TExES 268 Instructional Leadership 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A campus principal wants to implement a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS). Which action should occur FIRST?
- Purchase a research-based intervention program for Tier 2 and Tier 3 students
- Establish a data-driven problem-solving team and define the decision-making process for each tier (Correct answer)
- Identify students who are failing and immediately assign them to intervention classes
- Train only the special education staff on intervention strategies
Correct answer: Establish a data-driven problem-solving team and define the decision-making process for each tier
Establishing a data-driven problem-solving team and clear tier decision-making processes is the foundational first step in implementing MTSS with fidelity.
Question 2: A teacher approaches the principal frustrated that a district-mandated curriculum is not meeting diverse student needs. What is the MOST appropriate response?
- Instruct the teacher to follow the curriculum exactly as written to maintain fidelity
- Work with the teacher to identify how to supplement and adapt the curriculum within district guidelines to meet diverse student needs (Correct answer)
- Tell the teacher to file a formal complaint with the district curriculum department
- Allow the teacher to abandon the curriculum and design their own units independently
Correct answer: Work with the teacher to identify how to supplement and adapt the curriculum within district guidelines to meet diverse student needs
Collaborating with the teacher to supplement and adapt the curriculum within district guidelines balances fidelity with responsiveness to student needs.
Question 3: Which practice BEST exemplifies a principal using research-based instructional strategies to guide campus improvement?
- Implementing a new teaching strategy recommended by a colleague at a conference
- Selecting instructional practices based on a systematic review of peer-reviewed research aligned to campus data and student demographics (Correct answer)
- Adopting whatever instructional model the district's highest-performing campus uses
- Asking veteran teachers to share the strategies that have worked for them over the years
Correct answer: Selecting instructional practices based on a systematic review of peer-reviewed research aligned to campus data and student demographics
A systematic review of peer-reviewed research aligned to campus-specific data and demographics ensures that selected practices are both evidence-based and contextually appropriate.
Question 4: How should a principal BEST use student demographic data when planning professional development?
- Share demographic data with all teachers to motivate urgency around achievement gaps
- Use demographic data to identify which student subgroups are underserved and target professional development to address those specific instructional needs (Correct answer)
- Keep demographic data confidential and only share it with campus leadership team members
- Use demographic data primarily to justify current resource allocations to the school board
Correct answer: Use demographic data to identify which student subgroups are underserved and target professional development to address those specific instructional needs
Using demographic data to identify underserved subgroups and target professional development directly links campus learning to student equity outcomes.
Question 5: A campus has adopted a new literacy framework. Six months in, implementation is inconsistent across classrooms. What should the principal do?
- Wait until the end of the year to evaluate implementation before making any changes
- Conduct a structured implementation review, identify specific barriers, and provide differentiated support and coaching to address gaps (Correct answer)
- Issue a reminder memo that all teachers are expected to implement the framework as written
- Ask the literacy coach to observe every teacher and report non-compliance to the principal
Correct answer: Conduct a structured implementation review, identify specific barriers, and provide differentiated support and coaching to address gaps
A structured implementation review followed by differentiated support addresses the real barriers teachers face, which is more effective than accountability-only approaches.
Question 6: Which statement BEST reflects the principal's role in supporting students with disabilities in the general education classroom?
- Ensuring that special education teachers take full responsibility for the learning of students with IEPs
- Fostering a co-teaching model and ensuring general education teachers understand and implement IEP accommodations as instructional leaders (Correct answer)
- Minimizing the presence of students with IEPs in general education classes to reduce disruption
- Delegating all IEP-related instructional decisions to the special education department chair
Correct answer: Fostering a co-teaching model and ensuring general education teachers understand and implement IEP accommodations as instructional leaders
Fostering co-teaching and ensuring all teachers implement IEP accommodations reflects the principal's leadership in creating inclusive, legally compliant, and effective instructional environments.
Question 7: A teacher consistently resists feedback from the principal and dismisses suggestions for instructional improvement. What is the MOST appropriate long-term leadership response?
- Stop providing feedback to avoid conflict and focus on other teachers
- Document all feedback conferences, set clear measurable expectations, and pursue formal support processes if resistance persists (Correct answer)
- Transfer the teacher to a grade level where student outcomes are less critical
- Ask the teacher's peers to pressure them into accepting feedback
Correct answer: Document all feedback conferences, set clear measurable expectations, and pursue formal support processes if resistance persists
Documenting conferences, setting measurable expectations, and engaging formal processes as needed protects students while providing the teacher every opportunity to improve.
TExES 268 Instructional Leadership 4
A campus principal wants to implement a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS).
Which action should occur FIRST?