GCPS Professional Knowledge 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A GCPS teacher receives a subpoena requesting a student's educational records. What is the correct course of action?
- Immediately provide the records to comply with the legal order
- Notify the school administration and district legal counsel before releasing any records (Correct answer)
- Refuse to release any records under any circumstances due to FERPA
- Contact the student's parents and wait for their permission before responding
Correct answer: Notify the school administration and district legal counsel before releasing any records
When receiving legal orders for student records, teachers must notify administration and legal counsel who will determine the appropriate FERPA-compliant response.
Question 2: Which instructional practice is most consistent with the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?
- Designing a standard lesson and then modifying it separately for students with IEPs
- Proactively designing lessons with multiple means of representation, action, and expression for all learners (Correct answer)
- Providing accommodations only to students with documented disabilities
- Using the same assessment format for all students to ensure fairness
Correct answer: Proactively designing lessons with multiple means of representation, action, and expression for all learners
UDL proactively builds flexibility and multiple pathways into instruction from the start, benefiting all learners rather than retrofitting for some.
Question 3: A GCPS teacher wants to encourage growth mindset in students as described by Carol Dweck. Which type of feedback best supports this goal?
- 'You are so smart — this was easy for you.'
- 'Great effort and strategy — your persistence led to improvement.' (Correct answer)
- 'This is too hard for you right now; let's try something simpler.'
- 'You got it right, which means you must have natural talent for this.'
Correct answer: 'Great effort and strategy — your persistence led to improvement.'
Praising effort and strategy rather than innate ability reinforces the belief that ability can be developed through hard work.
Question 4: Which scenario describes a GCPS teacher appropriately using technology to support instruction under the school's acceptable use policy?
- Using a student's image in a publicly shared YouTube video without parental consent
- Using a district-approved learning management system to post assignments and provide feedback (Correct answer)
- Asking students to create accounts on a third-party app not vetted by the district
- Streaming copyrighted films in their entirety for entertainment during class downtime
Correct answer: Using a district-approved learning management system to post assignments and provide feedback
District-approved platforms ensure student data privacy and COPPA/FERPA compliance, making them the appropriate tool for digital instruction.
Question 5: A GCPS teacher is concerned that a student may be experiencing homelessness. Which federal law governs the school's obligations to this student?
- IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
- The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (Correct answer)
- Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
Correct answer: The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
McKinney-Vento requires schools to immediately enroll homeless students, remove barriers to attendance, and provide support services.
Question 6: When implementing project-based learning (PBL) in a GCPS classroom, which element is most essential for ensuring academic rigor?
- Ensuring the project results in a physical product students can take home
- Anchoring the project in a meaningful, complex problem that requires students to apply standards-based knowledge and skills (Correct answer)
- Allowing students to choose any topic they find interesting regardless of curriculum alignment
- Focusing the project on creative expression rather than academic content standards
Correct answer: Anchoring the project in a meaningful, complex problem that requires students to apply standards-based knowledge and skills
Rigorous PBL is grounded in authentic, complex problems that require students to deeply apply and demonstrate content knowledge.
Question 7: A GCPS teacher notices that their classroom data consistently shows achievement gaps between student subgroups. Which professional response best reflects GCPS's commitment to equity?
- Accept the gap as a reflection of differences in student ability and motivation
- Analyze instructional practices, identify barriers, and collaborate with colleagues to implement targeted, culturally responsive strategies (Correct answer)
- Refer all underperforming students to the special education department for evaluation
- Focus instructional energy exclusively on the highest-performing students to raise overall averages
Correct answer: Analyze instructional practices, identify barriers, and collaborate with colleagues to implement targeted, culturally responsive strategies
Addressing achievement gaps requires honest self-reflection on instruction, identifying systemic barriers, and implementing equity-focused strategies.
GCPS Professional Knowledge 5
A GCPS teacher receives a subpoena requesting a student's educational records.
What is the correct course of action?