participants

• (D)  granting the request if the student has passing grades

Answer explanation

The correct answer is (A). This question tests the school leader’s knowledge of the relationship between public schools and homeschooled students. Referring to board policy ensures that the school leader is making the best decision based on district regulations.

3. Ms. Walsh, the school leader of a middle school, has a new assistant principal, Mr. Levinson. She is concerned that she will not be able to effectively train him while maintaining her responsibilities as the school leader. How can she best orient Mr. Levinson to his new position while still attending to her own responsibilities?

• (A)  Have Mr. Levinson shadow her for at least a week so he can learn his basic responsibilities

• (B)  Meet with Mr. Levinson, outline his responsibilities, and provide him with a detailed job description

• (C)  Spend a week working alongside Mr. Levinson, showing him school procedures and introducing him to teachers and students

• (D)  Ask another district assistant principal to serve as Mr. Levinson’s mentor, showing him the responsibilities of the job and offering him support and guidance

Answer explanation

The correct answer is (D). This question tests the school leader’s knowledge of efective strategies for supervising other school administrators and personnel. Providing mentorship by direct intervention with an experienced administrator over the entire school year will help to orient the new assistant principal in a consistent, ongoing manner.

23.

A school leader at a school with low student achievement works with the district’s human resources department to recruit new teachers. Which of the following teacher candidates are most appropriate for the school leader to target?

• (A) Candidates recommended by teachers currently teaching in the school

• (B) Candidates recruited from teacher preparation programs in the local area

• (C) Candidates with successful teaching experience and qualifcations to address student needs

• (D) Candidates whose ethnicity represents a segment of the school’s student population

Answer explanation

The correct answer is (C). This question tests the school leader’s knowledge of efective strategies to recruit qualifed personnel. To afect student achievement, the school leader’s most appropriate approach when hiring new staf would be to seek teachers with relevant experience and qualifcations.

13. A school leader regularly meets with grade- level teams to discuss interventions for struggling students, how to address student learning styles, and enrichment opportunities for students who have achieved mastery. The school leader’s primary purpose for the meetings is to

• (A)  build relationships with faculty and staff members through professional discussions

• (B)  promote differentiated instruction to support varying levels of student profciency

• (C)  ensure teachers use an age-appropriate instructional strategy in each lesson

• (D)  analyze multiple data points across classrooms that demonstrate academic gains

Answer explanation

The correct answer is (B). This question tests the school leader’s understanding of using processes to improve instructional programs in order to meet students’ needs. The role of the school leader is to promote individualized instruction and close the achievement gap. One way this can be done is by differentiating the instruction in the classroom based on student needs and learning styles. The school leader clearly has a goal of supporting varying levels of student profciency by facilitating conversations about interventions, learning styles, and appropriate learning opportunities for all students.

28. A school leader can best support the development of teachers’ skills in technology integration by

• (A) encouraging each teacher to create and host a classroom blog

• (B) requiring that technology be a part of a specifc number of lessons each week

• (C) creating a committee to write an example technology lesson for each grade level

• (D) modeling the effective use of technology tools throughout the school year

Answer explanation

The correct answer is (D). This question tests the school leader’s knowledge of best practices for assisting teachers with integrating technology into the classroom. Modeling the appropriate use of technology resources is the most efective way to show the school leader’s commitment to technology education as well as to build the staf’s understanding of various new methods and resources for technology use.