SLLA SLLA Curriculum and Assessment Leadership 3

Question 1

A principal is preparing staff for a shift to standards-based grading. What is the MOST important first step?

Accepted Answer

Building shared understanding among staff of the purpose and principles of standards-based grading through collaborative professional learning

Answer

Informing parents about the change in a newsletter before implementing it

Answer

Piloting the new grading system in one grade level and expanding if successful

Answer

Selecting and purchasing a software platform that supports standards-based grade reporting

Question 2

Which approach MOST effectively ensures curriculum materials meet the needs of diverse learners?

Accepted Answer

Applying Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to provide multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression

Answer

Creating separate curriculum tracks for advanced, on-level, and remedial learners

Answer

Purchasing supplemental materials specifically designed for special education students

Answer

Allowing teachers to individually differentiate content based on student IEPs

Question 3

A principal notices that a school's written, taught, and tested curricula are misaligned. What does this misalignment MOST likely indicate?

Accepted Answer

Teachers are not consistently delivering the intended curriculum, and students are being assessed on content they were not taught

Answer

The state standards have recently changed and the curriculum has not been updated

Answer

The school's assessment program is not rigorous enough to reflect the written curriculum

Answer

Teachers are exercising too much professional autonomy in their instructional choices

Question 4

Which of the following BEST describes backward design in curriculum planning?

Accepted Answer

Starting with desired learning outcomes and assessments before planning instructional activities

Answer

Beginning with engaging activities and then connecting them to applicable standards

Answer

Reviewing prior-year test data first and building units around weak areas

Answer

Planning curriculum in the order content will be taught across the school year

Question 5

A principal reviews classroom observation data and finds most lessons are at the knowledge and comprehension levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. What is the BEST response?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate professional development focused on designing instructional tasks that require analysis, evaluation, and creation

Answer

Require all teachers to include a higher-order thinking question in every lesson plan

Answer

Implement a new questioning protocol for all teachers to post in their classrooms

Answer

Purchase a bank of higher-order thinking questions aligned to each grade level's standards

Question 6

A principal wants to reduce the negative effects of 'teaching to the test.' Which approach BEST addresses this while maintaining accountability?

Accepted Answer

Building curriculum around deep understanding of essential standards so that test performance is a natural byproduct of rigorous learning

Answer

Eliminating all standardized test preparation activities during the school year

Answer

Balancing tested and non-tested content equally throughout the curriculum

Answer

Using test data solely for school improvement planning rather than teacher evaluation