TExES 268 Human Resource Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A teacher requests Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave for a serious health condition. What is the principal's primary responsibility?
- Determine whether the health condition qualifies for FMLA before notifying HR
- Inform HR promptly and ensure the teacher receives required FMLA notices and rights information (Correct answer)
- Arrange a substitute and continue normal operations without disclosing the reason to staff
- Deny the request if a suitable substitute is unavailable at that time
Correct answer: Inform HR promptly and ensure the teacher receives required FMLA notices and rights information
The principal must notify HR promptly so the teacher receives legally required FMLA designation notices and information about their rights within the required timeframe.
Question 2: A veteran teacher files a grievance claiming the principal showed favoritism in assigning coveted courses. What process should the principal follow?
- Informally resolve the grievance by giving the teacher their preferred assignment
- Follow the district's formal grievance procedures and maintain thorough documentation (Correct answer)
- Refer the matter to the teachers' union without providing any written response
- Reassign all course selections by lottery to appear neutral going forward
Correct answer: Follow the district's formal grievance procedures and maintain thorough documentation
Principals must follow the district's formal grievance procedures and document all steps to ensure due process and legal defensibility.
Question 3: Which approach BEST describes effective performance management for support staff such as paraprofessionals and campus aides?
- Applying the same evaluation rubrics used for certified teachers
- Establishing clear role-specific expectations, conducting regular observations, and providing targeted feedback (Correct answer)
- Leaving performance evaluation entirely to the department head who directly supervises them
- Evaluating support staff only at the end of the year based on student outcome data
Correct answer: Establishing clear role-specific expectations, conducting regular observations, and providing targeted feedback
Effective performance management for support staff requires role-specific standards, ongoing observation, and timely feedback aligned to campus goals.
Question 4: A principal wants to build leadership capacity among teachers. Which initiative MOST directly supports this HR goal?
- Assigning experienced teachers to serve on the campus improvement committee only
- Creating distributed leadership structures such as instructional coaching roles and department lead positions (Correct answer)
- Asking teachers to cover administrative duties during the principal's absence
- Offering leadership workshops at the end of the school year as recognition events
Correct answer: Creating distributed leadership structures such as instructional coaching roles and department lead positions
Distributed leadership structures provide formal roles and authentic responsibilities that develop teachers as ongoing leaders rather than one-time participants.
Question 5: A teacher discloses to the principal that they are pregnant. The principal's FIRST obligation is to:
- Immediately begin planning for a long-term substitute for the entire semester
- Inform the teacher of their rights under Title VII and relevant district leave policies (Correct answer)
- Notify parents that the teacher may be absent for part of the year
- Transfer the teacher to a less demanding assignment for the remainder of pregnancy
Correct answer: Inform the teacher of their rights under Title VII and relevant district leave policies
Principals must inform pregnant employees of their rights under Title VII and district leave policies and may not take adverse action based on pregnancy status.
Question 6: What is the PRIMARY purpose of a campus staffing needs assessment conducted each spring?
- To identify which current staff members should be recommended for non-renewal
- To align projected student enrollment and program needs with staffing plans for the following year (Correct answer)
- To satisfy district HR reporting requirements without influencing campus decisions
- To determine salary increases for returning staff based on program outcomes
Correct answer: To align projected student enrollment and program needs with staffing plans for the following year
A staffing needs assessment aligns anticipated student enrollment and program requirements with the appropriate number and type of staff positions for the next year.
Question 7: A principal suspects a teacher is misusing sick leave by consistently calling in sick on Fridays and Mondays. What is the MOST appropriate next step?
- Require the teacher to provide a doctor's note for every absence going forward
- Review attendance patterns, consult HR, and address the concern through appropriate channels with documentation (Correct answer)
- Confront the teacher publicly during a staff meeting to deter similar behavior from others
- Immediately report the teacher to the district for a formal investigation
Correct answer: Review attendance patterns, consult HR, and address the concern through appropriate channels with documentation
Principals should review documented patterns, consult HR for guidance, and address attendance concerns through proper channels before taking formal action.
TExES 268 Human Resource Management 3
A teacher requests Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave for a serious health condition.
What is the principal's primary responsibility?