CAL-1 Practice Test

CAL-1 Exam at a Glance

What the CAL-1 is and how it works

CAL-1 stands for Certified Agile Leader 1, a foundational credential from Scrum Alliance in its agile leadership track. It is built around a course rather than an exam. You attend an in-person or live online course, and the official page does not list an exam as part of that route.

That changes how you should use this page. Our questions are not copies of anything you will be tested on, and nothing here predicts a score. They are a way to rehearse the ideas a leadership course tends to discuss, such as servant leadership, organizational culture and leading change, so you can join the conversation with more to say.

There is no prerequisite. The official page states "Prerequisite: None", so you do not need an earlier certification to enroll. Course formats, dates, prices and instructors vary by provider, so check the Scrum Alliance course listing before you book.

Once earned, the certification is active for 2 years. To renew, you earn 20 SEUs and pay $100 every 2 years, according to the Scrum Alliance renewal page. Rules can change, so confirm the current requirements on the official renewal page rather than relying on a summary here. Our practice sets are written by us with AI tools and are not official Scrum Alliance material.

Worked examples: how to reason through CAL-1 questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: What is a 'culture of experimentation' in Agile organizations?

1. An environment where testing hypotheses and learning from results is encouraged
2. A culture where all decisions require data validation
3. An environment where only R&D teams experiment
4. A culture that rejects unproven methods

Answer: A. An environment where testing hypotheses and learning from results is encouraged

Explanation:

The correct answer is that a culture of experimentation encourages testing hypotheses and learning from the results. The point is the learning loop: try something small, observe, adjust.

Requiring data validation for every decision is wrong because it turns experiments into approval gates and slows learning. Limiting experiments to R&D teams is wrong because agile organizations expect anyone close to the work to test ideas. Rejecting unproven methods is wrong because it is the opposite of experimenting; new approaches are unproven by definition.

Rule to remember: experimentation is open to everyone, cheap to run, and judged by what it teaches, not by whether the first idea was right.

Example 2

Question: What mindset shift is required when moving from traditional to Agile leadership?

1. From controlling outcomes to enabling teams
2. From coaching teams to directing tasks
3. From short cycles to long releases
4. From collaboration to documentation

Answer: A. From controlling outcomes to enabling teams

Explanation:

The correct answer is a shift from controlling outcomes to enabling teams. Agile leaders create conditions in which teams can decide and deliver, instead of dictating each step.

Moving from coaching to directing tasks goes backward, because directing is the traditional pattern. Moving from short cycles to long releases also reverses agile practice, which relies on short feedback cycles to learn early. Moving from collaboration to documentation is wrong because agile values working together over heavy paperwork, though some documentation still has a place.

Rule to remember: when an option sounds like more control, more handoffs or slower feedback, it points away from agile leadership. Pick the option that gives teams more clarity, support and room to decide.

Example 3

Question: How does a servant leader respond when a team member makes a mistake?

1. Uses it as a learning opportunity and provides support
2. Publicly critiques the error
3. Immediately reassigns the work
4. Documents the error for performance review

Answer: A. Uses it as a learning opportunity and provides support

Explanation:

The correct answer is that a servant leader uses a mistake as a learning opportunity and offers support. That keeps people willing to report problems early, which is what psychological safety makes possible.

Publicly critiquing the error is wrong because it teaches people to hide mistakes. Immediately reassigning the work is wrong because it removes the chance to learn and signals distrust. Documenting the error for performance review is wrong because it treats the mistake as evidence against the person instead of information about the system.

Rule to remember: a servant leader responds to a mistake by asking what happened and what the team can learn, and by helping the person recover. Blame, punishment and removal of ownership are the usual wrong answers.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official Scrum Alliance course page so you know the format and learning objectives of the course you are joining. Then use our practice sets to find where your thinking is weakest.

1. Take the Agile Mindset and Principles set first, since the other topics build on it. Write down every question you miss and the reason, not only the right letter.
2. Work through Servant Leadership and Coaching and Facilitation. Notice how the correct answers favor support and questions over instruction.
3. Move to Agile Culture and Change, Building Agile Teams and Leading Agile Transformations.
4. Finish with Organizational Agility, then retake the topics where you made the most errors.

Before your course starts, turn your missed questions into short notes and bring them as discussion points. After the course, re-read the official materials your instructor shares and compare them with your notes. Keep in mind that our questions are our own practice items, so treat them as a way to test understanding, not as a preview of anything official.

Sources & last verified

1. Scrum Alliance — validity, delivery, eligibility (official source). “Scrum Alliance certifications are active for two years before they must be renewed.” Verified Oct 30, 2026.
2. Scrum Alliance — renewal (official source). “Foundational ( CSM , CSPO , CSD , CASP , CAF , CAL 1 ) 20 $100” Verified Oct 30, 2026 · source checked Oct 20, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.