Principal - S Test

Texas Examinations of Educator
Standards™
(TExES™) Program
Selected-Response Practice Exam

Questions
Principal as Instructional Leader (268)
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Table of Contents
A Note about this Document ......................................................................... 3
Selected-Response Practice Exam Questions ................................................... 4
Answer Sheet ........................................................................................... 85
Answer Key and Rationales ......................................................................... 87
TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 2

Selected-Response Practice Exam Questions
A Note about this Document
This document includes:
• a full-length set of selected-response questions
• an answer sheet
• an answer key with item rationales
For sample constructed-response questions and additional information about the

examination, including how these items are formatted and scored, refer to the
Principal as Instructional Leader preparation manual.
Coming Soon
This document will be replaced by a full-length interactive practice exam. The
interactive practice exam will contain the same selected-response questions found
in this document as well as four sample constructed-response questions. The
interactive practice exam will provide you with test-taking experience that
simulates the operational exam, and with automated results reporting on the
selected-response questions.

Directions: Each of the questions or incomplete statements below is followed by
four or more suggested answers or completions. For each question, indicate the
best answer using the directions given. Unless otherwise directed, select a single
answer choice. Some questions ask you to select one or more answers from a list of
choices, and may or may not specify the number of answers to select. For these
questions, select all applicable answers. Fill in the corresponding lettered space(s)
on the answer sheet.
1. A middle school principal and the campus leadership team plan a year-long
professional development series on differentiation of instruction. During the first
session in the series, the team focuses on one strategy for differentiation:
allowing choice in the products students complete to demonstrate mastery. To
effectively plan for the session, the team implements the following sequence of
steps.
1. Teachers review an exemplar lesson plan with student work samples that
allow students choice in how they demonstrated mastery.
2. __________________________________________________________
3. Teachers analyze how the variety of student work samples supported

each students’ learning style and needs.
4. Teachers identify their own students’ learning styles and needs to

generate ideas for differentiated student choice.
5. Teachers review upcoming lesson plans and adjust their expectations for
student work to provide for choice based on identified needs and learning
styles.
6. Teachers set the expectation to bring their student work samples from the
adjusted lesson plan to discuss the impact of student choice on mastery
at the next professional learning community (PLC) meeting.
Which of the following is the most appropriate second step to complete during
the first training sessions?
A. Teachers examine the TEKS for areas that are appropriate for differentiation
of products in their lessons.
B. Teachers discuss the characteristics of each work sample and how they
measure student mastery at the same level of rigor and alignment to the
lesson objective.
C. Teachers research and review additional strategies for differentiating the
content and process of future lessons.
D. Teachers review the rubric that will be used by administrators when
observing for evidence of differentiated products during walk-throughs.

2. A vision oversight team brainstorms a list of 28 ideas about what should be
included in the school’s revised vision. To narrow down the list, the principal
instructs each team member to reflect and select 5 of the 28 ideas, based on
the following criteria.
1. Will the idea help students succeed?

2. Is the idea important to you?
The principal then tallies the team’s selections. Three ideas have the most
votes.
• All students should have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their

life circumstances.
• Education should be of high quality, relevant, and rigorous, and it should
effectively prepare students for college, the workforce, and life.
• Students should embrace diversity, be responsible citizens, and make
meaningful contributions to the community.
Which of the following is the most appropriate next step for the principal to
take?
A. Asking team members to revisit the current vision and identify any shared
values with the prioritized selections
B. Facilitating a discussion with the team to determine whether each of the
prioritized selections is tenable
C. Narrowing the ideas further by having each team member choose one idea
out of the three prioritized selections
D. Working with the team to draft a vision statement that includes common
themes from the prioritized selections

3. Dr. Alarnab, an elementary principal, pilots a K–5 online blended learning
program with several fourth- and fifth-grade classes. At the end of the year, he
evaluates the program by collecting survey information about teachers’
perceptions regarding the effectiveness of the blended learning program.
Strongly Strongly
Statement Disagree Agree
Disagree Agree
Students are highly
motivated and engaged while 5% 5% 65% 25%
using the digital content.
The digital content has
helped students be
2% 5% 75% 18%
accountable for their own
learning.
Students’ understanding of
TEKS objectives has
2% 18% 38% 42%
improved with the use of the
digital content.
Students are performing
better on classroom
assessments and district
0% 12% 50% 38%
benchmark assessments as a
result of using the digital
content.
Based on the data collected, which of the following is the most appropriate next
step for the principal to take?
A. Facilitating guided discussions with pilot teachers to identify what changes

need to be made to the blended learning program to increase students’
technology self-efficacy
B. Surveying parents to assess their perceptions regarding the effectiveness of
blended learning on academic and nonacademic student outcomes to
determine whether the program should be continued, adjusted, or
discontinued
C. Conducting classroom observations to see how teachers are using blended
learning to improve student learning and assessing whether technology
infrastructure in classrooms is sufficient for continuing the program
D. Collecting student achievement data to compare the performance of
participating students to nonparticipants and determining whether there are
quantifiable improvements as a result of the program’s implementation

4. Ms. Dyers, a high school principal, is coaching Mr. Wallis, a teacher struggling
to implement feedback consistently in his classroom. Ms. Dyers observes him
teaching a ninth-grade English lesson on sensory language in a literary text
with the intention of using real-time feedback. Which of the following is the best
example of Ms. Dyers effectively using this technique during the observation?
A. Modeling how to effectively use a strategy that Mr. Wallis has just used
ineffectively with the class
B. Praising Mr. Wallis’ students immediately after they have made appropriate
contributions to the discussion
C. Providing Mr. Wallis with a list of instructional best practices that he can
keep on hand to refer to during the lesson
D. Using a preestablished signal or cue card to prompt Mr. Wallis to implement
the targeted strategy when needed throughout the lesson
5. Mr. Gutierrez, a highly effective fourth-grade teacher, seeks to become an

instructional leader. The principal brainstorms a list of his strengths and areas
for growth.
• Has a track record of high student achievement

• Implements rigorous, engaging classroom lessons
• Plans thoughtful, thorough lesson plans aligned with state standards
• Has been described by colleagues as hard to approach, at times
• Prefers to work independently
• Strives to be the best at whatever he tries
To best ensure that Mr. Gutierrez is able to effectively serve as an instructional

leader, the principal should
A. provide training to Mr. Gutierrez on how to develop positive relationships

and trust with staff.
B. improve Mr. Gutierrez’ understanding of schoolwide data collection and
analysis methods.
C. model for Mr. Gutierrez how to engage in ongoing self-reflection to improve
pedagogical efficacy.
D. create opportunities for Mr. Gutierrez to plan and facilitate events for the
school community.

For questions 6–11, review the information below and refer to the
document(s) provided on pages 9–11.
Ms. Melendez, an elementary school principal, plans to meet with Ms. Whitehorse, a
fifth-grade English language arts teacher. Ms. Melendez holds regular coaching
sessions with Ms. Whitehorse to build her skills in applying student data to inform
her instructional planning, delivery, and assessment.
In preparation for their next coaching session, Ms. Melendez reviews the most
recent fifth-grade reading benchmark data analysis chart for Ms. Whitehorse’s
classes. In a previous meeting, Ms. Melendez and Ms. Whitehorse confirmed the
alignment and rigor of the benchmark assessment questions. Ms. Melendez also
reviews the benchmark questions, item analysis information, and notes from
Ms. Whitehorse.
Documents
1. Ms. Whitehorse’s Item Analysis Report for the Benchmark Assessment
2. Sample Selected-Response Questions from the Benchmark
3. Two-point Essay Question from the Benchmark and Rubric
4. Sample Student Responses to the Essay with a 2-Point Rubric

Ms. Whitehorse’s Item Analysis Report for the Benchmark Assessment
Note: A blank box indicates the student answered the question correctly.
A box with a letter shows the incorrect option the student selected.
TEKS: 5.6(A) Plot Development; 5.6(B) Characterization; 5.8(A) Figurative Language
Essay
with 2-
MC %
TEKS 5.6(A) 5.6(A) 5.6(A) 5.6(B) 5.6(B) 5.6(B) 5.6(B) 5.6(B) 5.8(A) 5.8(A) point
Correct
Rubric
5.6(B)
Question
2 6 9 1 3 5 7 10 4 8 11
#
Lamont A 2 90%
Tonya G A 2 80%
Gavin H H 1 80%
Rodrigo G B D 1 70%
Samantha G D D 1 70%
Tatum A C A 1 70%
Jorge H B C F 1 60%
Sasha G H J F 0 60%
Al-Qual H B D A 0 60%
Terrence G A C A F 0 50%
Cynthia C C D C F 0 50%
Berta J B H B D J 0 40%
Veronica H C C H D C H F 0 20%
Aden J C C H B C B G 0 20%
Percent
29% 71% 57% 64% 50% 36% 50% 79% 57% 93% 32% 59%
Correct

Sample Selected-Response Questions from the Benchmark
Question 4 Question 8
“An anxious feeling scratched at the back of my “The sun glinted off the surface of the pool like a
mind as I approached the end of the diving million glittering diamonds inviting me to join
board.” them.”
The figurative language in this sentence shows that the The author uses the word “glittering” to help readers
narrator understand
F. recalls her coach’s instructions clearly F. the brilliance of the water
G. wonders whether her father is watching at poolside G. how deep the water looked
H. doubts her ability to complete the required dive H. why diving requires skill and talent
J. cannot decide if diving is a sport she enjoys J. the power of the sun
TEKS 5.8(A) Evaluate the impact of sensory details, imagery, and figurative language in literary text

Two-Point Essay Question from the Benchmark and Rubric
Who in the story do you think most influences the narrator and why?
Use evidence from the text to support your claim.
Score 2 1 0
Content Answers the question with Answers the question Does not answer the
ideas that show thought question
Evidence Provides details to support Provides some support for Provides no support for
ideas ideas but without details ideas
Organization and Ideas are clear and Ideas are loosely Ideas are not connected
Style connected connected
Conventions Easy to read and Readable, but with some Hard to read because of
understand; attention to errors in spelling and errors in spelling,
spelling, punctuation, and punctuation punctuation, or grammar
grammar
Sample Student Responses to the Essay with a 2-Point Rubric
Terrence—I think she is most like her father. Fathers are more seriuos people. My mother lets me slide, but
not my father.
Gavin—Athletes are influenced the most by their coaches. Her coach teaches her how to do all the dives. He
invites her to join the team. So he has influenced her most.
Tonya—She is influenced most by her father, who was an Olympic athlete. The story begins with her admiring
her father’s medals in track. When she becomes discouraged, she imagines herself standing on top of the
winner’s podium, like her father. She also takes his advice on going for the difficult dive in the trials. She is a
headstrong, independent character, but she respects and is influenced by her father.
Cynthia—Kristi is her best friend. Girls our age are into friends. We do’nt really care what adults think or what
they like. If her friend make fun of her diving, or playing a sport, or whatever, she probably would’nt want to
do it anymore.
Tatum—Her mother influences her the most, although maybe it’s her father does. But her mother sews the
diving patch on her bathing suit so that has to count for something.
Berta—Her teacher, Ms. Lester. She wants to be proud in front of her teacher because she can’t get good
grades in math.
Rodrigo—Her father, definitly. She tries harder and does better at practices when he is there. He has high
standards. It’s worth it when he tells her “There’s my girl”.

6. Which of the following is the most valuable action step for Ms. Whitehorse to
take to address the students’ performance on question 2?
A. Confirming that the rigor of the question is appropriate for fifth graders
B. Retesting with a different set of incorrect choices
C. Determining the error or misconception that is leading students to choose
option G
D. Designating the question as flawed and recalculating student scores without
it
7. Which of the following analyses by Ms. Whitehorse is best supported by the

student responses to questions 4 and 8?
A. Understanding the subtler uses of figurative language is difficult for my

students; I need to facilitate deeper discussions about figurative language as
we encounter it within the text.
B. Students are not using context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar
words; I need to introduce them to more advanced methods of determining
word meaning.
C. Long answer choices cause students to forget what the question asks; I
need to teach them strategies for identifying key words in questions and
answers.
D. I gain more insight into students’ understanding of abstractions through
essay questions; I will reserve multiple-choice questions for testing concrete
knowledge.

8. Ms. Melendez plans to ask Ms. Whitehorse the following question during the
coaching conference.
What did you note about student misconceptions when you compared students’
choices on questions 1 and 10 to their choices on 3, 5, and 7?
By asking this question, Ms. Melendez wants to ensure that Ms. Whitehorse
understands which of the following?
A. Test questions need to be of varying levels of difficulty to discriminate

between high- and low-performing students; Ms. Whitehorse should
continue to ask questions that represent a continuum of difficulty.
B. Students in heterogeneous classes will always show a variation in ability;
Ms. Whitehorse should ensure that both remediation and enrichment
activities are in her lesson plans.
C. Understanding characterization requires complex cognitive processing; Ms.
Whitehorse should expect fifth-grade students to have a steep learning
curve.
D. There is variation in student understanding of characterization; Ms.
Whitehorse should dig into the type of characterization question that was
asked and identify the errors students made on some questions but not
others.
9. Which of the following probing questions could Ms. Melendez use to best focus
Ms. Whitehorse’s instruction on improving students’ answers to the open-ended
question?
A. Are spelling and grammatical errors affecting students’ ability to receive

high scores; how can you reinforce students’ proofreading skills?
B. Are students using the text to support their claims about the characters;
how can you help students recognize relevant textual evidence?
C. How well do students understand the motivation behind characters’ actions;
what strategies help students build their skills in making inferences?
D. Are students losing focus on the question asked in the prompt; will
prewriting help them better organize their thoughts?

10. Which TWO of the following are the most effective methods for Ms. Whitehorse
and the other fifth-grade teachers to use for confirming whether students have
mastered a specific learning standard?
A. Ensuring that each standard tested on initial benchmarks is tested again on

subsequent benchmarks
B. Placing an identical question that targets the standard from the initial
benchmark on subsequent benchmarks
C. Testing the knowledge in the standard using both selected-response and
open-ended formats
D. Shortening the interval between administrations of benchmark assessments
while retaining the number of standards tested
E. Having groups of students generate an inferential question that
demonstrates the connection to the standard
11. During a coaching session, Ms. Whitehorse shares that when she gave students
the rubric that showed their scores on an essay question, most of the students
earning a composite score of 0 or 1 seemed to lack a clear understanding of
why their essays received the scores that they did. Which of the following
suggestions would be best for Ms. Melendez to make first in order to address
the concern raised by Ms. Whitehorse?
A. Create a new prompt on the same text and have students model how to use
the score point 2 descriptors on the rubric to jump-start their brainstorming
and organize their thoughts.
B. Ensure the rubric reflects the expectations of the writing task and develop
an exemplar essay response that demonstrates the levels of specificity and
rigor of the highest score point.
C. Invite Tonya to read aloud her essay response and have her highlight how
she addressed content, evidence, organization, style, and conventions.
D. Guide students to redo the essay after providing them with a response
template that includes an introductory sentence, a statement of the answer,
and three pieces of evidence from the text.

12. Dr. Sanders, the principal of a rural high school, wants to create a pool of
qualified and diverse teachers for the district. He plans to implement a grow-
your-own program for current students to eventually become teachers in the
district. The program would begin with recruiting high school students to take
elective courses focused on education and training and end with students
graduating from college with a degree in education and teacher certification.
Dr. Sanders begins by forming a committee consisting of a counselor and

several teacher leaders to develop program goals and objectives, courses, a
timeline, and a plan for implementation. The committee identifies partnerships
with postsecondary institutions as a critical component of the program to
strengthen student pathways toward degrees and certifications, since
participants will need access to education courses. Which of the following
components should the committee also prioritize as they discuss the design of
the program?
A. Partnering with community stakeholders to address potential barriers, such

as housing shortages, that might prevent students from coming back to
teach in the district
B. Recruiting only students who express an interest in education and training
through the use of a schoolwide survey
C. Developing a set of criteria and strategies for recruiting diverse, high-
achieving students with specific dispositions necessary for success
D. Asking for teacher volunteers to teach the education and training courses
and selecting teachers based on years of experience

13. Dr. Seif, an elementary school principal, reviews the results of an annual survey
given to teachers requesting feedback on his performance.
Teacher Survey on School Leadership

(n=40)
Statement Percent Agreeing Percent Disagreeing
1. The principal treats me like a professional. 97% 3%
2. I feel comfortable approaching the principal
90% 10%
with my concerns.
3. The principal helps me get the resources
80% 20%
that I need to effectively do my job.
4. The principal has a good understanding of
67% 33%
effective teaching practices.
5. I think the principal views me as an
87% 13%
effective teacher.
6. The principal visits my classroom often. 50% 50%
7. I feel empowered to make decisions about
92% 8%
my teaching.
8. The principal nurtures a positive culture
88% 12%
among the teachers at our school.
Based on the survey responses, which of the following professional growth

goals should Dr. Seif primarily consider for the upcoming school year?
A. Increasing visibility and facilitating staff collaboration

B. Improving transparency in decision making and enhancing communication
skills
C. Strengthening instructional leadership by increasing classroom observation
and feedback cycles
D. Acknowledging staff contributions and differentiating between shared
leadership and delegation
14. Which TWO of the following research-based practices can a principal implement
to best encourage students to complete their high school education?
A. Establishing a mentoring program for at-risk students that pairs them with
adults who provide encouragement to stay in school
B. Retaining students in elementary school who are significantly below grade
level so a strong educational foundation can be established
C. Instituting an attendance-monitoring program that faithfully rewards
students for good attendance and imposes fines for unexcused absences
D. Recruiting a team of students who dropped out of school and later earned
their general education degrees to counsel students about the drawbacks of
dropping out
E. Working with elementary and middle school principals to implement early-
warning intervention systems for students identified as at-risk

15. To help inform updates to district social studies curriculum documents, a high
school principal has the social studies teachers identify practices that have
increased student engagement and academic outcomes. The teachers
recommend the following practices to the principal.
• Teachers facilitate in-class debates using historical documents and

speeches as starting points for topics.
• Teachers use photographs to hook students and spark interest in various
history topics.
• Students read newspapers, court documents, and letters to examine
multiple viewpoints on events and issues.
Based on the teacher-recommended practices, the principal should primarily

emphasize to district curriculum leaders that
A. incorporating technology can provide students with the opportunity to

engage in authentic historical research.
B. primary sources can enrich learning experiences for students by engaging
them in historical thinking skills.
C. collaborative problem-solving tasks with real-world implications should be at
the core of the curriculum.
D. differentiating historical inquiry activities ensures that advanced students
have access to more complex learning.

Mr. Hobbs, principal of a large urban middle school, works with teachers on the
sixth-grade team during the first six weeks of the school year. Ms. Rienda, a sixth-
grade teacher, has fifteen English learners (ELs) in her classroom. Mr. Hobbs plans
to work with Ms. Rienda on reviewing Texas English Language Proficiency
Assessment System (TELPAS) data on each of the ELs who have data for the last
three years on listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Mr. Hobbs is concerned
about the ELs, and he first plans a walk-through in Ms. Rienda’s classroom for the
upcoming week during the language arts block of instruction. Ms. Rienda’s lesson
plan is on her desk during his walk-through. Mr. Hobbs comes in at the end of the
direct instruction portion of the lesson and stays until the end of the lesson.
Documents
1. TELPAS Percent of Students at Each Proficiency Level for Ms. Rienda’s
Students
2. Lesson Plan for Writing Using a Photograph
3. English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) Proficiency Level Descriptors
for Writing
4. Mr. Hobbs’s Notes from the Walk-Through
5. Lucia’s Writing Sample from the Lesson Observed with Proficiency Level by
the Teacher

TELPAS Percent of Students at Each Proficiency Level
for Ms. Rienda’s Students
Fifth Grade (N=15) Beginning Intermediate Advanced Advanced High

Listening 7% 7% 20% 67%
Speaking 7% 13% 20% 60%
Reading 7% 20% 40% 33%
Writing 7% 20% 33% 40%
Fourth Grade (N=15) Beginning Intermediate Advanced Advanced High
Listening 7% 13% 20% 60%
Speaking 7% 13% 27% 53%
Reading 13% 33% 40% 13%
Writing 7% 27% 33% 33%

Third Grade (N=15) Beginning Intermediate Advanced Advanced High
Listening 7% 13% 27% 53%
Speaking 7% 20% 33% 40%
Reading 13% 33% 27% 27%
Writing 13% 33% 27% 27%
*Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Lesson Plan for Writing Using a Photograph
Grade Level: 6 Teacher: J. Rienda

Subject: English/Language Arts – Writing Length of Time: 45-60 Minutes
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) §110.18. English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 6
(15) Writing/Literary Texts. Students write literary texts to express their ideas and feelings about real or
imagined people, events, and ideas. Students are expected to
(A) write imaginative stories that include
(i) a clearly defined focus, plot, and point of view; (ii) a specific, believable setting created through the use of
sensory details; and (iii) dialogue that develops the story
§74.4. English Language Proficiency Standards

(5) Cross-curricular second language acquisition/writing. The ELL writes in a variety of forms with increasing
accuracy to effectively address a specific purpose and audience in all content areas.
The student is expected to
(G) narrate, describe, and explain with increasing specificity and detail to fulfill content area writing needs as
more English is acquired.
Objectives and Outcomes

Students will develop the basic plot, characters, and setting of a story based on a teacher-provided photograph.
ELL/EL Objective: Students will create their own story that includes a basic plot, characters, and setting based
on a teacher-provided photograph.
Materials Photograph: A dog standing near the front steps of a school

Needed Blank sheets of paper
Additional photographs for each student to create stories for independent practice
Procedure 1. Write the following words on the board: Setting, Main Characters, Problem, and Events.
2. Project the photograph on the screen and identify the characters in the picture.
3. Using the picture, as a group, create a story by identifying the setting, character(s), and
plot.
4. Each student is given a different photograph and a blank sheet of paper.
5. Students work independently to develop their stories.
Evaluation Completed story

Differentiation Teacher works with students in special education individually to assist with story creation.
Teacher provides picture dictionary to EL.

English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) Proficiency Level Descriptors for Writing
Beginning Intermediate Advanced Advanced High

Advanced high ELLs have
Advanced ELLs have
acquired the English
Beginning ELLs lack the Intermediate ELLs have enough English
vocabulary and command
English vocabulary and enough English vocabulary vocabulary and command
of English language
grasp of English language and enough grasp of of English language
structures necessary to
structures necessary to English language structures to address
address grade-
address grade- structures to address grade-appropriate writing
appropriate writing tasks
appropriate writing tasks grade-appropriate writing tasks, although second
with minimal second
meaningfully. tasks in a limited way. language acquisition
language acquisition
support is needed.
support.
Students are able to use
Students are able to use
Students have a limited the English language,
the English language,
Students have little or no ability to use the English with minimal second
with second language
ability to use the English language to express ideas language acquisition
acquisition support, to
language meaningfully in in writing and engage support, to express ideas
express ideas in writing
grade-appropriate writing meaningfully in grade- in writing and engage
and engage meaningfully
assignments in content appropriate writing meaningfully in grade-
in grade-appropriate
area instruction. assignments in content appropriate writing
writing assignments in
area instruction. assignments in content
content area instruction.
area instruction.
Students know enough

Students are limited in English to be able to
Students lack the English
their ability to develop or develop or demonstrate Students know enough
necessary to develop or
demonstrate elements of elements of grade- English to be able to
demonstrate elements of
grade-appropriate writing appropriate writing in develop or demonstrate,
grade-appropriate writing
in English; communicate English, although second with minimal second
(e.g., focus and
best when topics are language acquisition language acquisition
coherence, conventions,
highly familiar and support is particularly support, elements of
organization, voice, and
concrete; and require needed when topics are grade-appropriate writing
development of ideas) in
simple, high-frequency abstract, academically in English.
English.
English. challenging, or
unfamiliar.

Mr. Hobbs’s Notes from Walk-Through
Classroom Walk-Through Form

Teacher: Ms. Rienda
Date: 11⁄17
Follow-Up
Walk-Through Criteria Observations
Discussion
Planning
Standards and Lesson plan references TEKs and ELPS.
alignment
Data and assessment Not observed
Each student is given his or her own photograph after

Activities
direct instruction to construct a story.
Instruction
Ms. Rienda gave the class instructions for their
independent work.
Communication
Two-thirds of the class began working very quickly after
instructions were given, but others did not.
Ms. Rienda worked at her table with students who receive What other strategies
special education services. can be helpful?
Differentiation
I noticed dictionaries on seven students’ desks but never
observed them being used.
Ms. Rienda walked around the classroom to ensure Missed opportunities
students were staying on task and clarify understanding. to adjust.
Student observations I made:

-EL (Tomas) struggled with his photograph of an old
Monitoring and
courthouse. Tomas was unable to identify the setting of
adjusting
the picture.
-EL (Manuel) used a photograph of a mechanic; some of
his ideas on the story map were presented in Spanish.
-EL (Jennifer) sat with a blank paper for the first seven
minutes and sharpened her pencil twice.
Learning environment
Classroom Overall pleasant environment. Ms. Rienda had written
environment, simple step directions for the assignment on the board for
routines, and all to see.
procedures
Two students (Aaron and Jack) finished their stories in
Managing student under ten minutes and started disrupting other students.
behavior Ms. Rienda gave them a verbal warning and had them
work on unfinished assignments in their yellow folders.

Lucia’s Writing Sample from the Lesson Observed with
Proficiency Level by the Teacher
Pizza and games weth may Frend
My frend and my wen to mr.gattis weth my family. Shis a rily nais gril and especho frend. Wy take some mony
then wy it som pizza, salet, apples and meny mor fud. She says funne tigs and wy laf a lot. After wy finish to id
my frend says wy can pley games now. wy went to the games wy pley a lot a game. I pleyet lake mor tatn 4
games because I wos winig a lat of tikets. Wen wy finish pley and get tajr pesens weth tikets. I hat fun weth my
frend.
ELPS proficiency level: Beginning

16. After reviewing the lesson plan and conducting the walk-through, Mr. Hobbs
schedules time to meet with Ms. Rienda. Which TWO of the following pieces of
feedback should Mr. Hobbs consider giving Ms. Rienda to improve her lesson
plan?
A. Providing each student with the same pictorial prompt to use during
independent practice
B. Modeling for students a teacher-created exemplar that sets the expectation
for student work
C. Ensuring that students have an opportunity to check their work against the
work of their peers
D. Incorporating time for ELs to repeat teacher-given instructions before they
begin the assignment
E. Scaffolding the writing process to support the needs of each student at his
or her current ELPS level
17. Based on Mr. Hobbs’s walk-through notes, Mr. Hobbs and Ms. Rienda identify
possible root causes of the difficulties he observed some of the students having
with the lesson and discuss strategies to address them. Which THREE of the
following strategies would be most appropriate for Ms. Rienda to implement to
address the students’ needs?
A. Incorporating authentic materials that students can relate to

B. Allowing students to type their stories instead of handwriting them
C. Providing a blank story map to help the students develop their ideas
D. Ensuring the EL students have a focused, quiet environment needed to learn
E. Preteaching lesson-specific vocabulary to EL students
18. During the meeting with Ms. Rienda, Mr. Hobbs discusses the TELPAS
proficiency level data. Which of the following strategies can Mr. Hobbs
recommend to help Ms. Rienda collect the most valid data on student progress
toward the next proficiency levels?
A. Using proficiency level descriptors as a rubric for developing formative

assessments to track student progress
B. Sending home a parent survey that rates students on listening, speaking,
reading, and writing throughout the school year
C. Administering reading and writing standardized assessments in the student’s
native language
D. Grouping students by proficiency level during collaborative projects to collect
anecdotal notes

19. After a follow-up walk-through, Mr. Hobbs realizes that Ms. Rienda needs
guidance to more effectively apply the English Language Proficiency Standards
(ELPS) when writing her lesson plans. Which of the following strategies is most
effective for supporting Ms. Rienda’s implementation of the ELPS into
instruction?
A. Comparing the proficiency level descriptors to the English Language Arts

TEKS to determine which one will be the primary objective for each lesson
B. Analyzing the proficiency level descriptors to highlight key words that will
assist in using scaffolded questions with students
C. Reviewing the reading proficiency level descriptors to determine how to
leverage students’ success in reading to help students develop as writers
D. Aligning the expectation for student writing within the lesson to students’
targeted proficiency level and developing scaffolds to support the writing
process
20. Mr. Hobbs meets with Ms. Rienda to discuss how to help Lucia achieve the next
level of writing proficiency. Which of the following instructional practices will
most effectively allow Ms. Rienda to help Lucia improve her narrative story
development, based on her current ELPS proficiency level?
A. Reviewing important and common syntactical errors made by Lucia a week

ahead of classroom instruction
B. Teaching high-frequency words and word patterns so that Lucia can apply
this learning to her writing
C. Focusing on grammatical structures for sentence writing to help convey
Lucia’s thoughts coherently
D. Allowing Lucia to record herself telling a story, then writing the story as she
listens to the recording

21. Mr. Hobbs reviews the ELPS proficiency ratings assigned to students’ writing
samples by Ms. Rienda and several other teachers and sees several areas of
concern. Mr. Hobbs decides to coordinate several short professional
development sessions for staff members to help better support EL learners.
Match each of the following professional development sessions to its most

appropriate purpose.
Teachers will better incorporate academic language acquisition needs of ELs

when planning lessons.
Teachers will better design a path to move students from one proficiency
level to the next based on their current proficiency level.
Teachers will norm and calibrate on expectations for each proficiency level
and ensure valid and reliable scoring practices.
Teachers will have a better understanding of ELs’ needs to make appropriate

accommodations in linguistic instruction.
Professional Development Sessions Purpose

Session 1 Teachers will learn to merge the ELPS
into content areas in alignment with grade-level
TEKS.
Session 2 Teachers will learn the differences

between the ELPS proficiency level descriptors.
Session 3 Teachers will practice rating their

student work samples in collaboration with
other teachers who have the ELs to determine
current proficiency ratings.
Session 4 Teachers will use TELPAS results and

regular formative assessments and
observations of ELs’ proficiency to set goals and
plan for steady progress in learning English.

22. A principal plans a series of meetings with parents to discuss a new school
improvement initiative focused on technology in the classroom. The initiative
has already been in use by teachers for a few months, but teachers continue to
field questions from parents. During the first meeting, the principal realizes that
the message is not being communicated in a way that allows parents to
conceptualize the new initiative. In preparation for the next meeting, which of
the following describes the principal’s best next step?
A. Provide a student demonstration for parents to show how the technology will
be implemented in the classroom
B. Provide a sign-up sheet for parents to schedule time with campus leaders for
viewing the new technology in action
C. Form a smaller group of parents and community members to determine
what questions could be answered during future sessions
D. Ask parents and community members to send in questions ahead of time
rather than having an open question-and-answer session
23. A principal designates a faculty member to adopt the role of bilingual outreach
liaison. The principal works closely with the faculty member to define the new
role and identify the responsibilities associated with engaging bilingual families.
Together they initially define two key responsibilities of the bilingual outreach
liaison.
1. Helping achieve the goals of the district bilingual parent advisory council,
including engaging stakeholders in two-way communication to better
understand the priorities and needs of bilingual families and strengthen
the home and school relationship
2. Providing written translation services for school- and district-related

documents
Which of the following additional responsibilities is most important to add for

the role of bilingual outreach liaison?
A. Helping facilitate teacher and campus leader communication with bilingual

families, including phone calls and home visits
B. Assessing the quality of faculty engagement with bilingual families and
evaluating conferences held by individual teachers
C. Developing grant applications to secure funds for school-based English
classes and computer training for bilingual parents
D. Attending all events planned by the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) and
monitoring the attendance of bilingual families

24. Before the beginning of the school year, a new middle school principal works
with the campus improvement committee to begin the process of rewriting the
school vision to reflect current school values and needs. Together, the team
members conduct a needs assessment by reviewing various sources of data,
including student achievement, attendance, demographics, and staff
evaluations from the previous school year. Which of the following is the best
next step the committee should take to continue the vision development
process?
A. Creating several draft visions to present to key stakeholder groups to have

them vote on the vision they believe best represents campus values
B. Revising the existing vision and posting it on the school marquee, on the
school Web site, and in the hallways to make stakeholders aware of the
update
C. Hiring an outside consultant to facilitate vision development and
implementation and guarantee stakeholder buy-in and commitment
D. Assigning committee members to work with groups of teachers to review the
data and draft a list of ideas and beliefs based on vision-focused questions
25. Principal Leon wants to ensure that children make a strong start as they begin
kindergarten so he sets out to refine the school’s approach to kindergarten
transition planning. He uses three guiding principles to improve the transition
process.
1. Parents and families of incoming kindergarten students are fully engaged

in the kindergarten transition process.
2. Transition activities are implemented over time and continue through the
first few months of kindergarten.
3. Key external stakeholders are involved in the kindergarten transition
process.
Which of the following practices most effectively addresses the three guiding
principles?
A. Meeting with families to give them an opportunity to share concerns and

insights about kindergarten transition and to build their capacity to advocate
for their children during the kindergarten year
B. Scheduling high-intensity, high-frequency activities that allow incoming
students to practice skills, connect with peers, and explore the new
environment before they start kindergarten
C. Partnering with private day cares and preschools to launch a yearlong school
readiness campaign that helps families to register, meet staff, and support
children’s participation in early learning activities
D. Collaborating with early childhood and elementary educators to codevelop
transition plans for individual students and to ensure that families have
ongoing access to the transition plans

Review the documents provided, review questions 26–31, and then review
the 2-minute video clip of a portion of the lesson.
Ms. Nunez is a proficient teacher who has taught kindergarten for five years. Mr.
Kim, an elementary principal, enters her classroom to complete a walk-through of a
mathematics lesson. The observed lesson is an introductory lesson about three-
dimensional solid shapes.
Mr. Kim reviews the teacher’s lesson plan to gain a better understanding of the
instruction being provided. He makes notes regarding the lesson plan and Ms.
Nunez’ instruction. Mr. Kim will create a coaching plan to guide his discussion with
Ms. Nunez in a post-observation conference focused on improving instructional
practice.
Documents
1. Ms. Nunez’ Lesson Plan
2. Mr. Kim’s Walk-Through Notes and Coaching Plan
3. Video Clip of Ms. Nunez’ Mini-Lesson and Guided Practice

Ms. Nunez’ Lesson Plan
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), Kindergarten

6. Geometry and measurement. The student applies mathematical process standards
to analyze attributes of two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional solids to develop generalizations about
their properties.
The student is expected to:
B) identify three-dimensional solids, including cylinders, cones, spheres, and cubes, in the real world.
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to identify three-dimensional solids, such as cylinders, cones,
spheres, rectangular prisms, and cubes, in the real world.
Assessment
Independent practice worksheet responses, exit ticket
Lesson Structure and Procedures

Warm-Up/Do Now:
Complete morning calendar routine.
Activating Prior Knowledge:

Ask students what we have been studying. (Shapes)
Ask students what shapes we have learned.
(Star, hexagon, circle, trapezoid, triangle, square)
Show the cover of Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh to students and ask which 2-D
shapes they recognize (circle, square, triangle). Read the book Mouse Shapes
to students.
Mini-Lesson and Guided Practice:

Tell students that we have not learned all the shapes.
Explain that the mouse could have built a better house with different shapes.
Tell students we will learn what those shapes are.
Use the bag and pull out one 3-D solid shape at a time to show students.
Tell students the name of the shape.
Have students brainstorm real-world examples of the shape and write their ideas
on the chart paper.
Independent Practice:
Tell students they will work independently to search around the room to find
real-world examples of 3-D solid shapes discussed.
On the independent practice worksheet, students will draw the 3-D solid shapes
they find around the classroom.
Check for Understanding:

Monitor students responses during the mini-lesson.
Monitor students as they complete their worksheet during independent practice.
Review student performance on the exit ticket.
Differentiation/Adaptations
While walking around the classroom and checking in on all students, work with
students struggling to identify real-world 3-D solid shapes during independent practice.

Mr. Kim’s Coaching Plan
Teacher Name: Ms. Nunez Lesson Observed: Identifying 3-D solids
Walk-through Notes
and Preparation for the Post-Observation Conference
During activating prior knowledge
• Ms. Nunez asks students, “What would you build out of the shapes in this book?” while pointing to various 2-D
shapes in the book. Student responses include: airplane, train, house.
• Students are sitting on the carpet and actively listening.
During the mini-lesson and guided practice

• The students often wiggle and look around the room.
• Students struggle to think of real-world examples of a rectangular prism. Cade raises his hand to suggest
“decorations” for an example and expands his answer by saying “like a puppet.”
• Ms. Nunez accepts his response and adds “decorations” to the chart paper.
During the independent practice

• Many students bring objects up to the teacher and ask, “What 3-D shape is this one?”
• Students struggle to draw 3-D shapes when objects are correctly identified and, as a result, draw a 2-D shape
without labeling their drawing.
Review of exit ticket results

Students are asked to identify three-dimensional solids when given a picture of a real-world object.
Object Percent Mastery

Sphere 90%
Cylinder 60%
Cube 50%*
Cone 60%
Rectangular prism 60%*
* Student struggled to differentiate between a cube and a rectangular prism.
Coaching Plan
Ms. Nunez showed great enthusiasm while showing examples of the 3-D solids to
PRAISE
encourage student interest in the lesson.
How can you adjust your lesson to improve student mastery on the shapes they didn’t
understand well?
PROBE
How can you share your thinking process when determining whether a real-world
object represents a certain shape?
MODEL/ Show a short video of a teacher demonstrating a think-aloud. Ask Ms. Nunez, “How did
EXEMPLAR this teacher model the process that students should engage in by thinking aloud?”
ACTION STEP Students will benefit from hearing you talk about your thinking.
Script the modeling portion of the lesson, including the language you will use when
PRACTICE
thinking aloud.
Review the teacher’s lesson plans for modeling aligned to the lesson objective.
FOLLOW-UP
Complete walk-throughs and provide feedback to the teacher.

Video Clip from the Lesson Observed by the Principal
Review the 2-minute video clip of a portion of the lesson.
The video shows the teacher presenting the mini-lesson and guided practice portion
of the lesson. At the beginning of the video, the teacher has students gathered on
the carpet as she pulls objects from a bag and records students’ responses.
Play the video.

26. Based on the video, which THREE of the following are effective strategies that
Mr. Kim can encourage Ms. Nunez to implement during the mini-lesson to
enhance its effectiveness?
A. Lead a conversation about simple attributes of each shape, such as helping

students understand how a cylinder can roll more efficiently than a cube can
B. Create a story problem to introduce the concept of three-dimensional solids
in order to activate students’ mathematical reasoning skills
C. Anticipate student misconceptions and provide students with examples that
allow them to make comparisons and distinguish the attributes of similar
shapes
D. Introduce real-world examples of each shape and have students discuss how
the real-world object is representative of the model
E. Ask students to work in groups to create an anchor chart that includes a
labeled drawing of a cube and a sphere
27. Which of the following is the most appropriate feedback from Mr. Kim regarding
the teacher’s use of content-specific vocabulary such as “faces” when
introducing the objects?
A. Define content-specific vocabulary more explicitly to help students use it to

understand new concepts and make connections to background knowledge
B. Consider creating an anchor chart with sentence starters to prompt students
to use academic vocabulary during mathematics discussions to encourage
accountability
C. Revisit how you use your mathematics journal by having students place new
mathematics vocabulary in the list with colored coding to increase
engagement
D. Think about planning opportunities for students to stand up and skywrite the
target vocabulary words while also spelling them out loud to support
multisensory learning
28. Which of the following best improves the action step Mr. Kim has included in
the coaching plan for Ms. Nunez?
A. During the modeling portion of the lesson, have students turn and talk to a
partner to promote student engagement and ownership of the learning
B. In each lesson, model your thinking for students to demonstrate key
concepts and the process to be used when completing the targeted skill
C. Modeling should allow you to follow up on the activating-prior-knowledge
portion of the lesson and should be performed before students are asked to
demonstrate the skill on their own
D. During the modeling portion of the lesson, students will benefit from
multiple “at-bat” opportunities and strengthen their understanding of the
targeted skill

29. During the post-observation conference, Ms. Nunez asks for feedback on
strengthening the independent practice portion of the lesson. Ms. Nunez states
that she wishes she had integrated the class set of tablets, but that she was not
sure how to effectively use them in this lesson. Which of the following
suggestions by Mr. Kim best addresses the needs of the lesson?
A. Allowing time for students to play an interactive game on the tablet showing
how 3-D solids are made
B. Asking students to use the tablet to search the Internet and find examples
of 3-D solids introduced in the lesson
C. Allowing students to draw 3-D solids in an application on the tablet, printing
the drawings, and posting them on the chart paper
D. Having students walk around the school with a tablet to take pictures of
objects that represent the 3-D solids introduced in the lesson
30. During the post-observation conference, Mr. Kim and Ms. Nunez discuss the
types of shapes discussed during the mini-lesson.
Mr. Kim: How did you select the 3-D objects to present to students during
the mini-lesson?
Ms. Nunez: Almost all of the shapes are a part of the grade-level TEKS. I
thought it would be good to include a three-dimensional shape that students
will be introduced to in first grade. I wanted students to be challenged.
Mr. Kim: I am pleased that you are maintaining high academic expectations
for your students.
Which of the following describes the most appropriate follow-up response by

Mr. Kim?
A. “Let’s continue to go deeper with the curriculum and add objects that align
to the kindergarten and first-grade TEKS.”
B. “Did you meet with the first-grade teachers to discuss appropriate strategies
for teaching the first-grade geometry TEKS?”
C. “Based on student misconceptions, how could you break down the TEKS
objective to develop lessons that focus on singular concepts?”
D. “By introducing a variety of three-dimensional solids, you helped students
make connections to similar objects and enhanced their understanding of
geometric figures.”

31. Ms. Nunez shares that she enjoys incorporating literature into mathematics
lessons and feels that it helps expose students to new concepts before the start
of a unit. Based on the principal’s walk-through notes, which of the following
recommendations should Mr. Kim make to Ms. Nunez when using Mouse
Shapes to support this geometry lesson?
A. Have students mimic the book and build objects using the shapes taught
today to enrich their understanding of the lesson’s content
B. Design learning centers that connect geometric shapes to multiple types of
literature to enhance student understanding
C. Focus on how the book helps students develop an understanding of both
procedural and conceptual understanding of geometric shapes
D. Clarify how the book can activate students’ prior knowledge of 2-D shapes
and discuss how they can be used to create common 3-D shapes
32. An elementary school principal encourages grade-level teams of teachers to use

the following questions to guide their interdisciplinary units and lesson
planning.
• Are the examples used in mathematics word problems rigorous and

familiar to students?
• Is the language used in learning materials on grade level and accessible
to students?
• Do the read-aloud stories promote positive representations of different
groups?
• Do the social studies materials include the historical contributions of
different groups?
By encouraging teachers to ask the questions, the principal primarily

demonstrates an understanding that
A. selecting appropriate core instructional strategies should be a collaborative

process.
B. curriculum resources should accurately reflect the cultural diversity of the
school community.
C. teachers should know how to adapt their communication style to meet
student needs.
D. activating prior knowledge is foundational to the success of students,
regardless of their background.

33. A principal uses the following guiding questions to help teachers ensure that
they are implementing a rigorous curriculum.
Content: How does the content being taught align with college and career-
readiness standards and require students to synthesize and apply core
knowledge?
Instruction: As part of the instructional cycle, in what way must students
explain, defend, or justify their thinking, arguments, or conclusions?
Assessment:
Which of the following questions most effectively guides the conversation about
assessment?
A. How does the assessment measure students’ levels of misinterpretation and

lack of background knowledge?
B. How are students required to use higher-order and critical-thinking skills to
demonstrate their understanding of standards-based content?
C. How do questions address complex terminology that challenges students
who are more advanced?
D. How do the scoring rubric and calibration strategy evaluate student
knowledge and maintain consistency in grading practices?
34. A principal begins an initiative to focus on digital safety. The initiative includes
the following components.
1. Teacher development: teachers ensure that the goals of twenty-first-

century learning are within the guidelines of digital safety.
2. Parent workshops: parents learn how they can support students in being
safe while using technology.
3. Technology policies: students and teachers sign acceptable-use
agreements.
Which of the following would be the most appropriate fourth component to

support digital safety?
A. Technology infrastructure: principal evaluates the technology infrastructure

to ensure that all classrooms have high-speed Internet access.
B. Software applications: principal encourages parent use of applications that
monitor student technology use to reduce reliance on physical monitoring.
C. Curriculum: principal directs the integration of instruction that teaches
students to participate responsibly in the digital world.
D. Rules: principal ensures that students and teachers understand digital rights
management and issues of copyright.

35. In an effort to determine how to establish effective communication with
parents, a principal gathers feedback using a parent survey at the beginning of
the school year. The survey results indicate that parents of students who
receive special education services feel that the specific needs of their students
are not being communicated effectively and taken into consideration when
schoolwide events are planned. Which of the following describes the most
effective way that the principal can address these parents’ concerns?
A. Sending a separate newsletter for parents of special education students that

provides information on upcoming events, community support services, and
tips for working with students at home
B. Hosting a monthly special education advisory group meeting to share ideas
and information and gather feedback
C. Requiring teachers to read their students’ IEPs to ensure that they are in
compliance when planning events that the students will be attending
D. Providing a list of accommodations to various committees to refer to during
their planning meetings

The superintendent of a district works with each high school, as well as eighth-
grade teachers, to incorporate the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards
(CCRS) into all curriculum planning and instruction.
Before the new school year began, the district provided a one-day professional
development session on CCRS implementation. District trainers provided teachers
with the CCRS framework and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) to
communicate the expectation that CCRS be integrated into daily instruction.
During the first few weeks of school, Ms. Dmitri, the principal of Rolling Meadow
Middle School works with her school leadership team to design and administer a
survey to assess eighth-grade teachers’ perceptions regarding CCRS
implementation. To further gauge CCRS implementation, the team conducts walk-
throughs in eighth-grade core academic classes to collect evidence of content-
specific and cross-disciplinary CCRS integration in daily instruction.
Documents
1. Rolling Meadow Eighth-Grade Teacher Response Survey Results
2. Evidence of Cross-Disciplinary Foundational Skill Indicators in Eighth-Grade
Core Subjects
3. E-mail Between English Department Lead Teacher and Principal

Rolling Meadow Eighth-Grade Teacher Response Survey Results
Percentage of
Teachers Who Agree
Statement
or Strongly Agree
(n=18)
1. I understand the purpose of the CCRS. 56%
2. Knowing and implementing the CCRS adds value to my instruction. 56%
3. Mastering the CCRS increases students’ potential for success in post-secondary 61%
education and careers.
4. Implementing the content-specific CCRS is as important as teaching the TEKS in my 61%
subject area.
5. All students are capable of mastering the CCRS. 44%
6. I feel confident teaching
• content-specific CCRS (for my assigned subject area) 72%
• cross-disciplinary key cognitive skills 67%
• cross-disciplinary foundational skills 44%
7. I have received/am receiving support implementing the CCRS in my present 33%
assignment.
8. I would like to receive additional CCRS professional development that
• is provided by outside experts 39%
• allows me to work independently 28%
• allows me to work with colleagues 72%
• is structured in workshop formats 17%
• provides ongoing support 61%
• is offered outside of school hours 11%
Open-ended prompts:
9. Describe how you implement the English language arts, mathematics, science and/or social studies CCRS in
your daily instruction (as applicable).
10. Describe how you implement the cross-disciplinary standards in your daily instruction.
Trends in teacher responses to open-ended prompts

• Most teachers seem to have an understanding of how the content-specific CCRS relate to the TEKS.
• Teachers who have students who are below grade level express that the cross-disciplinary CCRS aren’t
as relevant for them as teachers who have on- or above-grade-level students.
• A few teachers view cross-disciplinary CCRS as a time-consuming additional requirement.
• Some teachers view cross-disciplinary CCRS as primarily the responsibility of teachers of advanced
classes.
• Some teachers are unsure of how to determine whether students have mastered specific CCRS.

Evidence of Cross-Disciplinary Foundational Skill Indicators in Eighth-Grade Core Subjects
(Time Frame: 8 weeks)
x = evidence that the indicator was integrated into instruction and/or is explicitly shown in student work
English
Social
II. Foundational Skills Language Mathematics Science
Studies
Arts
A. Reading across the curriculum
1. Uses effective prereading strategies. x
2. Uses a variety of strategies to understand the
x x x
meanings of new words.
3. Identifies the intended purpose and audience of
x x
the text.
4. Identifies the key information and supporting
x x x
details.
5. Analyzes textual information critically. x x x
6. Annotates, summarizes, paraphrases, and
x x
outlines texts when appropriate.
7. Adapts reading strategies according to structure
x
of texts.
8. Connects reading to historical and current events
x
and personal interest.
B. Writing across the curriculum
1. Writes clearly and coherently using standard
x x
writing conventions.
2. Writes in a variety of forms for various audiences
x x
and purposes.
3. Composes and revises drafts. x x
C. Research across the curriculum
1. Understands which topics or questions are to be
x
investigated.
2. Explores a research topic. x
3. Refines research topic based on preliminary
research and devises a timeline for completing
work.
4. Evaluates the validity and reliability of sources.
5. Synthesizes and organizes information
effectively.
6. Designs and presents an effective product.
7. Integrates source material.
8. Presents final product. x
D. Use of data
1. Identifies patterns or departures from patterns
x x
among data.
2. Uses statistical and probabilistic skills necessary
for planning an investigation and collecting, x x
analyzing, and interpreting data.
3. Presents analyzed data and communicates
x x
findings in a variety of formats.

E-mail Between English Department Lead Teacher and Principal
To: Ms. Dmitri

From: Mr. Cruz, English Language Arts Lead Teacher
RE: Integrating Foundational Skills
Ms. Dmitri,
In response to your request for a sample lesson that demonstrates the integration of foundational skills identified
in the cross-disciplinary CCRS, I am including a lesson that addresses these performance indicators:
C. Research across the curriculum

6. Designs and presents an effective product.
7. Integrates source material.
8. Presents final product.
The lesson is the result of collaboration between eighth-grade English language arts teachers. We await your
feedback.
Lesson Title: Research Presentation
Objective
Develop a slide-show presentation, e-book, or short film that communicates the key points of a research report
on youth voting in America.
TEKS 8.12 (F) Synthesize information from a variety of sources.

TEKS 8.12 (J) Use an appropriate mode of delivery, whether written, oral, or multimodal, to present results.
Procedure
1. Have students review their final draft research paper to determine which medium is most suitable for
presenting the key points of the paper.
2. Model how to select key points from the other information gathered during research.
3. Discuss how to match information with the appropriate communication method (e.g., graph, chart, photo,
etc.).
4. Present exemplars and identify what contributes to effective communication (color techniques, camera
perspectives, etc.).
5. Provide students with a rubric for evaluating their class presentations.
6. Have students prepare digitally enhanced presentations using the rubric as a guide.
7. Have students give their presentations to the class.
Rubric for presentation
Exceeds College Readiness Demonstrates College Is Approaching College Is Initiating College

Expectations (4) Readiness (3) Readiness (2) Readiness (1)

36. Based on the survey comments, Ms. Dmitri realizes that further work needs to
be done in order to gain teachers’ commitment to CCRS implementation. Which
TWO of the following actions address prevalent teacher misconceptions?
A. Providing training to teachers on the organization of the content-specific

CCRS and how they support the TEKS
B. Explaining to teachers why assessing student proficiency with the CCRS
provides valuable data
C. Emphasizing to teachers that the CCRS are important and accessible to all
student groups to develop a strong foundation of knowledge
D. Reiterating that time must be set aside to deliver CCRS instruction to ensure
student success
E. Expanding post-observation coaching sessions to include ways to integrate
the CCRS into daily lesson plans
37. Ms. Dmitri begins planning CCRS professional development and uses the
teacher survey as a guide. She identifies four professional development options
for the next staff development day. Based on the teacher survey results, which
of the following options is most appropriate?
A. Teacher teams design CCRS-aligned lesson plans based upon an exemplar

and create a protocol for providing constructive feedback on lesson plans
and instruction.
B. Teachers complete a self-paced digital learning module that familiarizes
them with how the content-specific CCRS compare to the TEKS.
C. A district curriculum director facilitates a make-and-take session and helps
teachers create instructional materials such as anchor charts that support
student proficiency with CCRS.
D. A consultant from a textbook publisher models for teachers how to create
CCRS pacing guides that align to curriculum scope and sequence
documents.
38. Ms. Dmitri plans a meeting with the mathematics department to discuss the
evidence collected during the walk-throughs and form a responsive and
collaborative plan for improvement. Which of the following questions should Ms.
Dmitri pose to best frame their planning?
A. How can we leverage students’ proficiency with data analysis to help them
master the rest of the foundational skills?
B. To what degree are you working with the science department to embed
opportunities for students to conduct research?
C. Why is explicit reading and writing strategy instruction not shown as being
integrated into daily mathematics lessons?
D. Which foundational skills should be prioritized based on how well they
support the mathematics TEKS you will be teaching?

39. To best improve the English department’s lesson planning, Ms. Dmitri should
guide the teacher to
A. use a more project-based, student-centered approach to teaching

foundational cognitive skills.
B. identify how student proficiency will be determined by clarifying what
college-ready performance looks like.
C. focus performance expectations on those standards that directly relate to
reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.
D. examine the desired lesson activities and select either the TEKS or CCRS
standard that most closely aligns.
40. Ms. Dmitri collaborates with the high school in Rolling Meadow’s feeder pattern
to develop a long-term plan for monitoring progress toward improving college
and career readiness. She wants to track cohorts of students as they enter and
progress through high school, and she works with the high school leadership to
outline the following metrics, which will be used over the next several years to
evaluate the success of college and career readiness efforts.
• Four-year graduation rates

• Annual dropout rates
• Percentage of students taking advanced and/or dual-credit courses
• Student growth on state assessments
Which of the following should be prioritized as an additional metric?
A. Student admission rates to two- and four-year colleges

B. Student performance on college entry exams
C. Semester and cumulative grade-point averages for students
D. Student participation in academic organizations

41. Based on the survey results and comments, Ms. Dmitri has a follow-up
conversation with the teachers who support students who are performing below
grade level to ensure they understand the important role they have in
preparing all students for success. During the conversation, one teacher says,
and others agree, that the students who are performing below grade level are
not ready for learning activities that include CCRS.
Sequence the steps Ms. Dmitri should take in the order that best supports a
change in the teachers’ attitudes.
Empowering the teachers to act on their

changed attitudes by providing targeted
coaching and mentoring, constructive
feedback, and ongoing support
Creating an awareness among teachers

about their attitudes concerning
students’ capability to meet the CCRS
Consistently reinforcing the belief that

all students are capable of meeting the
CCRS to prevent backsliding
Providing motivation for the teachers to

change their attitudes by demonstrating
the correlation between high
expectations and improved student
performance
First
Last

42. Mr. Gerrard, a principal, reviews his current communication plan.
Who How
Daily announcements and text alerts, weekly online newsletter, biweekly staff meeting, one-on-ones
Teachers and
(hallways, classrooms, cafeteria, workroom monthly whiteboard calendar, social networking pages, yearly
staff
surveys)
Daily announcements, school and classroom Web pages, paper flyers, classroom calendar, social
Students
networking pages, yearly surveys
Social networking and Web pages, e-mail newsletter, print flyers, phone calls, yearly surveys, special
Parents
events (monthly doughnuts with dads, tea with moms, parent breakfast)
Community Social networking and Web pages, e-mail newsletter, yearly surveys, special events (monthly coffee shop
members talks, business luncheons)
Which of the following adjustments to Mr. Gerrard’s current communication plan

improves its effectiveness?
A. Identifying the purpose of each avenue of communication to ensure clarity

of the intended messages
B. Evaluating each stakeholder group’s need for social networking pages in
order to determine whether the pages promote best instructional practice
C. Increasing the frequency that stakeholder groups receive surveys to once a
month to ensure that the data are used to improve instruction
D. Including frequent opportunities for one-on-one interaction with parents and
community members in multiple settings

43. A principal initiates the use of instructional rounds to develop a culture of
collaboration and encourage dialogue about instructional practices. The
principal guides a small group of teachers to observe and record notes about a
colleague’s fifteen-minute lesson. A debriefing session with both the observed
and the observers is scheduled the same day, and the principal establishes
norms for the session.
Norms
• Observing teachers should talk about the observed lesson only with
faculty who participated in the observation.
• Observing teachers should bring notes taken during instructional
observations.
To ensure a safe and productive environment, the principal should create an

additional norm that observing teachers should
A. share with members of the group how they think the lesson should have
been taught based on their previous experiences teaching the standard.
B. plan to facilitate discussion solely on teacher strengths observed during the
lesson to maintain positive relationships among the teachers.
C. ask the observed teacher open-ended questions about the lesson to gain
insight into the teacher’s lesson-planning process and to foster reflection.
D. focus the discussion on the quality and frequency of student participation
throughout the lesson as the primary indicator of the teacher’s
effectiveness.
44. To support teachers with fewer than two years of classroom experience, a
principal identifies several potential mentors. The principal creates a list of
criteria to help select experienced, dedicated teachers to act as mentors for
new teachers.
• Demonstrates a track record of effective instruction and measurable

student results
• Demonstrates effective classroom management
• Is able to listen attentively and offer emotional support
• Understands how to help teachers begin to navigate the school’s systems
Which of the following skills should the principal prioritize when developing the
new mentors?
A. Meeting the needs of new teachers at different grade levels

B. Providing effective instructional coaching
C. Applying knowledge of teacher appraisal rubrics
D. Using technology to communicate frequently

45. A middle school principal wants to improve the effectiveness of the school’s
various departmental teams. The principal asks members of each team to
reflect on, discuss, and agree on the behaviors they consider to be necessary
for effective team meetings. The principal then ensures that members of each
team fully understand and commit to the expectations established for team
meetings. The following is an example of what one of the teams developed.
We pledge to be fully present at meetings by arriving prepared and

listening attentively.
We pledge to welcome input from all team members and examine all
points of view before making a decision.
We pledge to maintain a collegial and friendly atmosphere and use
humor as appropriate to help us enjoy our work together.
By facilitating this process, the principal primarily emphasizes the importance of
A. using consensus decision making to help teams process information and

resolve conflicts.
B. establishing protocols for enforcing consistent expectations for collaboration
across all teams.
C. tailoring norms that enable teams to take responsibility for operating in the
most productive manner possible.
D. creating explicit processes for team meetings that are research based and
focused on effective communication.
46. The principal and campus improvement team discuss effective practices that
address the needs of students living in poverty to guide future teacher
professional development. The team lists the following actions to help target
this student group’s needs.
1. Set ambitious academic learning goals and affirm students’ ability to

achieve them.
2. Build trusting relationships that model caring and respect.
3. Incorporate vocabulary development as part of the daily classroom
routine.
Which of the following is the most appropriate practice to add to the list?
A. Use classroom management practices that control student behaviors at

school and help students stay focused and engaged in learning.
B. Build students’ self-regulation skills to allow them to manage stressors that
they encounter both at home and at school.
C. Reassure students that even though they may not be strong in some
academic areas, they have other strengths they can focus on.
D. Develop a pull-out program that addresses students’ most pressing
academic deficits in small, personalized group settings.

document(s) provided on pages 49 and 50.
Dr. Galvan is the new principal of a small elementary school in a rural district.
Grades K–5 are each taught by one teacher, with an average of twenty students in
each class. After reviewing science benchmark and state assessment data from the
past three years, Dr. Galvan becomes concerned about potential gaps in student
knowledge and skills and decides to prioritize science instruction as a focus for
schoolwide improvement. During the first nine weeks of the school year, she
reviews teachers’ lesson plans and conducts frequent walk-throughs during science
instruction to collect data on student groupings and learning activities as well as the
types of knowledge and cognitive processes demonstrated during class. Dr. Galvan
also plans and schedules guided inquiry trainings for teachers, beginning in
November.
Documents
1. Overview of Teachers’ Magnetism Lessons from Force, Motion, and Energy
Units
2. Summary of Science Professional Development Plan: Guided Inquiry

Overview of Teachers’ Magnetism Lessons from Force, Motion, and Energy Units
Teacher-developed Teacher-developed lesson

Grade Magnetism TEKS
lesson 1 overview 2 overview
K.6(B) Explore interactions Students will be able to use Students will be able to
between magnets and horseshoe magnets to identify whether different
various materials identify which different metal objects “stick” (coins,
Kindergarten
objects “stick” (pennies, soda cans, nails, etc.).
cotton balls, foil, paper
clips, etc.).
1.6(B) Predict and describe Teacher will demonstrate Teacher will read aloud a
how a magnet can be used how to use a magnet to book about magnets and
First Grade to push or pull an object test materials. Students will students will discuss what
watch a video about they learned.
magnetism.
2.6(B) Observe and identify Teacher will be Students will watch a video
how magnets are used in demonstrate how to classify that demonstrates how to
everyday life objects found around the test objects to determine
Second Grade school as magnetic or not their magnetic properties.
magnetic and students will
document findings in a
science journal.
3.6(C) Observe forces such Students will be able to use Teacher will model how to
as magnetism and gravity sets of bar magnets to complete a T-chart that sorts
Third Grade
acting on objects observe how magnets objects by magnetic or
attract and repel. nonmagnetic.
4.6(D) Design a descriptive Students will read about Students will be able to read
investigation to explore the how to make a homemade the textbook portion on
effect of force on an object compass to find the magnetism and select two
Fourth Grade
such as a push or a pull, magnetic north. Students comprehension questions to
gravity, friction, or will be able to create one ask classmates.
magnetism for extra credit.
5.6(D) Design a simple Students will be able to Students will be able to use a
experimental investigation pose a question and form a spring scale, a book, and
that tests the effect of force hypothesis in preparation objects of various weights to
on an object for an experiment about test their hypothesis about
Fifth Grade
the effects of force on an how mass affects the force
object. needed to move objects.
Then record findings and
draw conclusions.

Summary of Science Professional Development Plan: Guided Inquiry
Phase Component Description
Principal will lead two days of teacher trainings on

Content Instruction
science TEKS.
Pedagogical Principal will lead three days of teacher trainings

Instruction on inquiry-based instruction.
Skill Acquisition: November
Principal will model effective lesson planning and
Modeling
instructional strategies.
Teachers will develop and deliver lessons that

Practice
implement guided science inquiry strategies.
Principal will facilitate in-person and virtual

Coaching coaching sessions with teachers over a period of
six weeks.
Skill Transfer: November and
December
Teachers will make a video of a lesson and engage
Evaluation and
in guided reflection. Coaches will provide feedback
Feedback
on the video of the lesson.

47. Based on her review of teachers’ magnetism lesson plans, Dr. Galvan should
first prioritize
A. helping teachers identify ways to maximize instructional time and promote

interdisciplinary knowledge by incorporating mathematics, language arts,
and social studies TEKS into science lessons.
B. working with teachers to schedule field trips outside the classroom that offer
hands-on and contextually rich learning experiences that engage students’
diverse learning styles and connect to students’ prior knowledge.
C. scheduling time for teachers to engage in meaningful vertical planning that
allows them to build on the prior year’s instruction and use the knowledge
and skills of the requisite standards to develop rigorous content.
D. meeting with teachers to establish a plan for creating student assessments
of the science content and process skills taught and identifying appropriate
testing accommodations for students who require them.
48. Dr. Galvan identifies a pressing concern based on the magnetism lesson plans,
and she decides to meet with teachers. Which of the following reflective
questions is most important?
A. What technology tools have we made available to teachers to assist them

with planning and implementing engaging science lessons?
B. How can I ensure that teachers understand the value of investigations as a
critical component of science instruction and assist them in planning quality
investigations?
C. When teachers plan independent practice tasks, do they consider the unique
learning needs of individual students and provide adequate instructional
accommodations?
D. Why are teachers not planning science activities for partners to complete,
and how can I help them facilitate more effective peer interactions?

49. Dr. Galvan meets with the first- and second-grade teachers to discuss the
lessons observed.
Dr. Galvan: I noticed that both of you used videos to explore magnetism in
your classroom. Tell me more about that.
First-grade teacher: I find that videos provide a great overview of the topic
we are studying rather than having me explain that topic to students.
Second-grade teacher: The video I used provided an in-depth look into how
to test objects to determine their magnetic properties. It provides a great
springboard for student conversations.
Dr. Galvan: Okay. So you both feel that the videos provide engaging learning
situations that support the TEKS?
First-grade teacher: Yes, the video connected back to the TEKS and the kids
sat quietly.
Second-grade teacher: Yes, I agree that the video connected back to the
TEKS, and my students were well behaved.
Which of the following questions by the principal best helps the teachers think
more deeply about their science lessons?
A. What are other ways to help students construct their understanding of how
magnets work through observation and hands-on experience?
B. How could creating an essential question about magnetism that is based on
the TEKS focus students during the video?
C. Did you preview the video to determine whether it promoted critical thinking
skills that students could apply to other magnetism lessons?
D. Did you attempt to foster students’ interest in magnetism to promote
intrinsic motivation through an introductory activity before the video?

50. In preparation for the practice portion of the professional development plan, Dr.
Galvan decides to model a sample lesson for teachers. Which of the following
lesson overviews is most appropriate for Dr. Galvan to model?
A. Invent a brand new alternative energy source and give it a name. Create a
mnemonic that will help people remember why this energy source is a good
choice. Be ready to present your mnemonic and explain why it is helpful for
people learning about your product.
B. Explore the playground outside. Discover and record as many renewable and
nonrenewable resources as you can. Select the resource that you think is
the most important nonrenewable resource. Share with the class what we
can do to conserve it.
C. Work with your group to closely examine your set of resource process cards.
Work together to sequence the process of making a chair out of a tree. Now
think about a common object you use every day. Research online what
natural resources that object is made of and how it is made.
D. Ask students if the local lake water is safe enough to swim in. Make and
record observations of lake water samples collected in clear containers. Test
the water samples with a water testing kit. In your science journal, identify
possible sources of the pollutants and create a plan to help improve the
water quality.
51. Based on a review of the professional development plan for science teachers,
which of the following revisions to the plan would best help sustain school
improvement in order to ensure the success of the guided inquiry initiative?
A. Providing teachers with online support that includes opportunities to view

inquiry-based exemplar lessons
B. Offering trainings that address “what to teach” to supplement trainings that
address “how to teach”
C. Leveraging the ability of the fifth-grade teacher to provide ongoing coaching
for teachers at other grade levels
D. Ensuring that teachers are encouraged to self-assess their level of expertise
with guided inquiry

52. Dr. Galvan wants to monitor teachers’ application of what they are learning
from the guided inquiry professional development and creates a plan for
conducting walk-throughs during the third and fourth weeks. Which of the
following classroom practices should she primarily look for as a focus for
evidence collection?
A. Students working in collaborative groups and engaging with kinesthetic

learning activities that promote scientific knowledge
B. Students adopting reciprocal teaching roles to guide discussions about
science content using summarization, clarification, and prediction strategies
C. Teachers asking higher-level questions that require students to strategically
think about connections between science concepts
D. Teachers providing input as students answer scientific research questions by
analyzing data and drawing conclusions
53. Dr. Salazar, a middle school principal, works to improve the amount of time she
spends on three important instructional leadership priorities. For three weeks,
she tracks the frequency of each priority she has completed based on teachers’
performance levels.
Important Instructional High-Performing Proficient Teachers in Need of

Leadership Priorities Teachers Teachers Improvement
Classroom walk-throughs 6 4 2
Formal teacher evaluations 1 1 1

Teacher coaching sessions 1 3 1
Dr. Salazar sets a goal to allocate more time to the important task of coaching
teachers. She first blocks time for the post-observation feedback sessions and
then schedules the observations. Which of the following planning strategies
ensures the most effective use of Dr. Salazar’s time?
A. Dividing up the teachers needing improvement among the leadership team

to ensure that each one receives a 45-minute observation in the first quarter
B. Blocking time at the end of the day for observations to ensure that they are
completed simultaneously with other high-priority projects
C. Prioritizing her time to include more walk-throughs of the lower-performing
teachers and creating a tracking document that records the needs of all
teachers
D. Building a schedule for observing teachers based on years of experience to
ensure that the newest teachers receive the most support

54. A principal in a district with predominantly Spanish-speaking parents and
families has tried several strategies to involve the parents in the Parent-
Teacher Organization (PTO). Attendance increased at the initial meetings, but
the principal observed that the meetings were conducted in English with
occasional Spanish translation by bilingual parents, and the discussion and
decision making were dominated by parents who are bilingual or have strong
English-language skills. After a few weeks, attendance at the PTO meetings
dropped off. Which of the following is the principal’s most effective action for
increasing the engagement of all parents at the PTO meetings?
A. Having the full PTO meeting translated into Spanish in real time through the
use of headsets
B. Scheduling two PTO meetings, one for Spanish speakers and another for
English speakers
C. Conducting the meetings in both Spanish and English to meet the language
needs of all parents
D. Encouraging parents with strong English-language skills to involve the
parents with limited English-language skills more meaningfully
55. A school implements a tutoring program in which retired teachers and members
of community organizations volunteer during the school day to tutor students
who struggle in mathematics and reading. As a result of these tutoring
sessions, students’ assessment results and daily grades improve. The
hospitality committee and leadership team hold a luncheon to recognize and
celebrate the hard work and dedication of the tutors. After the event, the
principal includes highlights and photos from the event in school and
community newsletters as well as on the school Web site. Which of the
following is the primary purpose of the principal’s actions?
A. Providing encouraging feedback to volunteers and maintaining transparency

regarding the outcomes of intervention initiatives
B. Communicating to staff the value of supplementing classroom instruction
with assistance provided by competent volunteers
C. Using positive press to sustain stakeholder support for programs that
emphasize noninstructional volunteer roles
D. Thanking volunteers publicly for their contributions and generating interest
to recruit new volunteers

56. Mr. Ocampo, an early childhood principal, strives to promote a healthy, safe,
and supportive environment for all students. To help support this goal, he
encourages staff members to use a thoughtful, praise-oriented approach with
students. Mr. Ocampo collaborates with staff to create posters for the school
titled “Twenty Things to Say Instead of ‘Good Job.’” The posters include
sentence stems to remind staff members of how they can frame praise to
students, including the following examples.
• Thumbs up for [sitting quietly and respectfully while we had a guest].

• I see that you [capitalized the first letter in your name just like your name
card].
• You made an excellent choice when you [took turns at the blocks center].
By creating the posters, Mr. Ocampo primarily shows that he understands the
importance of
A. providing specific verbal feedback that reinforces appropriate behavior and

academic engagement.
B. developing positive adult-student relationships to improve student academic
outcomes.
C. establishing classroom expectations that are developmentally appropriate
for early childhood.
D. gathering and valuing input from staff to promote buy-in with school culture
and climate initiatives.
57. An early childhood education principal wants to respond to the academic needs
of the school’s large population of English learners (ELs) and build a strong
foundation for their academic success throughout elementary school. The
principal establishes a team of teachers to revise the school’s language arts
curriculum. The team drafts two questions to guide their work.
1. How can we understand the cultural differences in language use and

incorporate them into language development?
2. How can we improve the curriculum by integrating students’ experiences,
interests, and ideas in a manner that supports student learning?
Which of the following questions should be added to best develop a viable

curriculum for the EL population?
A. What job-embedded coaching can we provide teachers to support

implementation of the curriculum in the classroom?
B. How can we incorporate regular opportunities for oral language development
in both social and academic language contexts?
C. What types of schoolwide, multicultural celebrations or activities can we
implement in order to support the current general education curriculum?
D. How can we incorporate the use of sight words to support student language
acquisition and early reading skills?

Mr. Jackson, a high school principal, and the school leadership team conduct an
audit of the campus science courses offered at the twelfth-grade level that allow
students to earn college credit for passing a standardized exam at the close of the
year. They use a variety of sources, including the scores on the standardized exam,
district benchmark assessments, classroom walk-throughs, grade reports, and a
student and teacher survey. They plan to use their data analysis to determine
whether changes are needed in the courses of study, the admission requirements,
teacher assignments, or instructional and assessment methods.
Documents
1. Campus Profile and Participation in Advanced Science Courses
2. Standardized Exam for College Credit and District Advanced Benchmark
Assessment
3. Teacher Survey and Student Survey

Campus Profile and Participation in Advanced Science Courses
Participation in Advanced Science

Campus Profile
Courses - Grade 12
Campus Campus District Advanced Advanced Advanced
Count Percent Biology Chemistry Physics
ETHNIC DISTRIBUTION
African American 237 11.5% 10.1% 10% 9% 9%
Hispanic 686 33.3% 28.4% 17% 16% 12%
White 922 44.8% 44.5% 63% 65% 68%
American Indian 16 0.8% 0.5%
Asian 128 6.2% 13.0% 10% 10% 11%
Pacific Islander 2 0.1% 0.1%
Two or More Races 67 3.3% 3.4%
GENDER
Male 49% 54% 56%
Female 51% 46% 44%
OTHER GROUPS
Economically
766 37.2% 32.6%
Disadvantaged
Noneducationally
1,292 62.8% 67.4%
Disadvantaged
English-Language
89 4.3% 15.5%
Learners (ELL)
Students with
91 4.3% 1.4%
Disciplinary Placements
At-Risk 688 33.4% 35.9%

Mobility 242 11.5% 10.6%

Standardized Exam for College Credit—Grade 12
% of Students with Passing Scores

Course
Current Year Previous Year
Advanced Biology 44 51
Advanced Chemistry 37 45
Advanced Physics 29 34
District Advanced Benchmark Assessment—Grade 12
% of Students Scoring
Proficient and Advanced Proficient
Course
Current Year Previous Year
Advanced Biology 45 52
Advanced Chemistry 38 46
Advanced Physics 30 35

Teacher Survey (Grade 12 Advanced Science Teachers)
Question Yes No
Do students come into the course with the prerequisite science content
65% 35%
knowledge?
Do students come into the course with the prerequisite knowledge of

20% 80%
scientific inquiry?
Do students come into the course with the prerequisite mathematics

60% 40%
knowledge?
Do students keep up with the work and meet the demands of the
24% 76%
course?
Do you think your current class size is manageable to meet student
81% 19%
needs?
What percentage of time do you spend in laboratory instruction? (Write

40%
an estimate)
Student Survey (Grade 12 Advanced Science Classes)
Question Yes No
Did you have the science knowledge to be ready for this class? 71% 29%
Did you have the mathematics knowledge to be ready for this class? 75% 25%
Do you have trouble keeping up with the work and meeting the demands
20% 80%
of the course?
Do you think your current class size is too big? 50% 50%
Do you spend enough time doing laboratory experiments? 61% 39%
Do you participate in any extracurricular science or math clubs? 25% 75%

58. The data analysis should lead the team to put which of the following actions in
place immediately?
A. Determining whether the existing advanced-level courses meet their

intended program goals
B. Analyzing whether the instructional materials used in advanced-level
courses contain more complex content than standard science textbooks
C. Asking teachers of twelfth-grade courses to recommend changes in course
content and assessments for eleventh-grade science courses
D. Having teachers regularly collaborate using assessment data to identify
struggling students and provide timely intervention
59. Which of the following actions will provide the team with the most helpful
information for responding to the scores students earned on the district
benchmark?
A. Investigating whether testing conditions are a factor in explaining students’

performance on the benchmarks
B. Conducting item analysis of the district benchmarks to identify instructional
needs
C. Comparing the rigor of the course requirements of advanced-level science
courses to national standards
D. Working with teachers to review the admission requirements for advanced-
level science courses
60. Based on the teacher and student surveys, which of the following is the team’s
best action for increasing students’ preparation for advanced-level science
courses?
A. Revising the twelfth-grade curriculum to devote the opening weeks of each

course to reviewing the mathematical and scientific processes necessary to
succeed in the course
B. Forming teams of teachers to review the depth of content in each advanced-
level course to determine whether it exceeds the expectations of the
standardized assessments
C. Expanding portions of the eleventh-grade curriculum in which students
conduct lab and field investigations, analyze data, and communicate results
D. Increasing opportunities for students in all grade levels to participate in
prestigious STEM-related student consortia, challenges, competitions, and
symposia

61. The disparity between teachers’ and students’ perceptions of students’ ability to
keep up with course demands has academic consequences that may further
inhibit student success. Which of the following recommendations by the team
will best help teachers address the disparity?
A. Holding students to learning contracts with specific timelines and methods

for meeting long-term academic goals
B. Integrating focused instruction on developing students’ ability to monitor
their comprehension, assess their progress, and apply other metacognitive
skills
C. Using an equal number of self-assessments and peer assessments as
teacher-evaluated assessments to determine student competency
D. Decreasing the frequency of formal grade reporting from end-of-unit district
benchmarks to midterm and end-of-term assessments
62. Which of the following goals for the coming year is best supported by the total
data collected?
A. Identifying strategies for increasing Hispanic student enrollment in

advanced-level science courses
B. Ensuring that rising eleventh-grade students understand the value of taking
advanced-level science courses
C. Recruiting science teachers who have previously taught advanced-level
science courses
D. Conducting a campus-wide open house to showcase the school’s advanced-
level science courses and curriculum highlights
63. Mr. Jackson and the school leadership team use the data collected to help
inform decisions during the site-based budgeting process. Which of the
following proposed expenditures is most aligned to the current needs of the
school’s science program?
A. Providing training and resources for hands-on investigations and student-led

exploration to ninth-, tenth-, and eleventh-grade science teachers
B. Redesigning existing extracurricular science clubs to appeal to and engage
students in lower-level science classes
C. Purchasing interactive science e-books to help teachers incorporate virtual
self-paced labs that emphasize key science concepts
D. Requesting that the central office allocate funds for hiring additional
teachers with experience teaching college-level biology, chemistry, and
physics

64. A high school principal wants to use Title II, Part A, funds to support effective
instruction. Which of the following is an allowable expenditure?
A. Conference on best practices sponsored by the school

B. Student memberships to local civic and community organizations
C. Professional development for instructional leaders on observation, feedback,
and coaching
D. Educational field trips for students that provide real-world experiences
connected to state standards
65. Ms. Huckleberry, a new principal at a large urban middle school, wants to build
the capacity of teaching staff to work collaboratively on teams by using
effective problem solving strategies. After identifying new lead teachers who
can serve as facilitators, Ms. Huckleberry can best support the lead teachers
and ensure they learn to facilitate effective team discourse and collaboration by
doing which of the following?
A. Determining how many team meetings each team can complete each
semester
B. Modeling for teachers during faculty meetings how to document and assess
team member participation
C. Choosing a common student learning need across the school based on
multiple sources of data
D. Establishing protocols for lead teachers to effectively conduct meaningful,
collaborative discussions
66. Mr. Vu, an elementary school principal, considers changing from self-contained
classrooms to content departmentalization in grades 3–5. He examines various
data in order to make the most informed decision and asks the following
questions.
• Do teachers have content expertise in specific subject areas?

• Are students excelling in specific subjects with specific teachers?
• Are students struggling in specific subjects with specific teachers?
• How will departmentalization affect teacher retention?
Which of the following additional questions should Mr. Vu prioritize when

deciding whether to implement departmentalization for the following year?
A. Will the exposure to multiple teaching methods enhance student learning?

B. To what degree will departmentalization prepare students for the structure
of middle school and high school?
C. Are students mature enough to handle the transitions between classrooms
and maintain appropriate conduct in all classes?
D. How will departmentalization change the bell schedule, and will those
changes disrupt the routines students are accustomed to?

67. An elementary principal notices that teachers are doing the majority of the
talking during read-alouds and guided reading. After reviewing campus data on
read-alouds, the principal works with the leadership team to develop a
monitoring plan to assess progress toward the following campus improvement
objective.
Increase the percentage of student talk during read-alouds and guided

reading lessons from 25 percent to 60 percent.
Place the following steps in order to logically describe the process for
monitoring progress toward the goal.
Compile the data from the observations to assess

progress on increasing student talk schoolwide.
Conduct biweekly classroom walk-throughs to observe

instruction.
Address areas that still need improvement and celebrate

any increases in the instances of student talk.
Communicate clear expectations and provide training on

specific improvement strategies.
First Last
68. After gathering data through classroom walk-throughs, surveys, and

conversations with teachers, a new principal concludes the need for higher
student expectations but senses the teachers are content with the status quo.
Which of the following questions will best help the principal address the
situation?
A. Can I create a system that rewards teachers who meet higher standards and
ensures consequences for those who do not?
B. Should I reevaluate the higher expectations to determine the feasibility
considering current teacher capacity and investment?
C. Will the needed change require new human and material resources and will
distributing those resources necessitate district-level approval?
D. What experiences can I provide for teachers that will help them in their daily
work to adopt new beliefs and skills that produce the desired results?

Treeline Early Childhood Center has decided to implement a campus-wide positive

behavior intervention system (PBIS) to support students’ social and behavior
development. The campus includes ten prekindergarten and ten kindergarten
classrooms. Mr. Lin, the principal, worked to coordinate training for the faculty and
staff over the summer, and implementation began at the start of the school year.
At the midpoint of the year, Mr. Lin collects data about the implementation to share
with the school improvement team in order to set goals for the spring semester.
Document
1. Midyear Principal Observations of Classroom Physical Environment, Routines,
and Expectations
2. Principal’s Walk-Through Data for One Week of Kindergarten
3. Teacher Questionnaire—Responses to Open-Ended Questions

Midyear Principal Observations of Classroom Physical Environment, Routines, and Expectations
Core Features Look Fors Principal’s Observations of Common Behaviors
• Classroom layout is designed Prekindergarten: Teachers tend to use rugs for

to facilitate small groups, large group instruction. Multiple centers are set up,
groups, and learning centers. depending on unit of instruction.
• Materials allow for easy
Physical
student and teacher access. Kindergarten: Some parts of the room are not
Environment
visible to the teacher when he/she is working with
small groups at a table during center time.
Congestion tends to occur around the pencil
sharpener.
• Teacher taught and Prekindergarten: Teachers have a clear visual and
established predictable patterns auditory signal to go to the rug for group time.
and routines, especially for Students know the routine for using the pocket chart
problematic areas or times of to pick out a daily center.
Routines day.
Kindergarten: Teachers seem to miss opportunities
to keep the signals consistent when transitioning
between large groups, small groups, and center
times, causing student confusion.
• Classrooms have three to five Prekindergarten: Teachers teach three expectations
positive classroom expectations that are posted and reviewed daily in the classroom:
that are understandable, “Be safe. Be respectful. Be responsible.”
observable, and measurable.
Expectations Kindergarten: Teachers use the same language that
prekindergarten introduced, but they also start to list
behaviors daily that they do not want to see from
students— for example, “I do not want to see anyone
pushing.”

Principal’s Walk-Through Data for One Week of Kindergarten
Grade – Location Student Behaviors Noted
Students: Frequent individual student trips to the bathrooms from all classrooms
have led to multiple inappropriate interactions in the hallway, such as shouting,
K – Transitions tripping, or holding the bathroom door closed.
Teachers: Most come out of their doors into the hallway and remind students to
follow school rules.
Student 1: Tripped classmates who were passing by the student’s desk.
Teacher: Called the student up to discuss the behavior.
Student 2: Called several peers inappropriate names.

K – Classrooms
Student 3: Wrestled a book out of the hands of a peer.
Teacher: Told the student to stop and apologize.
Student 1: Made an inappropriate gesture at peers.

Student 4: Deliberately threw a ball in a peer’s face.

Teacher: Took ball away and had student sit out for five minutes of recess.
K – Playground
Student 1: Physically pushed a peer out of student’s play group.
Teacher: Had the student apologize and sit out for five minutes of recess.
Other general observations:

• All classrooms have age-appropriate expectations clearly posted in a visible location.
• Teachers are immediately disciplining students when they do not meet set classroom expectations.

Teacher Questionnaire – Responses to Open-Ended Question
After implementing PBIS this semester, do you think the behavior of your students has changed in a positive
or negative way? Describe what you see or how you address behavior in your classroom.
Prekindergarten comments
• I am very impressed by how quickly students picked up on the three expectations – Be safe, Be respectful,
Be responsible. The tune that the Pre-K team came up with to sing daily has been a big success.
• I really like the chart with the three expectations that the Pre-K team decided to use – the graphics are easy
for students to refer to each morning while we sing our song.
• As a new teacher, the Pre-K team has been very helpful in teaching me their visual and auditory signals for
getting students’ attention. Having common signals for the grade level makes working with kids much easier.
• Managing students’ behavior during centers has been much easier since implementing PBIS.
• The Pre-K team did a group walk through each classroom and talked about how furniture layout can have a
huge impact on student behavior, which has led me to change my classroom layout.
Kindergarten comments
• I think that some of the behavior of students has worsened. But that just means we have to “up” our
disciplinary game. I handle tricky situations on a one-on-one basis and with the students’ best interest at
heart. Now and then we have a flare-up, but generally, I have a respectful classroom.
• I am still struggling with managing students’ behavior during centers. Students already have a hard time
staying engaged. I don’t know how to make sure they behave while I work with a small group.
• It seems like PBIS is the latest fad. I’ve seen a lot of new ideas come around. I wonder how long we will
have to implement it until the next new initiative arrives.

69. Based on the walk-through data, which of the following best describes an action
step that Mr. Lin should take to help kindergarten teachers?
A. Establishing a uniform consequence ladder for student misconduct based on

the severity of the infraction
B. Encouraging the team to use a five-to-one ratio of positive reinforcement to
negative redirection with students
C. Identifying patterns of problem student behavior specific to certain
classrooms or students
D. Asking a behavioral specialist to determine if students exhibit positive
behaviors
70. Mr. Lin and the school improvement team collaborate to prioritize strategies to
promote fidelity of PBIS implementation. The initial list includes the following.
1. Monitor that schoolwide expectations are consistently implemented in all

areas of the school and within classrooms.
2. Partner with families and community members to explain PBIS goals and
to develop a common understanding about the purposes of PBIS.
Which of the following additional strategies should the team prioritize?
A. Facilitate targeted coaching to develop teacher skills needed for effective

implementation of PBIS expectations.
B. Review teachers’ unit and lesson plans to ensure that they reinforce the
main expectations of the PBIS framework.
C. Disaggregate discipline referral data by frequency, type, and location of
problematic behavior.
D. Establish clear procedures for identifying whether teachers or administrators
will address problematic behaviors.
71. While the school improvement team is reviewing the open-ended survey
comments with Mr. Lin, a number of people share concerns about the
kindergarten teachers’ comments. Which TWO of the following responses by Mr.
Lin increase teachers’ support for PBIS as a long-term solution?
A. “PBIS supports improved academic achievement by reducing the loss of

instructional time caused by students’ disruptive behavior.”
B. “PBIS provides teachers with strategies to deal with behaviors in the
classroom rather than referring problems to administrators.”
C. “PBIS teaches students a common language to self-monitor and manage
their own behavior.”
D. “PBIS helps schools connect with community providers who can offer early
childhood emotional development services.”
E. “PBIS prevents the need for disciplinary interventions such as suspensions
and expulsions because the program is highly structured.”

72. After reviewing all of the data, Mr. Lin determines that providing additional
professional development and support to kindergarten teachers is needed. He
develops the following action plan centered around having kindergarten
teachers observe prekindergarten teachers effectively implementing PBIS
during a morning lesson and an afternoon lesson.
1. Identify the criteria that kindergarten teachers will look for during the
peer observation.
2. Meet with kindergarten teachers to facilitate a pre-observation
conversation.
3. Have the kindergarten teachers observe the prekindergarten teachers.
4. Debrief with the kindergarten and prekindergarten teachers.
5. Facilitate kindergarten teachers’ collaborative development of an action
plan.
Which of the following identifies the most appropriate focus for step 1 to
support kindergarten teachers?
A. The frequency that students are allowed to move around the room and the
time of the day that students interact in different areas of the room
B. The language used in the posted classroom rules and the systems in place
for helping students with learning challenges to understand the rules
C. The signals used to transition students between activities and the strategies
used to reinforce the three behavior expectations
D. The order of the class schedule and learning tasks, including times for
centers and frequency of small-group work
73. After reviewing the walk-through data he collected during his weeklong
observation of kindergarten classes, Mr. Lin notes that student 1 is repeatedly
displaying inappropriate behaviors in the classroom and on the playground.
Which of the following is the most effective next step for Mr. Lin to take to
ensure consistent expectations for student 1?
A. Meeting with the teacher and student to discuss the challenges the student
is having when attempting to make good choices at school
B. Researching best practices for supporting young children who display
patterns of oppositional defiance to strengthen their academic performance
C. Working with the teacher to create a behavior folder system that documents
appropriate and inappropriate behaviors and is sent home daily
D. Facilitating collaborative development of an individualized behavior plan with
more intensive interventions to improve the student’s social skills

74. Which of the following best describes how Mr. Lin can leverage parents to help
reinforce the three schoolwide expectations?
A. Train a parent coordinator who will work with parents in their homes on
understanding the three expectations
B. Offer a day for parents to come in and watch teachers use the three
expectations in the classroom
C. Ask teachers to send home a monthly calendar of classroom topics that
includes explanations for how each topic connects to the three expectations
D. Provide examples of how each of the three expectations can be modeled and
supported during everyday routines at home
75. Which THREE of the following practices help teachers effectively integrate
technology in daily lessons?
A. Incorporating ongoing professional development for varied levels of

technology expertise
B. Giving teachers a list of computer-application software and hardware to use
during daily instruction
C. Adding to the school-vision statement that technology integration is
essential to student success
D. Establishing time for teachers to discuss key learning as new technology
lessons are implemented
E. Providing frequent opportunities for teachers to receive feedback on their
attempts to use technology
76. A high school principal reviews the current counseling program to ensure that it
supports students transitioning from the middle school to the high school.
Program Objectives
1. Provide support for students to address academic challenges associated with high teacher
expectations and rigorous coursework.
2. Address behavioral challenges associated with student identity development and social stressors.
Which of the following objectives should the principal and counselors add to
best support this group of students?
A. Prepare students to navigate the complexities of a larger environment while

taking more responsibility for their academic choices.
B. Highlight the benefits of the transition to high school, including the freedom
to make new choices about one’s academic direction.
C. Provide intervention services that connect ninth graders struggling with
behavior or academics to tenth-grade mentors.
D. Create a joint program with elementary and middle school counselors that
informs students of all the skills necessary to be successful in ninth grade.

77. Mr. Guerrero is a principal at an elementary school in a district where only a
small percentage of students eventually attend college. He understands how
the early development of a college-bound culture influences the number of
students who attend college. Which THREE of the following questions are most
important for him to consider as he makes an action plan for promoting a
consistent college-bound culture with the schools’ parents and families?
A. How can I develop parents’ understanding of critical milestones at each

grade level that are the foundation for college readiness?
B. What educational experiences can the school offer students and their
families to build shared aspirations for all students to attend college?
C. How can emphasizing technology skills in the lower grades prepare students
for success in higher education and the twenty-first century workplace?
D. How could elementary school counselors focus on career awareness to
increase the number of students who later pursue postsecondary education?
E. How can I facilitate authentic conversations with parents to better
understand the barriers to attending college?
78. Ms. Vasquez, a speech language pathologist, expresses concerns to the

principal that a first-grade teacher is not implementing accommodations
required for two students receiving special education services. On several
occasions, the speech language pathologist addresses the situation by e-mailing
a list of the students’ required accommodations to the teacher, but never
receives a response. During continued observations of the first-grade students,
the speech language pathologist sees no change in the instruction provided to
the two students. Which TWO of the following actions by the principal best
address the situation?
A. Providing the first-grade teacher with a copy of the minutes from the most
recent Admission Review Dismissal (ARD) committee meeting for the two
students in the class
B. Giving the first-grade teacher a common conference period with the school
language pathologist to allow the two educators to share their expertise to
better address students’ needs
C. Having the first-grade teacher observe another teacher providing
modifications that meet the needs of other students receiving special
education services
D. Meeting with both teachers to develop a shared understanding of the needs
of the two students and how the accommodations meet students’ learning
needs
E. Coaching the speech language pathologist regarding how to provide
effective support to classroom teachers to strengthen collaboration

79. A middle school principal facilitates a series of ethics training sessions with the
faculty. During one training session, the principal works with teachers to
brainstorm examples of potential ethical violations.
Emotional violation: Playing favorites or giving preferential treatment to

specific students
Relationship violation: Meeting a student alone at his or her home
Communication violation: Communicating romantically with students
After the brainstorming session, the principal leads a discussion with teachers
on making appropriate decisions to prevent these ethical violations. By
facilitating this training session, the principal primarily promotes faculty
understanding of
A. maintaining teacher and student personal boundaries.

B. safeguarding the confidentiality of information relating to students.
C. taking an inclusive and nondiscriminatory approach to working with
students.
D. acting as role models for students by upholding moral values outside of
school.

For questions, 80–86, review the information below and refer to the
Dr. Wallace is the principal of Ponce High School, which is located in a large
suburban district. Ponce has sixty full-time teachers, with half of them coaching
various University Interscholastic League (UIL) academic, music, and athletic
events. The community is a huge supporter of football in particular and has high
expectations for teams.
Ponce’s head football coach and athletic director retired this past spring with a
strong record of playoff success. Coach Peterson is the new head football coach and
athletic director. He has transferred to Ponce, and it is his first head coaching
position after many years as an assistant. It is currently the end of the second six
weeks grading period and with the playoffs approaching in the coming weeks, he
decides to send out a reminder about UIL eligibility to parents of players.
Documents
1. Coach Peterson’s Letter to Parents
2. Parent E-mails to Coach Peterson
3. Coach Peterson’s E-mail to the Principal
4. Principal’s Notes on State and Local Policies

Coach Peterson’s Letter to Parents
Dear Parents,
As you are aware, our varsity football team has made it to the playoffs. There will be a pep rally
Friday afternoon at 1:50 p.m. We encourage parents to attend, since we will be recognizing all
players at this event.
The community is hosting a parade in honor of the team’s awesome season next Saturday and all
eligible players will meet at Crest Park by 10:00 a.m., in uniform, and on the float ready to go.
I also want to remind everyone that UIL has very specific academic regulations, and we are
monitoring classroom grades closely. Any student who does not have a passing grade will be
ineligible to practice after school or compete in games until the student is passing that course.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Coach Peterson

Parent E-mails to Coach Peterson
To: Coach Peterson
Cc: Dr. Wallace
From: Shelly Harper
RE: Grades and Eligibility
Coach Peterson,
I am very confused and angry! My son Bryan received his report card recently and he informed me
that he will not be eligible to play for the next three weeks due to a grade of 68 in English. I had no
idea that he was failing in any of his classes. He has been working very hard in this class and I do
not understand why he is being placed on an ineligible list at this time. I am willing to do whatever it
takes to ensure that he can play at the game in two days, as well as all future games. Is there any
way you can check into this decision and see what we can do to get him back on the field?
Concerned Parent,
Shelly Harper
To: Coach Peterson
Cc: Dr. Wallace
From: Michael Dutton
RE: Football Participation
Coach Peterson,
I was notified yesterday that my son Shawn was caught with an illegal substance and will be placed
in a disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP) for fifteen days. We know our son would not
have made such a bad decision if he knew it would impact his football participation. I am very sorry
for this behavior, but it is imperative that he be able to participate in all football games because
recruiters will be present. Since Shawn has received passing grades all year, I think he deserves to
go to the playoffs.
Apologies,
Michael Dutton

Coach Peterson’s E-mail to the Principal
To: Dr. Wallace
From: Coach Peterson
RE: Football Eligibility
Dr. Wallace,
As you are aware, I have had parents contact me with concerns about students being ineligible for
the next three weeks, as the playoffs are quickly approaching.
In response to Ms. Harper’s concern, I explained to her that I plan to speak to the English teacher to
see if she is willing to update Bryan Harper’s grade if he completes the three missing assignments
and perhaps completes some extra credit assignments. I am willing to spend extra time with Bryan
to ensure he is understanding the assignments and becomes eligible again before the next game.
Mr. Dutton is still upset about Shawn’s placement in DAEP for possession of an illegal substance.
Mr. Dutton pointed out that Shawn has maintained passing grades all year, but I emphasized that
students in DAEP cannot regain eligibility through passing grades. I’ve heard of programs where
students can do community service and earn half the ineligible time back. Is this a possibility here?
I really need both boys back for the upcoming games since they are two of our best players and they
are critical to the team’s success. I am willing to help do whatever it takes to make that happen.
Please let me know if you have any ideas.
Coach Peterson

Principal Notes on State and Local Policies
State UIL Rules Local District UIL Standards and Related Policies
Eligibility grades are 70 or higher. In addition to the mandatory UIL grade check after the
first six weeks of school, grades will be checked at the
Ineligible students have a seven-calendar-day grace end of every six-week grading period to determine
period beginning after the reporting period. eligibility.
Regardless of the length of grading periods, all Three-week progress reports will be checked to review
grades must be checked after the first six weeks of eligibility for ineligible students.
school.
Any student caught with an illegal substance must
Grade checks can take place every three weeks and receive DAEP placement.
as long as a student is passing all classes, he or she
can return after the seven-calendar day waiting The duration of placement in DAEP will be determined
period. by the campus principal.
Three weeks is considered 15 school days. Students in DAEP will not be permitted on campus nor
will they be eligible to attend any school sanctioned
One week can include 3 or 4 days if a scheduled activities.
holiday occurs, but the other two weeks must include
5 days.
A course grade issued by a classroom teacher is final

and may not be changed without Board approval.
Students must be eligible to travel to sporting
events.
Ineligible students cannot be in uniform, nor seated

with the team.
All students may attend pep rallies, but only eligible

students can take part.
Parades are considered public performances, and

therefore, eligibility is required.
Students with individualized education programs

(IEPs) are eligible if their IEP requirements have been
met.
All students may attend rehearsals.

80. Based on Coach Peterson’s communications, which TWO of the following are
misconceptions that Dr. Wallace needs to address with him?
A. Students with DAEP placement lose eligibility regardless of grades.

B. Students who have lost eligibility are not allowed to attend practice.
C. Students can attend pep rallies but not take part.
D. Students can complete extra credit work to regain eligibility.
E. Students must have passing grades to be eligible for competitions.
81. Which of the following actions should Dr. Wallace immediately take to best
address the inaccuracies that Coach Peterson has communicated to parents?
A. Review state UIL rules and local policies with Coach Peterson and work with
him to develop a revised letter to parents
B. Provide accurate information to parents and explain that Coach Peterson is
still familiarizing himself with the district’s UIL procedures
C. Contact parents of students who lost UIL eligibility and assure them that
their individual cases will be reassessed by Coach Peterson
D. Ask the coaches of other UIL sponsored sports to mentor Coach Peterson
and collaborate with him on a growth plan that targets parent
communication strategies
82. Which of the following strategies best supports Dr. Wallace’s goal of improving
proactive communication regarding UIL eligibility?
A. Establishing protocols for how to respond effectively to disputes about a

student’s loss or recovery of UIL eligibility
B. Asking Coach Peterson to host family information sessions in which parents
and students can ask questions about UIL eligibility and expectations in
person
C. Training coaches, students, and parents on an updated and comprehensive
athletic handbook that includes UIL rules, local policies, and an eligibility
calendar
D. Meeting with campus faculty and district leadership to discuss current UIL
policies and invite input for revisions to school policies and procedures for
determining UIL eligibility

83. Dr. Wallace receives an e-mail from Ms. Harper, Bryan’s mother, expressing her
anger and frustration about Bryan’s lost eligibility. Dr. Wallace outlines a plan
for meeting with Ms. Harper, Coach Peterson, and the English teacher to
discuss Bryan’s failing grade and eligibility status.
Step 1: Empathize with Ms. Harper about Bryan’s failing grade and
ineligibility
Step 2: Reiterate the UIL policies and Ponce ISD policies
Step 3: Set goals to help Bryan regain eligibility
Step 4:
Which of the following describes the most appropriate fourth step for the
meeting?
A. Create a plan of how academic progress will be monitored and

communicated
B. Document the timeline of events that led to Bryan’s failing grade
C. Review the syllabus to identify upcoming projects, tests, and daily
assignments
D. Discuss the need for balance between academics, athletics, and social
events
84. As Dr. Wallace works with Coach Peterson to review current student UIL
eligibility, he notes that two football players are students receiving special
education services. To ensure that academic eligibility decisions for these
students are appropriate, which of the following considerations is most
important?
A. Calculating the students’ credits toward high school graduation requirements

B. Reviewing grade placement committee decisions regarding accelerated
instruction
C. Confirming the students’ progress with any active behavior intervention
plans
D. Checking whether the teachers are implementing requirements established
by ARD committees

85. Which TWO of the following actions by Dr. Wallace ensure future proactive
communication to families regarding UIL policies?
A. Notifying parents of coaches’ regular eligibility check-in dates with student

athletes to review grades and reinforce the expectation that athletes must
meet UIL academic requirements
B. Informing Coach Peterson that any further correspondence he has with
parents should be reviewed for accuracy by the district public relations
coordinator
C. Asking the district central office to handle any correspondence with parents
that contains information about individual student’s promotion, graduation,
or eligibility status
D. Incorporating training on school-home communication strategies in new-
teacher induction programs and closely monitoring coaches’ correspondence
during their first year
E. Providing parents with clear expectations that athletics supports athletes as
students first and that coaches will offer study hall for athletes who are
struggling academically
86. As Ms. Gourde, a new principal, works with stakeholders to redesign the school
vision and mission, she finds that meetings often turn into arguments over the
values that should underpin the school’s vision and mission. While some
stakeholders value the idea that students come to school with knowledge and
the educator’s role is to act as facilitator so that students acquire new
understandings and skills, other stakeholders emphasize that educators should
share their expertise and provide new knowledge to students. To best address
the disagreement, Ms. Gourde should
A. refrain from taking a side and promote positive interactions among the
stakeholders by keeping all meetings upbeat and avoiding contentious
topics.
B. meet with the stakeholders who support teacher-centered classrooms and
share research and articles about the benefits of student-centered
instruction.
C. accept that unanimous agreement may not be reached on the vision and
mission but guide stakeholders to shift the conversation to prioritizing an
alternate set of values.
D. understand that conflict can be constructive and ensure that stakeholders
investigate contrary opinions and use this information to guide decision
making.

87. A principal meets with the crisis team at the beginning of the school year to
review the portion of the crisis management plan that addresses emergency
evacuation drills. The team wants to reduce the time it takes for students to
evacuate the building. Which of the following is the most appropriate action the
team can implement to reduce evacuation times?
A. Providing all teachers with a floor plan of the building with the evacuation
route from their classrooms highlighted
B. Giving teachers and staff advanced warning of evacuation drills so they can
take measures to prepare the students
C. Meeting with faculty and staff within the first month of the school year to
discuss their roles and responsibilities during evacuation drills
D. Determining problematic areas of the evacuation route that need to be
streamlined and clarifying the adult roles and responsibilities in those areas
88. Ms. Lorenzo, a high school principal, wants to form a student advisory
committee that will provide students with authentic opportunities to participate
in school-wide initiatives. Which TWO of the following practices are most
important for Ms. Lorenzo to include when planning the committee?
A. Ensuring diversity among the committee members to guarantee equitable

representation from various student groups
B. Basing committee member selections on student performance on
standardized tests to establish high standards for the committee
C. Involving the committee in campus-level decision-making processes to
ensure that their voices are heard and valued
D. Interviewing potential committee members’ parents and teachers to gain
background knowledge on each student’s personality and interests
E. Requiring committee members to complete a predetermined number of
community service hours throughout the school year in order to stay eligible
to serve the following year

89. Ms. Neal, a new principal, establishes a school faculty dress code that calls for
business casual attire. At the beginning of the year, she notices that a high-
performing teacher, Mr. Hart, wears torn jeans and beach shoes to work
regularly. Ms. Neal sends an e-mail to all staff reminding them to adhere to the
dress code, but the teacher continues to dress in the same manner. She
decides to schedule a meeting with Mr. Hart to address the issue. Which of the
following describes the most appropriate focus for the meeting?
A. Considering Mr. Hart’s perspective, since clothing choice can be a delicate

topic, and gently reminding him that all staff are expected to wear business
casual attire
B. Defining for Mr. Hart what business casual attire means and describing the
importance of a professional appearance and demeanor to support the
school’s vision for success
C. Speaking with Mr. Hart about his preference for wearing comfortable clothes
and considering revising the dress code to be more lenient
D. Disciplining Mr. Hart for his disregard of school policies and requesting that
he immediately adjust the way he dresses for school
90. A principal and a school improvement team consider implementing a school

uniform policy for the upcoming school year. They administer a survey both
online and on paper to gather feedback from stakeholders. The survey has
multiple questions, but overall response data are similar to those of the survey
question listed below.
I think we should have a school uniform policy.

Strongly
Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree
Disagree
Teachers 5% 45% 10% 40%

Students 40% 50% 10%
Parents 45% 5% 40% 10%
After reviewing the survey results, the committee’s most appropriate action is
A. redistributing the survey with a letter from the principal justifying the need
for a uniform policy.
B. presenting the survey results to the superintendent for approval to proceed
with the implementation of a school uniform policy.
C. conducting focus groups to gain insight into each group’s viewpoint on a
school uniform policy.
D. notifying stakeholders in writing that the principal plans to abandon the
initiative due to lack of support from students.

91. An elementary school principal is approached by the student council sponsor
with a request to sell gum and candy to students in the cafeteria during
lunchtime. The student council will use this fund-raiser to help cover the cost of
attending a leadership conference. Which of the following is the principal’s most
appropriate response to the request?
A. Approve the request, explaining that the foods sold must be purchased at a
store and individually packaged
B. Deny the request, explaining that foods that fail to meet the competitive
foods standards can only be sold the last 30 minutes of the school day
C. Approve the request, explaining that the school has six exemption days for
this type of fund-raiser
D. Deny the request, explaining that a fund-raiser cannot be held in
competition with school lunches

Answer Sheet
1. 21. 37. 53.
2. 38. 54.
3. 39. 55.
4. 40. 56.
5. 41. 57.
6. 22. 58.
7. 23. 59.
8. 24. 60.
9. 25. 61.
10. 26. 42. 62.
11. 27. 43. 63.
12. 28. 44. 64.
13. 29. 45. 65.
14. 30. 46. 66.
15. 31. 47. 67.
16. 32. 48.
17. 33. 49.
18. 34. 50.
19. 35. 51.
20. 36. 52. 68.

69. 75. 81. 87.
70. 76. 82. 88.
71. 77. 83. 89.
72. 78. 84. 90.
73. 79. 85. 91.
74. 80. 86.

Answer Key and Rationales
Question Competency Correct

Number Number Answer Rationales
1 05 B Option B is correct because while

students should be given choice in the
manner in which they demonstrate
mastery, all students should be held to
the same level of rigor. Option A is
incorrect because teachers need to
first identify the expected qualities
within the exemplar student work
samples before they can begin to plan
for future instruction. Option C is
incorrect because this session
focuses on differentiated products. To
ensure depth of understanding by
participants, other types of
differentiation should be presented in
detail during future sessions. Option
D is incorrect because the intention
of the professional development
session is to create a shared
understanding of the expectations for
differentiated student work that can
then later be used to guide walk-
throughs.
2 02 D Option D is correct because during a

brainstorming session is the
appropriate time to begin drafting the
new vision statement. Once the team
members have identified three
prioritized values/beliefs, the team can
work together to craft a vision
statement that blends the ideas of all
three. Option A is incorrect because
examining the school’s current vision
should have already occurred before
brainstorming what to include in the
new vision. Option B is incorrect
because the team members would
have already considered the tenability
of the ideas as they applied the criteria
to make selections from the original
brainstormed list of ideas. Option C is
incorrect because visions often
incorporate multiple core ideas. It is
not necessary to vote for only one.

3 03 D Option D is correct because 80% to

88% of teachers report improvements
to student understanding of TEKS and
classroom assessments. Their
responses provide qualitative data
supporting possible expansion of the
pilot program, but the principal should
first measure student learning using a
targeted approach to quantify and
confirm teacher perceptions. Option A
is incorrect because there is no
evidence in the survey data to suggest
that students lack technology self-
efficacy. Option B is incorrect
because a parent survey will not
determine whether the program
should be continued, discontinued, or
modified. Option C is incorrect
because this is the end of the year; it
is not the time to begin conducting
classroom observations to see how
teachers are using the program. This
should have been done throughout the
piloting process.

4 04 D Option D is correct because the

principal is implementing a specific,
real-time-feedback approach that
actively helps Mr. Wallis improve his
teaching. Preestablished hand signals
or cue cards effectively prompt
teachers to implement strategies
aligned to the feedback provided
during the most recent observation
debrief, minimizing the disruption to
the learning environment. The
feedback is timely and can be
implemented by the teacher
immediately. Option A is incorrect
because the more appropriate
approach would be to provide the
teacher feedback after the observation
and establish a time in which the
principal could come and model the
practice. Option B is incorrect
because the more appropriate
approach would be to prompt the
teacher to praise students. Option C
is incorrect because a list of
instructional best practices would not
be tailored to meet the teacher’s real-
time instructional needs.

5 06 A Option A is correct because, since

being in the role of an instructional
leader requires frequent collaboration
with other teachers, the principal
should ensure that potential teacher
leaders have effective interpersonal
skills (i.e., they promote positive
relationships and build trust). Option
B is incorrect because there is no
evidence to suggest that Mr. Gutierrez’
understanding of data use is limited or
needs improvement. Option C is
incorrect because, based on the
principal’s notes, Mr. Gutierrez is an
effective teacher; this implies that he
demonstrates a high level of
pedagogical efficacy. Option D is
incorrect because an instructional
leader’s primary focus should be on
supporting teachers and classroom
instruction.
6 04 C Option C is correct because it can be

safely assumed that the question
contains appropriate rigor and has
viable option choices, so the incorrect
responses are a result of student
misunderstanding. Determining what
aspect of the question students
misunderstood will guide the teacher
in selecting what to reteach. Option A
is incorrect because determining
appropriate rigor should occur before
the test is given, which
Ms. Whitehorse and Ms. Melendez did.
Option B is incorrect because it
misses the opportunity to address the
student misunderstanding or weakness
revealed in choice G and therefore
does not improve student outcomes.
Option D is incorrect because there
is no evidence that the question is
flawed.

7 04 A Option A is correct because the

difference between the two questions
is that question 8 contains a simile,
which is easy for students to
recognize, and two familiar
synonyms—glittering and brilliance.
Question 4 relies on students
recognizing the more subtle
personification/anthropomorphism of a
feeling scratching on the neck. It also
involves them relating feelings of
anxiety to the narrator’s doubts.
Students who are just learning
figurative language need targeted
exposure to and practice with
recognizing its more subtle uses.
Option B is incorrect because the
misconception trend indicated
students’ inability to understand more
subtle figurative language instead of
students’ comprehension of unfamiliar
words. Option C is incorrect because
there is no evidence in this context
that indicates that the length of the
answer choices leads to student error.
Option D is incorrect because
multiple choice questions can provide
insight into students’ thinking, as in
this case, lack of knowledge about
figurative language.

8 04 D Option D is correct because by

conducting an item analysis, teachers
are able to identify specific areas of
course content that need greater
emphasis or clarity. Option A is
incorrect because the purpose of item
analysis is not to maintain a
continuum of difficulty but to identify
common misconceptions shared across
some or all students. Option B is
incorrect because the teacher’s item
analysis should inform the lesson
reteach or intervention rather than
general lesson planning. Option C is
incorrect because recognizing that a
skill has a steep learning curve does
not excuse the teacher from finding
ways to build student understanding,
even if incrementally.
9 04 B Option B is correct because the

question asked students to use
evidence from the text to support their
choice of the person in the story who
most influences the narrator. The data
show that only two students received
the full two-point credit for the essay,
indicating the rest of the class needs
help utilizing textual evidence. Option
A is incorrect because while there
are a few spelling and grammatical
errors apparent in the student
responses, they do not impair the
reader’s ability to understand the
message. Option C is incorrect
because the essay question is not
focused on character motivation.
Option D is incorrect because the
root cause of student misconception is
not that they are losing focus, it is
because they do not yet have the skills
to recognize and utilize text evidence
as shown by their responses.

10 04 A, C Option A is correct because by

reviewing multiple benchmarks that
assess the same standards, the
teacher can determine if there is
consistent demonstration of student
mastery. Option C is correct because
providing multiple opportunities for
students to show their content
knowledge (through selected-response
and open-ended questions) will
provide a more accurate and in-depth
picture of students’ knowledge of the
standard. Option B is incorrect
because placing an identical question
on a subsequent benchmark may cue
the student to the answer from the
previous benchmark and misses
opportunities to gain additional insight
into student understanding. Option D
is incorrect because reducing the
amount of time between the
administrations of the benchmarks
would be inappropriate and ineffective
in allowing teachers to address
students’ misconceptions and reteach
topics that were misunderstood.
Option E is incorrect because having
students generate questions does not
measure the mastery of the standard.

11 06 B Option B is correct because the fact

that many students were unclear on
why their responses received the
scores that they did indicates that Ms.
Whitehorse should consider creating
exemplars at the highest score point
to clarify for herself and students the
expectation of the rigor needed in
student responses and then adjust
instruction to align to the
expectations. Option A is incorrect
because reading the score point 2
descriptors is unlikely to help with
brainstorming ideas for responding to
the prompt. Option C is incorrect
because while asking Tonya, a student
who excelled at the essay, to share
the characteristics she sees in the
response can be helpful for checking
understanding, the teacher should first
make explicit what the expectations of
the rubric are to all students. Option
D is incorrect because although
templates are a strong scaffold, first
Ms. Whitehorse needs to set the vision
for student expectations through the
development of an exemplar essay
response.

12 06 C Option C is correct because a grow-

your-own program should aim to
develop teacher candidates that reflect
the diverse student populations that
they will be teaching and that have
certain dispositions that will help them
be successful. Option A is incorrect
because addressing community
barriers such as housing shortages is
not the most immediate concern as
they design the program. Option B is
incorrect because students can build
their motivations for teaching while
engaging in the education and training
courses; therefore, student
recruitment at the onset should not be
limited. Option D is incorrect
because the education and training
course teacher can have a significant
impact on student investment and
persistence; therefore, multiple
measures should be considered when
selecting the teacher, including track
record of achievement.

13 05 C Option C is correct because the

survey indicates that, although
teachers think the principal views
them as effective, the principal is not
highly visible in classrooms. Teachers
also disagree that the principal has a
good understanding of effective
teaching practices. This indicates that
the principal should develop his
instructional leadership capacity by
conducting more walk-throughs and
providing targeted feedback to
teachers. Option A is incorrect
because, although only 50% of
teachers indicate that the principal
visits their classroom often, the survey
does not specify anything about
collaboration or about the principal’s
visibility in other aspects of the school.
Option B is incorrect because there
is nothing in the survey to suggest
that the principal is not an effective
communicator or is not transparent
with decision making. Option D is
incorrect because there is nothing in
the survey to suggest that the
principal does not acknowledge staff
contributions or needs to work on
differentiating between delegation and
shared leadership.

14 11 A, E Option A is correct because research

shows that adult mentors provide at-
risk youth the sense of support,
belonging, empowerment, and
resilience the youth need to overcome
obstacles, thus decreasing the
likelihood that they will drop out of
high school. Option E is correct
because dropping out of school is a
process that begins well before the
high school years; early identification
and intervention has proven successful
in reducing the likelihood of an at-risk
student eventually dropping out.
Option B is incorrect because
students who are older than their
grade-level peers (due to retention or
other factors) have a higher likelihood
of dropping out of high school. Option
C is incorrect because studies
suggest that fining students for
truancy or poor attendance may have
unintended consequences. Option D
is incorrect because former students
may not be equipped to provide
counseling to students unless they
have undergone the appropriate
educational training.


three practices that teachers indicate
have been working well all include the
use of primary sources (i.e.,
documents, speeches, photographs,
newspapers, letters). Option A is
incorrect because although
technology can support student
historical research, this is not the
primary focus of the teacher practices
indicated. Option C is incorrect
because the three practices shared by
the teachers are not characterized by
students working collaboratively to
solve a problem with real-world
implications. Option D is incorrect
because differentiation is not evident
in the three practices highlighted by
the teachers.
16 06 B, E Option B is correct because

modeling a teacher-created exemplar
for students provides a clear guide for
the assignment. Option E is correct
because scaffolding the process will
define the expectations for the
activity, reduce frustration, and help
EL students build prior knowledge and
internalize new information, eventually
making the students become
independent writers. Option A is
incorrect because providing each
student with the same prompt for
independent practice fails to
differentiate on the basis of individual
student needs. Option C is incorrect
because simply having students check
their work against that of their peers
without first checking it against the
exemplar may not provide meaningful
feedback. Option D is incorrect
because having ELs repeat teacher-
given instructions before starting the
assignment does not address the
underlying skills needed to master the
objective.

17 05 A, C, E Option A is correct because the

teacher should utilize examples,
pictures, and stories that more closely
relate to students’ backgrounds and
experiences to activate prior
knowledge and build bridges to new
learning. Option C is correct because
a story map serves as a scaffolded
approach for ELs to organize their
thoughts and ideas. Option E is
correct because preteaching lesson-
specific vocabulary allows ELs to utilize
the new vocabulary in meaningful
ways throughout the lesson. Option B
is incorrect because while one
student did appear to struggle with
legibility, having all students type the
story does not address gaps in student
understanding. Option D is incorrect
because while Mr. Hobbs did note that
two students were disrupting the
learning of other students, there is no
evidence that a focused, quiet
environment would have led to
improved student outcomes in this
lesson.

18 04 A Option A is correct because the ELPS

proficiency descriptors are aligned with
TELPAS, which is a summative
assessment that documents the
proficiency levels of ELs. Using the
ELPS proficiency level descriptors as a
rubric will help Ms. Rienda develop
formative assessments that will allow
her to monitor student progress, tailor
content area instruction, and integrate
second language instruction according
to the proficiency level needs of her
ELs. Option B is incorrect because
the survey will not provide the
alignment or level of accuracy needed
to produce valid data. Option C is
incorrect because administering
standardized assessments in the
student’s native language will not
provide the data needed to show
progress toward the next proficiency
levels. Option D is incorrect because
grouping students heterogeneously
may be a more effective strategy as
students at higher levels of proficiency
model and support the language
development of their peers.
19 05 D Option D is correct because

Ms. Rienda needs to first set individual
students’ targeted proficiency levels
and then ensure that her instructional
planning is aligned to the intended
outcomes and supporting students in
their efforts to reach them. Option A
is incorrect because the ELPS
language objectives should be
integrated with the ELA TEKS. Option
B is incorrect because highlighting
key words will be ineffective in helping
to create scaffolded questions about
writing for students. Option C is
incorrect because using the reading
proficiency level descriptors will not be
effective, since the student TELPAS
data showed a lack of growth in
reading as well as in writing.

20 03 B Option B is correct because teaching

high-frequency words will help Lucia
master the common words that she is
misspelling (“we,” “with,” “than”).
Then teaching phonemic word patterns
such as -ay or CVC-silent e would be
beneficial for Lucia, as she would be
able to better recognize sounds and
generalize them in her writing (e.g.,
“play,” “more”). Option A is
incorrect because timely feedback on
writing is critical in order for student
skills in writing to continue to grow.
Option C is incorrect because while
Lucia struggles with accurate English
grammar and sentence structure, this
will not facilitate her advancement to
the next ELPS proficiency level.
Option D is incorrect because while
incorporating technology to focus on
an EL’s strength in speaking can result
in more coherent storytelling, this
strategy would not address Lucia’s
area for growth.

21 05 See The continuum of these sessions

rationale follows the best practices in building
teacher skills. First, the teachers need
to be able to understand how the ELPS
relates to their content area and then
create a vision of what each of the
ELPS proficiency level descriptors
looks like. The teachers will then be
ready to practice using the knowledge
they just gained to rate student work
samples. The final session allows
teachers to apply their knowledge
from the first three sessions to set
goals and implement instructional
strategies.
Session 1
Teachers will better incorporate
academic language acquisition needs
of ELs when planning lessons.
Session 2
Teachers will have a better
understanding of ELs’ needs to
linguistically accommodate instruction
appropriately.
Session 3
Teachers will norm and calibrate on
expectations for each proficiency level
and ensure valid and reliable scoring
practices.
Session 4
Teachers will better design a path to
move students from one proficiency
level to the next based on their
current proficiency level.


principal realizes that the parents are
having a difficult time understanding
exactly how the initiative will be used
with students, so a student
demonstration would address the gap
in parent understanding. Option B is
incorrect because asking every
parent to schedule time to view the
technology in the classrooms would be
inefficient. Option C is incorrect
because forming smaller groups of
parents and community members
would exclude some perspectives at
the outset. Option D is incorrect
because parents and community
members will want to ask questions
during the session, so it would be
inappropriate to expect them to ask all
of their questions before each
meeting.

23 01 A Option A is correct because

facilitating communication between
the school and bilingual families is an
appropriate responsibility for the
bilingual outreach liaison. In addition
to providing translation services for
documents sent home, it is important
for the liaison to facilitate verbal
communication (e.g., home visits and
phone calls) to strengthen the
partnership between home and school.
bilingual outreach liaison should
support the communication goals of
the school by working with teachers
but should avoid taking an evaluative
role with respect to individual
teachers. Option C is incorrect
because although grant opportunities
may arise, those should be driven by
needs identified through interactions
with teachers, students, and families.
Option D is incorrect because, while
attending PTO-sponsored events will
help highlight the new liaison position
to the community, attendance at every
single PTO-sponsored event is not the
most important focus for this new role.

24 01 D Option D is correct because it

represents a collaborative strategy for
vision development. The involvement
of teachers in the development
process will help them take ownership
and have buy-in, making effective
implementation more likely. Option A
is incorrect because vision
development should be a collaborative
effort that includes other stakeholders.
Having the campus improvement
committee members develop draft
visions for the stakeholders to vote on
is not a collaborative development
strategy that engages others. Option
B is incorrect because it does not
involve more stakeholders in the
development process. The committee’s
job is to review and analyze data in
order to prepare to facilitate meetings
with stakeholder groups to continue
the development process. The
committee should not single-handedly
revise the vision without input from
the faculty. Option C is incorrect
because vision development is a
process that can and should be led by
school leaders to result in greater
investment.

25 02 C Option C is correct because a

yearlong school readiness campaign
resulting from a community
partnership addresses all three guiding
principles. Families are fully engaged
in this process, community members
contribute supports and resources,
and transition activities are facilitated
over time. Option A is incorrect
because meeting with families to
gather input and building parent
capacity for advocacy appropriately
engages parents and families but does
not engage external stakeholders.
Option B is incorrect because these
activities address child-to-school
connections but do not explicitly
engage families and communities.
Option D is incorrect because having
educators develop transition plans for
individual students does not actively
engage families or community
members.

26 03 A, C, D Option A is correct because

discussing simple attributes of the
cube and sphere to help students
identify real-world objects is a
developmentally appropriate
mathematics strategy that relates to
the TEKS. Option C is correct
because the lesson’s learning objective
is to have students identify real-world
objects that represent each 3-D shape.
By discussing the simple attributes of
3-D shapes, students will have the
necessary language and skills to more
effectively identify real-world objects.
Option D is correct because the
focus of the lesson is to identify real-
world objects, and the students should
see the teacher demonstrate this
during the model portion of the lesson
and have opportunities to practice it
during the guided practice portion of
the lesson. Option B is incorrect
because this activity would not help
improve alignment to the lesson’s
objective or enhance student
understanding of the objective.
Option E is incorrect because asking
kindergarten students to create a
labeled drawing of a three-dimensional
shape is not aligned with this lesson’s
objective.


teacher should determine what
content-specific vocabulary is
important to introduce and define for
students in order to help them make
connections. Ms. Nunez uses the word
“face” in the video lesson but does not
define or help students understand the
word “face” in the context of the
lesson. Option B is incorrect
because while creating an anchor chart
with sentence stems is helpful, first
the teacher must define the important
content-specific vocabulary for
students. Option C is incorrect
because placing vocabulary words in
the journal without discussing the key
attributes of them with the class will
not be helpful to students. Option D
is incorrect because skywriting
vocabulary words during the
mathematics lesson will not help
introduce students to new vocabulary
words such as “face.”


teacher can enhance the lesson by
modeling her thinking for students.
She can show students a real-life
object and model for students how to
determine whether the object has the
attributes of a certain shape. The
principal should write an action step
addressing this area of concern that is
clear, measurable, and can be
implemented within the week. Option
A is incorrect because while there
could be more opportunities for
student-to-student interactions, the
focus of the principal’s action step is to
better model for students how to
determine whether a real-world object
is an example of a certain shape.
Option C is incorrect because this
statement defines when modeling
should occur in a lesson but does not
provide the teacher with a clear,
measurable action step that can be
implemented to improve her lesson
right away. Option D is incorrect
because this statement focuses on the
primary purpose of the guided practice
not the modeling portion of the lesson.

29 03 D Option D is correct because student

struggled to draw 3-D objects. So,
having students take photos will
provide Ms. Nunez with immediate
feedback as to which students learned
the new 3-D solid shapes and are able
to accurately identify real-world
examples of the shapes. Option A is
incorrect because playing an
interactive game related to the lesson
is a fun way to incorporate technology
for students but does not help
students achieve the lesson objective
of identifying real-world 3-D solids.
Option B is incorrect because asking
kindergarten students to search the
Internet freely is developmentally
inappropriate. Option C is incorrect
because asking kindergarten students
to draw a 3-D shape in the application
is inappropriate, and then printing and
comparing the shapes based on the
chart labels could prove to be difficult
based on the student drawings.

30 04 C Option C is correct because based

on the walk-through notes and student
exit tickets, students are still unable to
successfully identify real-world 3-D
shapes. Therefore, Ms. Nunez should
consider chunking the content to
introduce and explicitly teach each
shape one at a time. Mr. Kim’s
response most effectively guides her
to that conclusion. Option A is
incorrect because student mastery
noted by the principal in the walk-
through demonstrates that students
still need more instruction on the
current shapes rather than instruction
on new shapes. Option B is incorrect
because while vertical alignment
should be encouraged, asking the
first-grade teachers how to teach the
first-grade TEKS in kindergarten does
not address the gap in Ms. Nunez’
ability to break down the TEKS into
appropriate daily objectives. Option D
is incorrect because this feedback
from the principal incorrectly
represents student mastery of the
lesson’s objective.

31 05 D Option D is correct because

Ms. Nunez uses the book that shows
pictures of 2-D shapes as a way to
introduce her mini-lesson on 3-D
shapes. It would enhance critical
thinking in students to address the
differences between 2-D and 3-D
objects. This would provide a clearer
connection between the mathematical
content of the unit and the use of this
book. Option A is incorrect because
this activity is not aligned to the
learning objective. Option B is
incorrect because, while designing
centers to connect the book to other
content areas can be helpful, this
feedback statement is too broad and
vague to be helpful to the teacher.
Option C is incorrect because there
is no evidence in the lesson plan or
walk-through notes that the book
addresses procedural knowledge.
32 11 B Option B is correct because by

asking the guiding questions relating
to accessible language, stereotypes,
and student backgrounds, the principal
helps teachers ensure that curriculum
materials reflect the cultural diversity
of the school. Option A is incorrect
because the focus is not on
collaboration but rather on the
teachers reflecting on the cultural
responsiveness of their instructional
materials. Option C is incorrect
because the questions do not guide
teachers to reflect on their
communication styles; the questions
guide them to specifically analyze
whether instructional materials are
culturally responsive. Option D is
incorrect because although activating
prior knowledge is an important part
of effective instruction, this represents
only one aspect of culturally
responsive curricula.

33 03 B Option B is correct because an

adequately rigorous assessment
measures a varied range of critical-
thinking skills in connection to specific
standards-based content. Option A is
incorrect because rigorous
assessments are meant to measure
what students know, not what they
don’t know. Option C is incorrect
because complex vocabulary might
confound measures of students’
understanding of the assessed
concept. Option D is incorrect
because it addresses validity and
reliability of scoring or grading, not
rigor of assessment.

principal needs to design and
implement a cohesive digital
citizenship curriculum that provides
the necessary pieces of information on
using technology safely and
responsibly in the digital world.
Option A is incorrect because
determining whether all classrooms
have high-speed Internet access is not
aligned to the digital safety initiative.
Option B is incorrect because asking
parents to monitor student technology
usage is not the highest-leverage
action that the principal should take
based on the current components that
are already in place. Option D is
incorrect because digital rights
management and issues of copyright
are not the most pressing digital
safety issues.

35 01 B Option B is correct because it

establishes a system for gathering
input from this parent group to ensure
that the school is promoting an
inclusive culture. Option A is
incorrect because it is one-way
communication that does not provide a
system to gather input from this
parent stakeholder group. Option C is
incorrect because it does not address
the parents’ core concern about
communicating the needs of their
students. Option D is incorrect
because it does not provide a system
of communication for gathering input
from this parent stakeholder group.

36 04 C, E Option C is correct because teachers

indicated that cross-disciplinary CCRS
are more relevant to teachers and
students in advanced classes. This
belief should be addressed by the
principal by emphasizing that the
CCRS are intended to help all student
groups acquire a strong foundation of
knowledge and skills that prepare
them for both college and the
workplace. Option E is correct
because many teachers indicated that
they are not receiving support in
integrating the CCRS and prefer
professional development that offers
ongoing support. Coaching sessions
with the principal meet both these
needs. Option A is incorrect because
most teachers seem to already have
an understanding of how the content-
specific CCRS relate to the TEKS.
survey indicated that some teachers
are unsure of how to determine
student mastery of the CCRS, but
there is no indication that they do not
understand why assessing student
mastery holds value. Option D is
incorrect because CCRS instruction
should be integrated within daily
instruction and not necessarily
explicitly taught within its own block of
time.


survey indicates that the majority of
teachers would like professional
development that allows them to work
with colleagues and provides ongoing
support. Having teacher teams work
together on lessons and create a
protocol for feedback targets both the
need for collegial planning and
ongoing support. Option B is
incorrect because only twenty-eight
percent of teachers indicated that they
prefer to work independently. A self-
paced module may not be effective.
Option C is incorrect because only a
minority of teachers indicated that
they preferred professional
development provided in a workshop
format, such as a make-and-take.
Option D is incorrect because only a
minority of teachers indicated that
they preferred professional
development provided by outside
experts.

mathematics department should
identify which foundational skills are
most aligned to the mathematics TEKS
and prioritize those in their instruction.
Option A is incorrect because it is
unclear that teachers would be able to
leverage these skills to address the
rest of the foundational skills. Option
B is incorrect because the
mathematics department must first
identify whether embedding
opportunities for students to conduct
research effectively supports student
mastery of mathematics TEKS. Option
C is incorrect because first the
mathematics department should
identify whether prioritizing reading
and writing instruction will most
effectively support student mastery of
mathematics TEKS.


sample lesson does not articulate what
student products and presentations
should look like to meet college- and
career-ready performance
expectations. Option A is incorrect
because the presentation assignment
is already project based and student
centered. Option C is incorrect
because the first step to improve
lesson planning should be to focus on
defining the student expectations for
the given CCRS and TEKS regardless
of the targeted skill. Option D is
incorrect because CCRS standards
are meant to be integrated with the
TEKS and should be determined before
teachers design lesson activities.
40 09 B Option B is correct because

performance on state or college
placement tests is an appropriate
accountability metric for achievement
of the CCRS. Option A is incorrect
because college admission rates
measure progress only for students
continuing to higher academic
education, not those entering
vocations or apprenticeships or going
directly into the workforce. Option C
is incorrect because report card
grades and grade-point averages are
not always reliable indicators of
college and career readiness. Option
D is incorrect because participation
in academic organizations (e.g., clubs)
is not one of the primary indicators of
students’ college and career readiness.

41 01 See The correct order of options is 2, 4, 1,

rationale 3 because this order allows the
principal to support teachers in
altering their thinking in a
developmental manner. The principal
first builds awareness around teacher
attitudes and mind-sets and then uses
that awareness to motivate teachers
to shift their attitudes, mind-sets, and
actions. The principal then uses
coaching to encourage and reinforce
continued changes.
First step: Creating an awareness
among teachers about their attitudes
concerning students’ capability to
meet the CCRS
Second step: Providing motivation for
the teachers to change their attitudes
by demonstrating the correlation
between high expectations and
improved student performance
Third step: Empowering the teachers
to act on their changed attitudes by
providing targeted coaching and
mentoring, constructive feedback, and
ongoing support
Fourth step: Consistently reinforcing
the belief that all students are capable
of meeting the CCRS to prevent
backsliding


communication should be purposeful
and fulfill a specific need. In addition,
when messages are sent via various
avenues, recipients can lose or
overlook them. Option B is incorrect
because although it is appropriate to
evaluate the effectiveness of a
communication tool, the purpose must
first be determined. Option C is
incorrect because although it may be
appropriate to increase the frequency
of the surveys, the effectiveness
should first be evaluated. Option D is
incorrect because the principal is
already participating in multiple special
events with parents and community
members, which would provide
opportunity for one-on-one interaction
with these stakeholders.
43 01 C Option C is correct because it allows

for the development of all teachers
participating by allowing the observed
teacher to share his or her thinking
process and reflections, thus building
all teachers’ ability to identify their
own strengths and areas for growth.
Option A is incorrect because the
discussion should not be focused on
individual preferences, but instead
should focus on observable teacher
and student actions. Option B is
incorrect because focusing solely on
teacher strengths misses opportunities
for teacher reflection and growth.
student engagement is important, it is
not the primary indicator of a lesson’s
effectiveness. The primary indicators
are student achievement and
measurable outcomes.

44 06 B Option B is correct because a

mentor should be able to coach new
teachers in pedagogy and instructional
issues as problems arise. This is a
critical role of the mentor to help
ensure new teachers develop effective
practices and ensure student success.
teachers should be able to perform
mentor duties across grade levels
regardless of that teacher’s grade-
level experience. Option C is
incorrect because a mentor should
focus on guiding and coaching the
teacher and can do this without
specifically citing the appraisal rubrics.
although the mentor teacher should be
expected to demonstrate effective
communication skills, concentrating
solely on technology as a
communication tool is too narrow a
focus.
45 01 C Option C is correct because by

allowing the teams to develop their
own norms and ensuring they commit
to those norms, the principal has
enabled the teams to take
responsibility for operating in a
productive manner. Option A is
incorrect because by encouraging the
teams to identify the behaviors
necessary to carry out effective
meetings, the principal is not focused
on information processing or conflict
resolution. Option B is incorrect
because the expectations will not be
the same across all teams, since each
team is developing its own set of
expectations. Option D is incorrect
because norms do not define in detail
the processes a team will use in any
given situation but rather focus on
overarching principles that will guide
the team’s work.

46 08 B Option B is correct because

stressors often exist in these students’
lives. Teaching self-regulation skills
will provide students with the tools
they need to better manage stressful
situations and achieve academic goals.
directive classroom management
strategies reinforce student
compliance over authentic
engagement. Option C is incorrect
because the focus should be on
affirming and reinforcing effort to
encourage students to persist, make
smarter strategy choices, and have a
growth mind-set. Option D is
incorrect because students should
first be provided access to effective
teaching practices within the
classroom through tier 1 instruction.
47 04 C Option C is correct because

teachers’ current plans do not logically
build upon one another from one
grade level to the next. Teachers need
time to vertically plan and determine
how to more effectively ensure
alignment to the TEKS and the
expected level of rigor on the fifth-
grade state-mandated assessment.
principal should focus on ensuring
alignment to science TEKS and
promoting vertical alignment between
grade levels in science before
targeting interdisciplinary lesson
planning. Option B is incorrect
because field trips can support what is
being taught in the classroom, but the
principal should prioritize improving
teachers’ daily instruction. Option D
is incorrect because there is not
enough information in the lesson
overviews to suggest that
assessments and accommodations
should be prioritized.

48 06 B Option B is correct because only one

classroom is cited as having
investigations as the dominant student
activity. The principal wants to spread
the frequency of investigations in
science classrooms because it leads to
increased critical thinking skills and
engagement. Option A is incorrect
because although technology tools can
enhance instruction, this focus is not a
pressing concern, based on the data
provided. The principal needs to
prioritize the underutilization of
scientific investigations as a concern
before anything else. Option C is
incorrect because there is no data to
support the idea that students’
individual learning needs are not being
met during independent practice.
teachers need to first ensure that the
lesson plan is aligned to the TEKS and
supports the development of scientific
cognitive processes, and then
determine student groups.

49 08 A Option A is correct because allowing

students to create their own meaning
through performing investigations and
having hands-on experiences rather
than through watching a video can
lead to deeper understanding of
scientific concepts. Therefore, the
principal should use this question to
shift the focus of the conversation.
Option B is incorrect because
essential questions help target
standards to organize content, which
should have been done when the
magnetism unit was written, not
explicitly for the video. Option C is
incorrect because while the teacher
should have previewed the video, the
video alone could not promote critical
thinking skills and should not have
been selected for this purpose. Option
D is incorrect because performing
hands-on investigations builds intrinsic
motivation more effectively than does
watching a video.


activity requires students to test,
investigate, and create, which are
actions that require higher-order
thinking skills. Based on the walk-
through data, this activity is
appropriate, since teachers are
currently including learning tasks that
address lower-level thinking skills.
Option A is incorrect because it does
not walk the students through the
process of observing a problem and
creating an investigation to solve the
problem, which is a process that
involves more cognitive thinking.
Option B is incorrect because finding
and recording resources on the
playground and identifying how a
particular resource can be conserved
does not engage students in
metacognition. Option C is incorrect
because sequencing process cards and
researching how a product is made
does not engage students in
evaluation, creation, or higher-order
thinking skills.

51 05 C Option C is correct because teachers

will need access to ongoing support,
and the fifth-grade teacher is a strong
in-house person to provide such
support. The fifth-grade lesson plans
reflect alignment between the TEKS
and activities that integrate
appropriate cognitive processes and
scientific inquiry. Leveraging the fifth-
grade teacher’s ability to provide
ongoing support is a good solution, as
it allows the fifth-grade teacher to
take on a leadership role and share
her professional knowledge with peers
and will best help support and sustain
the school improvement process over
time. Option A is incorrect because
there is no guarantee that teachers
will use the online support, and the
current professional development plan
already provides for teacher access to
exemplars during the Modeling
component of the Skill Acquisition
phase. Option B is incorrect because
the current professional development
plan includes both content instruction
(what to teach) and pedagogical
instruction (how to teach). Option D
is incorrect because the current
professional development plan allows
for teacher self-assessment and
reflection during the Evaluation and
Feedback component.

52 05 D Option D is correct because guided

inquiry involves students designing
investigations that help them answer
specific research questions by
analyzing data. Through guided
inquiry, teachers provide input and
guide students as they engage with
scientific research designs. Option A
is incorrect because hands-on,
collaborative learning tasks are not
necessarily inquiry-based. Option B is
incorrect because reciprocal teaching
is typically used as a small-group
activity to promote comprehension of
a text. It is not representative of
guided inquiry. Option C is incorrect
because inquiry-based learning
involves scientific research design in
addition to higher-level questioning.


principal is not targeting observations
or coaching sessions to the teachers in
need of improvement. She should
create a tracking document that will
allow her to capture individual
teachers’ current development goals
and observe trends across all staff.
Option A is incorrect because while
distributing instructional leadership
responsibilities among the leadership
team is a best practice, they should be
prioritizing more-frequent observation
and feedback cycles rather than
longer, formal evaluations to
encourage the more-rapid
development of teachers in need.
principal should target observations
based upon individual teacher needs,
which may require her to observe the
teachers at different times throughout
the day. Option D is incorrect
because the principal should
strategically provide scaffolded
support to those most in need rather
than observe teachers by years of
experience.


meetings should meet the needs of all
parents; by conducting the meetings
in both Spanish and English, parent
engagement will likely increase.
majority of parents speak Spanish;
therefore communication could be
more effectively fostered by
conducting the meeting in both
languages. Option B is incorrect
because separate meetings defeat the
unifying purpose of the PTO. Option D
is incorrect because the initial step in
engaging participants should be
removing language barriers. Once the
language barrier is removed, the
limited English-language parents may
no longer need encouragement to
engage.
55 02 D Option D is correct because by

sharing the event online and in
newsletters, the school recognizes
tutors’ efforts publicly while also
generating interest from members of
the community who may see the
article/photos, become inspired, and
want to sign up to volunteer. Option
A is incorrect because it’ not clear
that the event information and photos
clearly communicate specific outcomes
of the volunteer tutoring program.
primary purpose of celebrating the
volunteers’ contributions is not to
convince teachers that there is value
in the supplemental instruction.
Option C is incorrect because the
tutors have instructional roles.


posters provide prompts for staff to
use specific, as opposed to general,
praise statements. Behavior-specific
praise is an evidence-based practice
that reinforces specific desirable
behaviors and builds student
confidence. Option B is incorrect
because the purpose of the praise
statements is not to explicitly develop
positive adult-student relationships.
This is a secondary outcome of
positive communication. The purpose
is to reinforce appropriate student
behavior. Option C is incorrect
because the posters provide prompts
for staff to help them provide specific
praise statements to students; the
posters do not provide classroom
expectations for students. Option D is
incorrect because the goal of creating
the posters is to reinforce specific
student behaviors rather than increase
teacher investment.
57 11 B Option B is correct because a viable

curriculum for English learners must
include a detailed developmental
sequence of academic and social
experiences that allow students to
develop and practice the use of the
English language. Option A is
incorrect because this question
focuses on teacher coaching rather
than on best practices in curriculum
development for English learners.
Option C is incorrect because the
multicultural celebrations and activities
may not be sufficient to address the
language development needs of ELs.
incorporating sight words is more
appropriate for supporting reading
fluency.

58 06 D Option D is correct because teachers

should be using assessments routinely
to identify struggling students so that
their needs can be addressed through
reteaching or other types of
interventions. Option A is incorrect
because there is no evidence that
indicates the program goals are
unmet. Option B is incorrect
because while analyzing the quality of
instructional materials is an
appropriate long-term action, the
more immediate action is to adapt
instruction to meet the needs of
students based on the data. Option C
is incorrect because teachers should
work collaboratively on course
redesign. In addition, this action would
not address the immediate needs of
the students.
59 09 B Option B is correct because item

analysis will best help teachers identify
any gaps in instruction and/or in
students’ understanding. Option A is
incorrect because a testing condition
that could affect the performance of
twelfth-grade advanced students
should be apparent to teachers during
the administration. Option C is
incorrect because the district
benchmarks should be aligned to the
requirements of advanced-level
science courses, not national
standards. Option D is incorrect
because there is no evidence in any of
the documents that lax admission
requirements are a causal factor in
students’ weak performance.

60 03 C Option C is correct because inquiry-

based experiences such as labs
develop the conceptual understanding
necessary to excel in advanced-level
science courses. Students with limited
lab experience in eleventh grade will
have difficulty meeting the
expectations of the twelfth-grade
course. Option A is incorrect
because building foundational skills in
earlier grades is a better long-term
strategy. Option B is incorrect
because it is unlikely that the courses
are too rigorous, given the low passing
rate on the standardized exam.
although these experiences may be
motivating, there is no evidence that
participating in them improves
students’ understanding of the content
taught in advanced-level courses.
61 03 B Option B is correct because research

indicates that students who are
overconfident may have
underdeveloped metacognitive skills,
which could be exacerbated by a lack
of timely or frequent feedback
regarding their academic progress.
Option A is incorrect because while
setting long-term goals is important,
because of the identified gaps in
student understanding, the students
should work to set short-term goals
and monitor their own progress.
Option C is incorrect because
increasing the number of self-
assessments and peer assessments is
likely to confirm students’
overconfidence unless they are
receiving explicit instruction to develop
their metacognitive skills. Option D is
incorrect because decreasing the
frequency that students will be
receiving academic feedback will not
help them develop the skills needed to
monitor their own progress.

62 04 A Option A is correct because based

on the data there is
underrepresentation of Hispanic
students in the advanced-level science
courses. Option B is incorrect
because the data do not indicate that
enrollment in advanced courses is
dropping. Option C is incorrect
because the principal should first work
with the teachers who are currently at
the school before looking to make new
hires. Option D is incorrect because
while this strategy may raise
awareness and interest in advanced-
level science courses, it does not
address the challenges indicated by
the data.

80 percent of twelfth-grade advanced
science teachers reported that
students did not enter their classes
with prerequisite knowledge of
scientific inquiry. It would be
appropriate to provide resources and
high-quality training for science
teachers on campus. Option B is
incorrect because the data show that
a majority of students are not
participating; therefore, allocating
money to clubs is an ineffective
strategy for engaging students in
science. Option C is incorrect
because providing digital self-paced
labs may not help students build their
prerequisite knowledge of scientific
inquiry. Option D is incorrect
because there is no evidence that a
lack of content expertise on the part of
current teachers is causing the gaps in
student performance.

64 10 C Option C is correct because Title II,

Part A, funds may be used to provide
professional development for
instructional leaders. Option A is
incorrect because conferences
sponsored by the school are not an
allowable expense under Title II, Part
A, funds. Option B is incorrect
because student memberships to civic
and community organizations are not
an allowable expense under Title II,
Part A, funds. Option D is incorrect
because field trips are not an allowable
expense under Title II, Part A, funds.
65 06 D Option D is correct because a

facilitator needs to be able to maintain
collaborative dialogue among grade-
level teachers. By establishing
protocols for the lead teachers, the
principal provides tools to achieve
successful facilitation and can provide
feedback to the lead teachers for
continued growth based on the
implementation of the protocols.
principal’s primary focus should be
providing support to lead teachers to
facilitate these meetings, rather than
on ensuring the completion of these
meetings. Option B is incorrect
because the principal should be
focusing on how to model the best
practices for facilitating team
meetings. Option C is incorrect
because each team needs to decide
what data they will gather based on
the area or problem that they
determine exists.


principal should focus his
considerations on the potential impact
on student learning. It is most
appropriate to ask whether exposing
students to diverse teaching methods
is likely to have a positive effect on
student outcomes. Option B is
incorrect because the principal’s
primary consideration should not be
on whether the change will better
prepare students for the structure of
middle and high school; he should
primarily consider the impact on
student learning. Option C is
incorrect because students will
become accustomed to transitions if
care is taken to properly acclimate
them to the new structure. Option D
is incorrect because the potential
impact of departmentalization on the
bell schedule is secondary to its
potential impact on student learning
and outcomes.

67 09 See The correct order for the steps is as

rationale follows:
First, the team should communicate
clear expectations and provide training
on specific improvement strategies
aimed at increasing student talk. This
action ensures that teachers have a
clear understanding of what classroom
strategies are expected.
Second, the team should conduct
biweekly classroom walk-throughs to
observe instruction. This action
ensures that the team closely monitors
how improvement strategies are being
utilized in classrooms.
Third, the team should compile data
from the observations to understand
how student talk is being utilized
schoolwide. This action ensures that
the team uses multiple sources of data
to draw conclusions about the success
of the initiative.
Fourth, the team should celebrate
any increases in the instances of
student talk and reflect on what still
needs improvement. This action
ensures that the team makes
necessary adjustments to promote
continued progress and recognize
movement toward the campus
improvement objective.
Fifth, the team should adjust the
student talk initiative to respond to
teacher and student needs. This action
ensures that the team is responsive to
the needs of teachers and students,
based on the current progress made,
and makes necessary adjustments to
promote continued progress toward
the goal.


principal needs to provide professional
development and coaching to teachers
around the beliefs and skills needed to
reach the higher student expectations.
Additionally, the principal should
highlight and celebrate teacher and
student progress throughout the
process. Option A is incorrect
because a system of rewards and
punishments may lead to teacher
compliance rather than a change in
teacher beliefs and practices. Option
B is incorrect because based upon
the data the principal collected, it is in
the best interest of students to
establish higher expectations. Option
C is incorrect because while the
principal may need to evaluate
whether resources are needed to
promote the needed change, the
primary concern is providing
experiences that will promote a
change in teacher beliefs and
practices.


kindergarten teachers need to focus
on acknowledging positive student
behaviors in order to encourage and
reinforce the desired behaviors. The
midyear observation noted that the
kindergarten team is currently
teaching the three expectations but is
then focusing on the negative of each
expectation (i.e., “don’t do ___”).
Walk-through data notes that
kindergarten students are exhibiting a
large amount of inappropriate
behaviors that teachers should be
managing. Option A is incorrect
because the teachers are already
focused on using consequences for
student problem behaviors, and no
evidence in the data supports that
they are not differentiating the
consequences. Option C is incorrect
because identifying problem behavior
specific to certain classrooms or
students will be ineffective, since the
problem seems to span all of
kindergarten. Option D is incorrect
because using behavioral support
team members to shadow classrooms
looking for positive behavior is an
ineffective use of their time until the
principal is certain that kindergarten is
providing consistent PBIS
implementation.

70 08 A Option A is correct because in

addition to monitoring implementation
of schoolwide expectations, the
principal should provide support
structures, such as targeted coaching,
to develop teacher skills and ensure
effective PBIS implementation. Option
B is incorrect because curriculum and
instructional planning is not the
primary indicator of effective PBIS
implementation; observations of adult-
to-student and student-to-student
interactions are stronger
measurements. Option C is incorrect
because disaggregating discipline
referral data does not represent day-
to-day student behavior and thus does
not provide a full picture of PBIS
implementation. Option D is
incorrect because there is no
evidence that there is a lack of
schoolwide systems for addressing
behaviors.

71 08 A, C Option A is correct because in long-

term studies, PBIS has shown
effectiveness in improving academic
achievement by increasing
instructional time in the classroom.
Option C is correct because having a
common language for students to self-
regulate and manage their own
behavior decreases the number of
disciplinary incidents in schools.
Option B is incorrect because while
PBIS does provide student behavior
expectations for teachers, it does not
prevent teachers from referring
appropriate incidents to
administrators. Option D is incorrect
because while PBIS gives school staff
members a common language to use
when talking with community
providers, it does not help schools
connect to those providers. Option E
is incorrect because PBIS does not
prevent suspensions and expulsions,
although it may reduce the number
occurring on the campus.


kindergarten teachers are struggling
with transitioning between large
group, small group and center time
and are also using negative behavior
statements to communicate
expectations (e.g., “I do not want to
see anyone pushing”). The
prekindergarten teachers have
demonstrated that they have clear
signals for transitions and that they
teach and review the three
expectations daily, even using a song
to reinforce the expectations. It would
be appropriate for the kindergarten
teachers to focus their peer
observation around transitions and
reinforcing the three expectations.
focusing on the frequency that
students are allowed to move around
and interact with different areas of the
room will not provide much insight
into how student behaviors are
managed effectively. Option B is
incorrect because the language used
in the posted rules (i.e., the three
expectations) should be consistent (Be
safe, Be respectful, Be responsible).
The data collected does not suggest
that focusing on students with learning
challenges is an area where
kindergarten teachers need support.
Option D is incorrect because the
order of the class schedule and the
learning tasks included in centers will
vary between kindergarten and
prekindergarten. Observing how
behavior expectations are set and
reinforced in a positive manner during
all times of the day would be most
helpful for kindergarten teachers.


student appears to be struggling with
social skills (e.g., tripping classmates,
making inappropriate gestures, and
pushing a peer), so the principal
should work with the teacher to
provide more intensive interventions
to successfully meet the expectations
of PBIS. Option A is incorrect
because while discussing how to make
good choices is an appropriate
conversation to have with a
kindergarten student, merely
discussing challenges is too vague to
support the student. The teacher has
already called the student up to
discuss the behavior several times
while the principal was present.
Option B is incorrect because PBIS
is already a research-based system to
help with behavioral issues such as
oppositional defiance. Using the
established structure provided in the
PBIS will help the student adjust his or
her behavior over time so long as
consistent implementation of the
program is used. Option C is
incorrect because documenting the
observed inappropriate behaviors does
not align with the PBIS framework.


examples will allow parents to have a
concrete way to implement the three
expectations at home. The school can
create examples of how students can
demonstrate the expectations while
getting ready in the morning, riding in
the car, eating meals, and getting
ready for bed. Option A is incorrect
because having one parent coordinator
to train twenty classes of parents
would not be the most efficient use of
resources. Option B is incorrect
because while having parents come in
to observe how teachers use the
expectations would be helpful, it would
not support the connection to PBIS
application at home. Option C is
incorrect because while a monthly
calendar of classroom topics would
provide some ideas of what parents
could talk about with their children at
home, it would not help parents with
applying the expectations.

75 03 A, D, E Option A is correct because for

teachers to effectively integrate
technology into lessons, they must be
frequently exposed to varied ways to
use it and be taught how to maximize
its potential at their current level of
expertise. Option D is correct
because providing time for teachers to
reflect on new technology integration
and share key learnings with others
will increase the likelihood of effective
implementation. Option E is correct
because giving teachers feedback on
their attempts to integrate technology
shows the principal’s commitment to
the initiative and helps the teachers to
develop their skills more efficiently
and effectively. Option B is incorrect
because providing teachers with a list
of computer applications does not
necessarily mean technology will be
integrated in meaningful ways into
daily lessons. Option C is incorrect
because while the vision statement
does provide a direction for what the
school wants to become, it is
insufficient in helping the teachers
integrate technology into their lessons.


principal should help students learn to
navigate a larger high school building,
choose from a larger menu of
scheduling options (both academic and
extracurricular), and implement
strategies for becoming a more
independent learner. Option B is
incorrect because solely focusing on
the benefits does not build the
underlying skills students need to
navigate making choices. Option C is
incorrect because intervention
services would be better provided by
adults who can provide the support
incoming high school students need.
a joint program with the middle school
counselors would likely provide
support and ease some of the stress of
transitioning to the high school,
elementary counselors would likely not
be the most appropriate resources to
target for this work.

77 01 A, B, E Option A is correct because parents

who are knowledgeable about and
engaged in college readiness early
have greater impact on their students’
preparedness and self-efficacy,
significantly improving chances that
students will go on to college. Option
B is correct because the school can
expose students and their families to
experiences that help build their
desire, interest, and determination to
attend college. Option E is correct
because the principal can gain
insightful information through
authentic conversations with parents,
which will allow him to identify and
address barriers that might prevent
students from attending college.
Option C is incorrect because there
is no clear cause-and-effect
relationship between having strong
technology skills and attending
college. Option D is incorrect
because focusing on career awareness
is more appropriate for middle and
high school counselors.

78 02 D, E Options D is correct because the

principal should address the situation
by facilitating a meeting with both
educators to develop a common
understanding of students’ learning
needs. Having a shared understanding
will allow the speech language
pathologist (SLP) and teacher to
address any barriers and ensure that
the first-grade teacher implements
each student’s individual education
program requirements. Option E is
correct because the speech language
pathologist (SLP) has provided
feedback electronically to the first-
grade teacher, but has not facilitated a
conversation with the teacher to
determine why she is struggling to
implement the accommodations and
develop a shared understanding of the
students’ needs. The principal should
meet with the SLP to provide
strategies and model best practices in
facilitating two-way collaboration.
school language pathologist has
already provided the list of
accommodations to the teacher, which
would be duplicated in the minutes.
Option B is incorrect because while
stronger collaboration is needed
between the two educators, changing
the school schedule is not needed to
address the situation. Option C is
incorrect because the speech
language pathologist (SLP), principal,
and teacher should first develop a
shared understanding of the needs of
the students. This shared
understanding would lead to a more
effective use of observation.


violations discussed during the training
session all relate to breaches of
professional boundaries between
teachers and students. Option B is
incorrect because none of the
violations that were brainstormed
relate to issues of confidentiality.
Option C is incorrect because only
the emotional violation (playing
favorites) demonstrates preferential
treatment to certain students. Option
D is incorrect because only the
second potential violation (meeting a
student alone at his or her home)
relates to teacher conduct outside of
school.
80 10 B, D Option B is correct because based

on UIL rules, ineligible students are
still eligible to participate in practice.
Option D is correct because six-
weeks grades are final; students
cannot complete extra credit to raise
their report card grades and regain
eligibility. Option A is incorrect
because Coach Peterson notes that
Shawn’s grades will not affect his
ineligibility due to DAEP placement, so
this is not a misconception for the
coach. Option C is incorrect because
ineligible students can attend pep
rallies, but not take part in
performances or speeches. Option E
is incorrect because students do
need passing grades to maintain
eligibility for participation in
competitions.


principal needs to work with the coach
to help him become better informed
and ensure accurate communication to
the parents. Option B is incorrect
because the principal should not
circumvent the coach. The principal
should work with the coach instead on
improving the accuracy of his
communications. Option C is
incorrect because all parents need
access to the updated information, not
just parents of students who lost
eligibility. Option D is incorrect
because it is not appropriate to ask
another coach to take part in
developing a growth plan for the
football coach.
82 07 C Option C is correct because training

all relevant stakeholders on eligibility
guidelines will improve understanding
of UIL rules and local policies and
promote accountability. Option A is
incorrect because responding to a
dispute represents a reactive strategy,
not a proactive strategy. Putting a
plan into place in which the coach
checks on students’ grades earlier and
addresses parents before it’s too late
could help avoid these disputes.
Option B is incorrect because not all
parents may be able to attend in-
person information sessions; it is also
clear that the coach needs clarification
on rules and policies. These sessions
are not the best way to improve
proactive communication. Option D is
incorrect because UIL policies cannot
be revised by schools unless the
district is making updates that reflect
a more stringent policy than what is
written in state UIL rules.

83 10 A Option A is correct because creating

a plan of how academic progress will
be communicated will address Ms.
Harper’s concern that she felt unaware
and surprised that Bryan had a failing
grade. Option B is incorrect because
documenting the events that led to
Bryan’s failing grade will not help Ms.
Harper move forward and plan for
ensuring Bryan’s return to eligibility.
Option C is incorrect because
reviewing the syllabus to identify
upcoming projects and tests will not
directly impact Ms. Harper’s current
concern of lack of communication and
awareness of failing grades. Option D
is incorrect because discussing the
need for a balance between academics
and athletics is tangential to the
primary focus of the conversation,
which is helping Bryan to get passing
grades.
84 11 D Option D is correct because during

weeks 7-36 of the year, eligibility for
students in special education is
determined by examining whether
students are meeting their IEP
requirements so it is critical for
teachers to properly implement them.
Option A is incorrect because during
weeks 7-36 of the year, eligibility for
students in special education is
determined by examining whether
students are meeting their IEP
requirements, not by calculating
graduation credits. Option B is
incorrect because grade placement
committee decisions with regard to
eligibility only affect the first six weeks
of the school year. Option C is
incorrect because the status of
behavior intervention plans does not
impact academic eligibility.

85 07 A, E Option A is correct because

proactively working with students to
ensure that they are aware of their
grades near eligibility dates and
providing those dates to parents will
help communicate the importance of
academic performance and ensure
families are aware of their student
athletes’ status in classes. Option E is
correct because the coaches need to
ensure that all stakeholders
understand the importance of how
athletics can support the students’
academic success. This shift in
philosophy can be made concrete by
providing an established study hall
time for students to provide athletes
support before failing classes becomes
an issue. Option B is incorrect
because the purpose of the district PR
coordinator is to function as a liaison
between the district and external
stakeholders, not to monitor teachers’
correspondence. Option C is
incorrect because providing
information regarding students’ status
is the responsibility of the individual
school, not the central district office.
educating only new teachers does not
address misunderstandings that may
exist among current teachers.

86 02 D Option D is correct because it is the

principal’s job to ensure that
stakeholders feel comfortable
expressing contrary opinions and
dissent. Conflict, when handled
effectively, can be constructive and
lead to informed decision making.
Option A is incorrect because this
action will potentially cause groups in
the future to be less likely to engage
in meaningful ways. Option B is
incorrect because by meeting with
only one group, the principal limits the
groups’ ability to hear multiple
perspectives and could potentially
damage her relationships with the
other group. Option C is incorrect
because it is important to continue the
conversation that brought the
disagreement to light.

principal and crisis team should
monitor the evacuation time of various
exit routes to identify problematic
areas and the contributing factors.
Then the roles of adults can be
clarified in problem areas to reduce
the evacuation time. Option A is
incorrect because simply providing
teachers with a highlighted floor plan
of the school does not help to target
factors that contribute to slow
evacuation times. Option B is
incorrect because in the event of an
actual crisis, there will not be advance
warning. In addition, this does not
target factors that slow evacuation
times. Option C is incorrect because
faculty and staff responsibilities should
be communicated prior to the
beginning of the school year and then
reinforced through opportunities to
practice.

88 01 A, C Option A is correct because having a

diverse student committee will ensure
that different viewpoints and ideas are
considered when planning school-wide
initiatives. Option C is correct
because involving students in decision-
making processes helps to build
student support for school initiatives
and makes students feel valued and
appreciated. Option B is incorrect
because basing committee selection
on student performance on
standardized tests limits the pool of
potential committee members. Option
D is incorrect because students
should be selected objectively, on their
own merit, and not by interviewing
parents or teachers, who may be more
subjective. Option E is incorrect
because the student advisory
committee’s purpose is to be involved
in initiatives and decision-making that
involves the school and students, not
community service.

principal should clearly define what
business attire means so the teacher
understands exactly what is expected.
The principal should also discuss how
the teacher’s actions are misaligned
with the school’s vision and work to
address the situation. Option A is
incorrect because this action
communicates only the expectations
and not the rationale. Option C is
incorrect because the principal does
not need to revise the dress code to
be more lenient; it is important to
establish expectations regarding
professional appearance. Option D is
incorrect because discipline is not yet
necessary and will only be required if
the teacher continues to disregard the
dress code after their meeting.

90 01 C Option C is correct because survey

results indicate that each stakeholder
group is split on their views on school
uniforms. Focus groups will allow the
principal and team to gain more
insight and listen to concerns as
participants share their thoughts and
rationales. Option A is incorrect
because redistributing the survey will
not give the team any additional
insight. Option B is incorrect
because the team does not have
enough information to recommend a
determination about a school uniform
policy. Option D is incorrect
because, while the majority of
students are not supportive of the
initiative, the principal should ensure
all stakeholder input is considered
before dropping the initiative.


Texas Public School Nutrition Policy
prohibits schools from serving or
selling foods that do not meet the
competitive food nutrition standards
(e.g., gum or candy) to students on
the school grounds during the school
day. For up to six days per school
year, a school can have an exempted
fund-raiser, but it may not be held in
competition with school meals in the
food service area. Therefore, the
principal should deny this request.
Option A is incorrect because food
with minimal nutritional value cannot
be provided on campus during the
school day regardless of packaging.
Option B is incorrect because foods
that fail to meet the competitive food
nutrition standards cannot be sold
during the school day, except on one
of the school’s exemption days.
Option C is incorrect because while
the school has exemptions for fund-
raisers that do not meet the
competitive food nutrition standards,
fund-raisers held under an exemption
must not be sold in competition with
school meals in the food service areas
during the school meal service.


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Texas Examinations of Educator

Selected-Response Practice Exam

Selected-Response Practice Exam Questions ................................................... 4

Answer Sheet ........................................................................................... 85

Answer Key and Rationales ......................................................................... 87

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 2

For sample constructed-response questions and additional information about the

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 3

3. Teachers analyze how the variety of student work samples supported

4. Teachers identify their own students’ learning styles and needs to

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 4

1. Will the idea help students succeed?

• All students should have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 5

A. Facilitating guided discussions with pilot teachers to identify what changes

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 6

5. Mr. Gutierrez, a highly effective fourth-grade teacher, seeks to become an

• Has a track record of high student achievement

To best ensure that Mr. Gutierrez is able to effectively serve as an instructional

A. provide training to Mr. Gutierrez on how to develop positive relationships

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 7

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 8

TEKS: 5.6(A) Plot Development; 5.6(B) Characterization; 5.8(A) Figurative Language

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 9

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 10

Sample Student Responses to the Essay with a 2-Point Rubric

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 11

7. Which of the following analyses by Ms. Whitehorse is best supported by the

A. Understanding the subtler uses of figurative language is difficult for my

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 12

A. Test questions need to be of varying levels of difficulty to discriminate

A. Are spelling and grammatical errors affecting students’ ability to receive

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 13

A. Ensuring that each standard tested on initial benchmarks is tested again on

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 14

Dr. Sanders begins by forming a committee consisting of a counselor and

A. Partnering with community stakeholders to address potential barriers, such

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 15

Teacher Survey on School Leadership

Based on the survey responses, which of the following professional growth

A. Increasing visibility and facilitating staff collaboration

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 16

• Teachers facilitate in-class debates using historical documents and

Based on the teacher-recommended practices, the principal should primarily

A. incorporating technology can provide students with the opportunity to

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 17

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 18

Fifth Grade (N=15) Beginning Intermediate Advanced Advanced High

Writing 7% 27% 33% 33%

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 19

Grade Level: 6 Teacher: J. Rienda

§74.4. English Language Proficiency Standards

Objectives and Outcomes

Materials Photograph: A dog standing near the front steps of a school

Evaluation Completed story

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 20

Beginning Intermediate Advanced Advanced High

Students know enough

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 21

Classroom Walk-Through Form

Each student is given his or her own photograph after

Student observations I made:

TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268) 22