TExES 268 School Operations & Policies 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A principal is informed that a student's parents are divorcing and both parents are demanding separate conference schedules and separate progress report copies. What should the principal do?
- Accommodate only the custodial parent's requests
- Provide both parents equal access to records and information unless a court order restricts one parent's rights (Correct answer)
- Decline both requests to avoid conflict
- Require parents to resolve the dispute before the school will communicate with either
Correct answer: Provide both parents equal access to records and information unless a court order restricts one parent's rights
FERPA and TEC grant both parents equal access to student records and school information unless a court order specifically limits one parent's rights.
Question 2: A campus is planning a major renovation that will limit gymnasium access for six months. Which operational planning step is MOST critical?
- Canceling all athletic programs for the duration
- Developing a schedule adjustment plan that minimizes instructional disruption and communicates changes to all stakeholders (Correct answer)
- Requesting that the district postpone the renovation until summer
- Notifying only the PE department of the change
Correct answer: Developing a schedule adjustment plan that minimizes instructional disruption and communicates changes to all stakeholders
Proactive schedule planning and transparent stakeholder communication are essential to maintaining instructional continuity during facility disruptions.
Question 3: Which of the following BEST describes the principal's role during a campus lockdown?
- Evacuate the building and account for all students and staff outside
- Follow the campus emergency operations plan, communicate with law enforcement, and keep stakeholders informed through approved channels (Correct answer)
- Contact media to control the public narrative
- Conduct a room-by-room search to confirm the threat
Correct answer: Follow the campus emergency operations plan, communicate with law enforcement, and keep stakeholders informed through approved channels
During a lockdown, principals implement the campus emergency operations plan, coordinate with law enforcement, and use approved communication channels while ensuring staff follow protocols.
Question 4: A parent requests that their child be exempt from a state-mandated assessment for religious reasons. How should the principal respond?
- Grant the exemption and notify TEA
- Inform the parent that Texas law does not provide a religious exemption for state-mandated assessments (Correct answer)
- Allow the student to take an alternate assessment
- Refer the decision to the district's legal counsel and honor the exemption in the meantime
Correct answer: Inform the parent that Texas law does not provide a religious exemption for state-mandated assessments
Texas Education Code does not provide a religious exemption from state-mandated assessments; principals must inform parents of this legal requirement.
Question 5: A principal discovers that a staff member has been accessing student records for students not in their caseload without authorization. What is the MOST appropriate response?
- Issue a verbal warning and monitor the situation
- Treat the access as a potential FERPA violation, document the incident, restrict the staff member's access, and report to the district (Correct answer)
- Ignore the issue if no information was shared externally
- Allow the staff member to explain before taking any action
Correct answer: Treat the access as a potential FERPA violation, document the incident, restrict the staff member's access, and report to the district
Unauthorized access to student records constitutes a potential FERPA violation requiring documentation, immediate remediation, and district-level reporting.
Question 6: When developing a campus-wide attendance improvement plan, which data source is MOST useful for identifying root causes of chronic absenteeism?
- Standardized test scores
- Disaggregated attendance data cross-referenced with demographic, academic, and discipline records (Correct answer)
- Teacher grade books
- Campus enrollment trends over five years
Correct answer: Disaggregated attendance data cross-referenced with demographic, academic, and discipline records
Disaggregating attendance data by student subgroups and correlating it with other campus records reveals patterns and root causes that inform targeted interventions.
Question 7: A student requests to use a preferred name and pronouns at school. The family has not been informed and does not support this. What must the principal consider FIRST?
- Deny the request because parental consent is required for all campus accommodations
- Balance the student's privacy rights under FERPA with any applicable district policy, and consult with district legal counsel (Correct answer)
- Immediately notify the parents of the student's request
- Require the student to submit the request in writing before considering it
Correct answer: Balance the student's privacy rights under FERPA with any applicable district policy, and consult with district legal counsel
Principals must navigate the intersection of student privacy protections under FERPA, district policy, and state law; consulting legal counsel ensures compliance and protects all parties.
TExES 268 School Operations & Policies 5
A principal is informed that a student's parents are divorcing and both parents are demanding separate conference schedules and separate progress report copies.
What should the principal do?