Category 3. Climate and Culture Leadership

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 email.

Answer explanation

Option (A) is correct. Every student has a right to an education, and school districts cannot deprive a student of liberty or property without due process. Due process requires meeting with the student, parents, and school officials to explain the circumstances and provide the evidence that led to the suspension and potential expulsion.

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.

Answer explanation

Option (D) is correct. When focused on cultural leadership, the school leader draws people’s attention to compelling concerns for student learning by developing a common purpose.

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

• Communicating the program's purpose to parents.

• Informing other school leaders in the district about the program.

• Establishing a thorough list of behavioral expectations.

• Ensuring consistent implementation of the program.

Answer explanation

Option (D) is correct. Consistent implementation is a key component of a successful PBIS 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.

Answer explanation

Options (A), (C), and (D) are correct. By engaging in a continuous cycle of improvement together, teachers will begin to feel a commitment to learning and growing together. Teachers will feel comfortable trying new instructional strategies knowing that risk is encouraged at the school. Collaborative professional development is an important component of the continuous improvement process. It allows teachers to work together to share thoughts and ideas and develop their practices as a team.

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.

Answer explanation

Option (C) is correct. The creation of a culture that encourages teacher leadership will best empower teachers toward positive change.

Ms. Gomez is the new school leader in a K through 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.

1. 1. Review the placements of all students in special education.

2. 2. Evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s RTI process.

4. 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?

• Overidentification of linguistically and culturally diverse students.

• Increase in intervention services for at-risk students.

• Inadequate staffing understanding of eligibility criteria.

• Administrative concern with meeting student proficiency standards.

Answer explanation

Option (A) is correct. Statistics gathered by federal agencies indicate that a child’s cultural and linguistic diversity significantly influences the probability that he or she will be misidentified as needing special education services, leading to overrepresentation of linguistically and culturally diverse students.

Ms. Gomez is the new school leader in a K through 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.

1. 1. Review the placements of all students in special education.

2. 2. 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.

Answer explanation

Option (B) is correct. A task force is appropriate for a short-term task that involves complex issues or when solutions will require organizational change. The involvement of staff brings multiple perspectives to the table and can facilitate implementation. The buy-in that a task force generates can be especially valuable when the outcome affects people deeply, is emotionally charged, or affects a large part of the organization.

Ms. Gomez is the new school leader in a K through 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.

1. 1. Review the placements of all students in special education.

2. 2. Evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s RTI process.

Which of the following will provide Ms. Gomez with the most valuable data for completing step 2 ?

• 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.

Answer explanation

Option (D) is correct. RTI is based on four components: universal screening, multilevel prevention, progress monitoring, and data-based decision making. Progress monitoring is the element that assesses students’ academic performance and the effectiveness of instruction.

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 cellular-enabled tables that include a mobile hotspot.

• 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 services.

Answer explanation

Option (A) is correct. Providing tablets with Internet connectivity can put all students on an even playing field in terms of technology.

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 master of grade-level knowledge and skills.

Answer explanation

Option (B) is correct. Acknowledging the challenges of teaching a diverse student population in a positive and inclusive manner will help teachers to develop new understanding, competencies, and pedagogies for engaging students in a changing population.