SLLA Exam
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This question comes from Collaborating with Key Stakeholders, comprising 15% of the SLLA. This question requires the school leader to show understanding of human behavior and group dynamics. Two of the responses here are effective ways to gather data, and a third is a way to work to create a positive school climate. That said, the best choice is to establish two-way communication and demonstrate responsiveness to the needs identified through those communications.
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This question comes from the Vision and Goals standard, comprising 20% of the SLLA. This question tests your understanding of staff motivation and the importance of high expectations. Including student progress in teacher evaluations and transferring "non-believers" are both reactive responses. Notifying teachers that there will be frequent observations does not work to give them the tools to help improve student achievement. Therefore, the best choice is to align a professional development plan with this goal.
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This question focuses on Teaching & Learning, making up 30% of the SLLA. This focuses on how a school leader can use a mentoring relationship to support a new teacher. Most of the choices here assume that Ms. Sandford is capable of writing plans that meet the district's expectations. Contacting all teachers is a solution that does not target the specific situation here. The best choice is to encourage Ms. Sandford's assigned mentor to work with Ms. Sandford on developing and implementing lesson plans that align with division goals, objectives, and expectations
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This question comes from the Teaching & Learning category as well, comprising 30% of the SLLA. In this instance, student achievement data is the best measurable outcome to determine the new curriculum's effectiveness. Aligning objectives of the program with standards would have been done as part of the curriculum review and revision. While a survey of teacher attitudes about the curriculum could be beneficial, the best way to truly measure effectiveness would be to compare student achievement results with the old curriculum.
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This question is from the Vision & Goals reporting category, comprising 20% of the SLLA. This question gets to the school leader's understanding of the importance of communication and responsiveness. Delegating the most challenging parts of the job to respected faculty members is not a way to curry favor and respect -- that is the price of leadership, and the school leader must engage in those challenging responsibilities. The best choice is to maintain two-way communication and demonstrate responsiveness when needs are expressed to the new school leader.
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This question comes from the Teaching & Learning category, making up 30% of the SLLA. This question addresses the understanding of schools to teach soft skills in addition to curriculum. While technology opens the door to so many of the things listed above, the best answer is that it shows an educator pushing themselves to learn new things throughout their lives, which is the primary educational benefit.
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This question is from the Teaching & Learning category. In this case, the question assesses the school leader's understanding of the importance of a pragmatic, measured approach for improvement. It is possible that Ms. Jack is unaware of the policy or that parents have demonstrated concern. The first, most logical step, is to conference with Ms. Jack, review the policy and begin monitoring compliance. If improvement is not seen, a logical step down the road could be a letter of reprimand, but a conference to bring up the concern is necessary. It is also not necessary to discuss the parents' complaints directly with Ms. Jack at this time, as reviewing teachers' timeliness in submission of grades is within the administrator's purview, regardless of any parental complaint.
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This question is from the Teaching & Learning reporting category, comprising 30% of the SLLA. This question addresses the school leader's understanding the concept of shared and inclusive leadership. If this is a school-wide concern, the principal must address it by reaching out to teacher leaders in the building who can work collaboratively to make adjustments to the schedule for the remainder of the year.
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This question is from the Key Stakeholder Collaboration reporting category, making up 15% of the SLLA. This question also reflects a school leader's understanding of organizational processes and chain of command. This issue requires further investigation but is also beyond the scope of the assistant principal. The administrator should demonstrate responsiveness to the parents, look into the issue and contact the Science Curriculum Coordinator, who would be responsible for textbook adoption procedures. Ultimately, these parents might make superb representatives on the textbook adoption committee.
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This question represents the Key Stakeholder Collaboration reporting category, comprising 15% of the SLLA. This question assesses a school leader's understanding of measured practices when disseminating information to the community and media. Meeting with the AD & Head Coach about the merits of the scoreboard is a reasonable consideration in due time, as is acting according to the district's policy on receiving gifts. However, these do not demonstrate the first step in addressing this situation. Issuing a statement is a reasonable response once the superintendent has been notified, which would be the first step in demonstrating the appropriate responsiveness and communication needed in this situation.
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This question comes from the Vision & Goals reporting category, comprising 20% of the SLLA. There are a number of approaches that Mr. Avalon could take, most of which would be successful. Unfortunately, only one of the above is a reasonable choice at this point. Mr. Avalon should consult with each teacher individually to build rapport and a relationship to move forward. Connecting on an individual basis could create more support and demonstrate that there is an interest in each individual faculty member. Ignoring it at this time, assuming that it will go away, is an ineffective lack of leadership. Surveying the faculty at large could go quite awry, and it is not necessary to begin reviewing personnel files to learn more information about these teachers at this point. Their negativity is not grounds for dismissal or disciplinary action, unless it manifests in a way that they refuse to implement school initiatives or are making disparaging remarks about the new administration in front of students.
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This question comes from the Managing Organizational Systems and Safety category, making up 10% of the SLLA. Specifically, this focuses on a school leader's ability to responsibly address a potential health hazard in the facility. Two of the responses (replacing the floor and having the Head Custodian disinfect the area) assumes that the stain is a sanitation hazard when that has not yet been determined by an expert. Consulting with the PTA proposes will not be helpful because that will be a consultation with individuals who do not have the appropriate knowledge to make an informed decision. Therefore, the best decision is to contact the health department to determine if this, in fact, a health hazard before making any decision about how to address the situation.
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This question comes from the Teaching & Learning reporting category, making up 30% of the SLLA. In this case, involving the most highly creative and innovative teachers in these critical discussions will most assuredly lead to better overall group decisions. Someone needs to bring their ideas to the forefront, and it is the job of the school leader to create an environment where these individuals are invited to contribute in a more significant way.
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This question reflects the Vision & Goals category, comprising 20% of the SLLA. This question focuses on a school leader's obligation to support teachers who are not effectively meeting their instructional responsibilities. The "catch all" model requiring the professional development of the entire social studies department does not reflect differentiation or intention. Aligning Ms. Darrell's professional development with specific goals to address her deficiencies as an instructor is necessary. A conversation about her obligation to model effective instructional pedagogy as the department chair would also be an effective step, as that stipend-funded leadership position can be changed at the discretion of the principal.
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This question assesses your understanding of effective strategies for performance improvement in the area of teaching and learning. To initiate a behavior change, the teacher needs to self-reflect and the school leader needs to provide feedback and follow-up. The other responses fail to address at least one of the important components for effective behavior change.
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This question comes from the Vision & Goals reporting category, making up 20% of the SLLA. This question requires the school leader to reflect on the benefits of the middle school team-teaching model. The choices for this question reflect a number of other benefits, but inherently, the greatest advantage of team teaching is the opportunity for teachers to specialize in an area of strength and work together across content areas within their teams to provide unique learning experiences for students.
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This question is from the Ethics & Integrity reporting category, comprising 15% of the SLLA. In this case, the question assesses the school leader's understanding of how to build trust with stakeholders. While a number of these responses could be part of an intentional strategy to build relationships with colleagues, the best way to build trust to be consistent over a period of time, recognizing that building trust takes considerable time.
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This question comes from the Teaching & Learning category, comprising 30% of the SLLA. The most significant role of the school leader is that of an instructional leader, so the relentless pursuit of results is most important -- improving the teacher's instructional effectiveness is the most important role of any school leader in supervising new teachers.
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This question comes from the Organizational Systems & Safety reporting category, comprising 10% of the SLLA. This obviously focuses on the first part of that equation, organizational systems. While addressing all of these issues could be beneficial for attracting and retaining high quality educators, the only option within the principal's direct control is the master schedule. Therefore, setting new teachers up for success by not assigning them the most difficult classes would likely have an impact on new teachers' success and ultimate retention. Further, recognizing the need to provide professional growth opportunities for new teachers is critical.
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This question comes from the Teaching & Learning category, which makes up 30% of the SLLA. This question assesses the school leader's understanding of processes prior to special education referral. A measured approach is necessary. It would be appropriate for the teacher to discuss the situation with Tad's parents or his guidance counselor. Though not listed as a choice, the teacher could also review Tad's cumulative record, as well. It is too preliminary to refer Tad for an administrative intervention or for review by the Special Education committee at this point.
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This question assesses the school leader's understanding of Organizational Systems & Safety, comprising 10% of the SLLA. Because the district has a zero-tolerance policy, the administrative team at Ole Mill needs to discipline this student in accordance with the guidelines for zero tolerance as prescribed by the school district.
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This question addresses the school leader's knowledge and understanding of the components of key stakeholder collaboration, which makes up 15% of the SLLA. In communicating with members of the community, and in all written communication, school leaders must be aware of their audience and gear their writing to that audience.
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This question reflects the Ethics & Integrity category, comprising 15% of the SLLA. The most effective way to address this issue is by providing productive and meaningful ways for parental engagement. The best approach is to get parents to support the school's initiatives already in place in a substantive way. Allowing them to sign up for specific roles and assistance takes little time but could go along way in demonstrating a commitment to parental engagement and involvement.
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This question represents the Vision & Goals reporting category, comprising 20% of the SLLA. This question addresses the school leader's ability to articulate that leadership matters. While there are a myriad of other factors that play a role in determining the effectiveness of a school, the only factor that the person sitting in the interview chair can speak to is the effectiveness of the school leader.
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This question comes from the Ethics & Integrity reporting category, making up 15% of the SLLA, specifically how a school leader can help teachers understand their legal responsibilities under IDEA. Providing Ms. Slaughter with the federal law assumes that the teacher has the ability to apply the provisions of the law without explanation or support from the administrator. Convening the IEP team is unnecessary because they have already met their obligation in the process by determining placement -- the team is not responsible for the supervision of the teacher's implementation of the IEP, the administrator is. Further, changing placement would not be warranted by a teacher's failure to adequately implement the IEP. Finally, it is the responsibility of the administrator to clarify the teacher's responsibilities, hear concerns, offer solutions, and enforce the legal compliance.
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This question comes from the Ethics & Integrity reporting category. This question asks you to consider the legal feature of school administration as related to due process. Students and staff have the right to the following due process procedures: a hearing, timely notice of the hearing, representation at the hearing, a list of charges, and opportunity to respond to the charges. Therefore, the only answer that is correct is the one referring to adequate notice of the hearing.
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This question relates to Key Stakeholder Collaboration, comprising 15% of the SLLA. The principal is aware that teaching parents how to support their child's learning is absolutely an effective use of time and resources, ruling out two of the choices. The principal can also safely assume that teachers are comfortable interacting with parents. The best choice of a consideration is whether or not this meets the intended audience, as, no matter how well delivered, if the program does not meet the parents who need to support their students' learning the most, it will not be an effective use of time and resources.
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This question comes from the Vision & Goals reporting category, comprising 20% of the SLLA. Specifically, it addresses the school leader's comprehension of the concept of building capacity for leadership. Especially when it comes to instructional leadership and improving instruction, the more teacher leaders who can play a role, the better. This will make it a shared, community-driven effort to improve instruction at the school, as opposed to a top-down initiative.
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This question comes from the Ethics & Integrity category, comprising 15% of the SLLA. This question addresses the school leader's understanding of handling disciplinary issues with staff members. Excusing the teacher from the training or ignoring it is unacceptable, as the teacher has a contractual obligation to attend the training sessions. Professional development is often part of a teacher contact in most districts, so attendance mandatory. A letter of reprimand or further disciplinary action might be necessary in the future, but, at this point, the teacher must first be reminded of her contractual obligations.
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This question comes from the Teaching & Learning category, comprising 30% of the SLLA. This question focuses on the school's responsibility to provide instruction that meets the standards of rigor measured by a standardized assessment. While instruction in test-tasking strategies may positively affect students' scores, it cannot replace knowledge of the assessed content or skills. The school leader acknowledges both the school's responsibility to provide instruction at a level appropriate to AP courses and the connection between students' preparation and their performance on the test. Therefore, that is the correct answer.