DESE School Administration & Leadership 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A school committee is considering closing a neighborhood elementary school due to declining enrollment. Under Massachusetts law, which group has final authority to approve or deny the closure?
- The building principal and district superintendent jointly
- The locally elected or appointed school committee (Correct answer)
- The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
- The mayor or select board of the municipality
Correct answer: The locally elected or appointed school committee
In Massachusetts, the school committee holds statutory authority over major district decisions including school closures.
Question 2: An assistant principal observes a teacher using a lecture-only format for an entire 60-minute block with minimal student engagement. Under instructional leadership best practices, what is the MOST appropriate immediate response?
- File a formal unsatisfactory evaluation rating based on the observation
- Schedule a post-observation conference to discuss engagement strategies and co-plan next steps (Correct answer)
- Send a written directive requiring the teacher to change methodology within 48 hours
- Recommend the teacher for a mentor pairing without discussion
Correct answer: Schedule a post-observation conference to discuss engagement strategies and co-plan next steps
Post-observation conferences that are collaborative and growth-oriented lead to sustained instructional improvement and maintain professional relationships.
Question 3: Under IDEA 2004, what is the role of the school principal in the IEP process?
- Principals are not required to participate in IEP meetings
- Principals serve as the school representative who can commit district resources and ensure general education curriculum access (Correct answer)
- Principals must chair every IEP meeting by law
- Principals are responsible for writing the IEP goals
Correct answer: Principals serve as the school representative who can commit district resources and ensure general education curriculum access
IDEA designates a school representative who has authority to commit district resources and knowledge of general curriculum as a required IEP team member, a role often filled by the principal.
Question 4: A district is applying for a federal School Improvement Grant to support a Level 4 school. Which school turnaround model involves replacing the principal and at least 50% of the staff?
- Restart model
- Transformation model
- Turnaround model (Correct answer)
- Closure model
Correct answer: Turnaround model
The turnaround model specifically requires replacing the principal and rehiring no more than 50% of existing staff to signal significant structural change.
Question 5: A parent requests to inspect all records in their child's cumulative file. Under FERPA, the school must provide access within how many days?
- 5 days
- 10 days
- 45 days (Correct answer)
- 30 days
Correct answer: 45 days
FERPA requires schools to provide parents access to education records within 45 days of the request.
Question 6: Which Massachusetts education reform legislation established the foundations for the current system of student assessments, educator accountability, and the role of DESE in school oversight?
- The Education Reform Act of 1993 (Correct answer)
- No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
- Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks Act of 2010
- The School Accountability Law of 1985
Correct answer: The Education Reform Act of 1993
The Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 created the MCAS, the curriculum frameworks, and the accountability infrastructure overseen by DESE.
Question 7: A principal is developing a school improvement plan for a school identified for Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) under ESSA. Which subgroup performance pattern typically triggers TSI status?
- The whole school average falls below the state proficiency threshold
- A specific student subgroup consistently underperforms relative to state expectations (Correct answer)
- The school fails to meet graduation rate targets for two consecutive years
- Teacher turnover exceeds 20% in a single school year
Correct answer: A specific student subgroup consistently underperforms relative to state expectations
TSI is triggered when one or more student subgroups (e.g., students with disabilities, English Learners) consistently underperform, requiring targeted intervention.
DESE School Administration & Leadership 3
A school committee is considering closing a neighborhood elementary school due to declining enrollment.
Under Massachusetts law, which group has final authority to approve or deny the closure?