Study Guide
Test Design and Test Objectives
Field 181: Principal Subtest I
Field 281: Principal Subtest II
Test Overview
| Format | Computer-based test (CBT) and online-proctored test |
|---|---|
| Number of Questions | 50 selected-response questions and 2 written performance assignments per subtest |
| Time | 3 hours and 30 minutes per subtest (does not include 15-minute tutorial) |
| Passing Score | 240 per subtest |
Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table below.
Subtest I Test Objectives
| Subareas | Range of Objectives | Approximate Test Proportions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Visionary Leadership, Collaboration, and Educational Contexts | 01–02 | 50% |
| II | Fiscal and Operational Management and Legal/Ethical Guidelines | 03–04 | 50% |
| Total Proportion | 100% | ||
Subarea I–Visionary Leadership, Collaboration, and Educational Contexts
Objective 0001: Understand how to develop and implement a shared school vision and associated goals and plans to promote continuous and sustainable improvement in student learning and achievement. (ISLLC Standard 1)
For example:- analyzing the purposes of a school vision and mission and procedures for collaboratively developing and implementing a shared vision and mission reflecting high levels of student learning and effective instructional practice
- applying knowledge of how to engage diverse stakeholder groups in developing and implementing a school vision, incorporate diverse perspectives into the vision, and build a shared sense of commitment to and ownership of the vision
- analyzing the role of the principal in developing, articulating, and implementing a school vision
- demonstrating knowledge of potential barriers to achieving a vision and how to strategically address barriers
- applying knowledge of how a school vision drives planning and informs decision making about goals, programs, practices, and resource utilization
- demonstrating knowledge of skills and strategies for collecting and using relevant data to identify goals aligned with the vision, assess organizational effectiveness, and promote organizational learning
- demonstrating knowledge of skills and strategies for creating and implementing plans to achieve defined goals and promote continuous and sustainable improvement
- applying knowledge of how to monitor and evaluate a plan's progress and effectiveness and revise plans as needed to achieve goals
Objective 0002: Understand the political, social, economic, and cultural contexts of education and how to use effective communication and collaboration skills to build positive, productive relationships with stakeholders inside and outside the school. (ISLLC Standards 4, 6)
For example:- demonstrating knowledge of political, social, economic, and cultural contexts of education at the local, state, and federal levels that affect Arizona public schools and how to respond to and influence these contexts
- analyzing the influences of political, social, economic, and cultural factors on families, communities, students, and learning
- demonstrating knowledge of how current and emerging issues, trends, initiatives, and forces influence teaching and learning, and how to adapt leadership strategies in response to these forces
- applying knowledge of how to serve as an effective advocate at the local, district, state, and national levels for policies, laws, programs, and practices that promote student learning and educational equity
- demonstrating knowledge of public school governance in Arizona and how to work effectively with decision makers at the local, district, and state levels to increase their understanding of issues affecting the school and to achieve educational goals
- demonstrating knowledge of community and media relations, public information strategies for communicating different types of information to various audiences (e.g., families, community partners), and interpersonal communication skills appropriate in various educational contexts
- applying knowledge of how to build collaborative relationships with school staff, advisory councils, district governing bodies, families, businesses/enterprises, and community partners
- demonstrating knowledge of how to promote understanding, appreciation, and use of the community's diverse cultural, social, and intellectual resources and how to mobilize community resources in support of school programs and goals
- demonstrating knowledge of the benefits of parent/guardian participation in the school and strategies for increasing the involvement of parents/guardians in their children's education
- applying knowledge of skills and strategies for consensus building, collaboration, and negotiation in various educational contexts
- applying knowledge of how to respond to diverse community interests and needs and work effectively with stakeholders who have competing or conflicting perspectives
Subarea II–Fiscal and Operational Management and Legal/Ethical Guidelines
Objective 0003: Understand fiscal and operational management and their use in promoting achievement of the school's educational goals. (ISLLC Standard 3)
For example:- applying knowledge of how to plan, manage, and monitor school budgets effectively, legally, and equitably, and how to allocate, align, and efficiently utilize fiscal resources
- demonstrating knowledge of how to manage resources and obtain new resources (e.g., grants, partnerships) to support school programs and improve student achievement
- demonstrating knowledge of procedures for financial record keeping and reporting, including legal requirements, and for ensuring effective internal controls to safeguard school financial operations
- demonstrating knowledge of public school financing in Arizona, including related equity issues, sources of funding, and restrictions on the use of funds
- applying knowledge of procedures, practices, and legal requirements for ensuring the safe, efficient, and effective operation of school facilities and equipment
- demonstrating knowledge of how to develop and implement plans and procedures for ensuring student and staff safety and building security
- demonstrating knowledge of crisis planning and emergency management in the school setting
- applying knowledge of how to allocate and use school facility space effectively and efficiently to meet program needs
Objective 0004: Understand laws, regulations, and judicial decisions affecting education in Arizona and ethical guidelines and behavior expectations for principals. (ISLLC Standard 5)
For example:- applying knowledge of student, staff, and parent/guardian rights, protections, and responsibilities (e.g., due process, confidentiality, free speech, sexual harassment)
- applying knowledge of laws and regulations related to school administration in Arizona (e.g., reporting requirements, student supervision, liability)
- applying knowledge of legal principles and practices for promoting equity in Arizona schools
- applying knowledge of legal requirements for educating students with disabilities and students who are English Language Learners
- demonstrating knowledge of personal and professional ethics, including principles and guidelines for acting fairly, ethically, and with integrity
- demonstrating knowledge of expected principal behaviors in Arizona (e.g., ensuring accountability for the success of every student; modeling principles of self-awareness, reflective practice, transparency, and ethical behavior; safeguarding the values of democracy, equity, and diversity; considering the potential moral and legal consequences of decision making)
Subtest II Test Objectives
| Subareas | Range of Objectives | Approximate Test Proportions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| III | Instructional and Organizational Leadership | 05–08 | 100% |
| Total Proportion | 100% | ||
Subarea III–Instructional and Organizational Leadership
Objective 0005: Understand how to create and sustain a school culture and learning environment conducive to student learning and staff professional growth. (ISLLC Standard 2)
For example:- demonstrating knowledge of how to nurture and sustain a schoolwide culture of achievement in which all stakeholders share a commitment to high expectations for all students, closing achievement gaps, and pursuing academic and behavioral excellence
- demonstrating knowledge of how to establish rigorous academic goals and priorities, ensure that teachers set high academic and behavior expectations for every student, and ensure that students are consistently engaged in learning
- applying knowledge of how to create a personalized, motivating, safe, supportive, and equitable learning environment that is responsive to and respectful of student diversity and that supports achievement for every student
- identifying procedures for evaluating aspects of the learning environment and for using results to guide continuous improvement
- demonstrating knowledge of how to develop, implement, and evaluate effective and equitable behavior management approaches, student codes of conduct, and practices and procedures for preventing bullying and other forms of conflict
- demonstrating knowledge of how to guide staff to build productive relationships with parents/guardians and engage them in their children's learning
- applying knowledge of how to establish a strong professional culture that encourages continuous teacher learning and collaboration; teacher leadership; and shared commitment to the school's vision, mission, values, and goals
Objective 0006: Understand how to provide instructional leadership focused on effective teaching and learning and the use of best instructional practices that promote academic success for every student. (ISLLC Standard 2)
For example:- applying knowledge of how to plan, organize, drive, supervise, monitor, and support a rigorous, standards-based, and coherent instructional program based on research-supported best practices for curriculum, instruction, and assessment
- demonstrating knowledge of factors to consider in developing an instructional program (e.g., academic standards, student characteristics and needs) and procedures for supervising and allocating resources to sustain the instructional program
- applying knowledge of instructional methods and practices, including data-driven differentiation and intervention, to meet student needs, close achievement gaps, and promote success for every student
- analyzing the implications of student diversity for teaching and learning, and identifying research-supported practices for promoting achievement for students with diverse characteristics and needs (e.g., English Language Learners; students with exceptionalities; students with diverse cultural, language, and socioeconomic backgrounds)
- demonstrating knowledge of effective and appropriate classroom-based assessment practices (e.g., formative and summative assessments, multiple measures, aligned to learning targets, authentic)
- applying knowledge of how to facilitate effective collaborative efforts to analyze assessment results and formulate plans for improved learning and achievement
- applying knowledge of how to use relevant quantitative and qualitative data to identify instructional strengths and needs, define gaps between current outcomes and goals, formulate new action steps, and design school programs to improve learning for every student
- demonstrating knowledge of educational accountability, the importance and implications of accountability for the school, the role of assessment in accountability, and procedures for establishing and monitoring school accountability systems
- demonstrating knowledge of how to use technology and information systems to enrich curriculum and instruction, support student learning, and monitor instructional effectiveness
- analyzing the impact of structural factors (e.g., staffing patterns, schedules, student grouping practices) on student achievement and ways to adjust these factors to achieve goals for learning
Objective 0007: Understand how to provide professional development opportunities and experiences that promote staff growth and improve learning for every student. (ISLLC Standard 2)
For example:- demonstrating knowledge of how to develop and facilitate job-embedded, standards-based professional development that improves learning for all students, including allocating adequate time and other resources to support staff learning and collaboration
- applying knowledge of how to create a professional learning community in which teamwork, reflection, conversation, sharing, openness, and problem solving about student learning and achievement are aligned to instructional goals and priorities
- demonstrating knowledge of skills and strategies for guiding teachers' use of achievement data to evaluate student performance, analyze differences between individuals and groups of students, and inform planning for improved teaching and learning
- applying knowledge of how to conduct classroom observations and use observation results and student data to evaluate the quality of teaching and provide teachers with effective feedback aimed at improving student learning and maximizing the effective use of instructional time
- applying knowledge of how to provide professional support and development focused on authentic problems and student outcomes, integrate opportunities for continuous learning and professional growth into the school environment, and engage staff in ongoing self-assessment
- demonstrating knowledge of various supervisory models (e.g., clinical, coaching) and techniques (e.g., conferencing, mentoring) and their use in improving teaching and learning
- demonstrating knowledge of how to work with staff to create professional growth plans that address individual needs and promote teaching excellence
- identifying strategies for encouraging teacher leadership, initiative, innovation, self-reflection, and action research
- applying knowledge of resources and activities, including reflection and feedback from others, to promote one's own ongoing professional development and learning
Objective 0008: Understand organizational and human resource management that supports school improvement and helps ensure success for every student. (ISLLC Standard 3)
For example:- applying knowledge of skills and strategies for managing the organization and its resources to ensure equity and continuous improvement
- applying knowledge of how to monitor and evaluate school management systems and ensure that teacher and organizational time is focused on supporting effective instruction and student learning
- demonstrating knowledge of how to collect and use relevant data to make decisions about organizational needs and priorities and how to strategically address organizational barriers to achieving school goals
- applying knowledge of management skills and practices (e.g., group process, consensus building, conflict resolution, team building, distributed leadership) and their use in solving problems, making decisions, and achieving success for every student
- applying knowledge of change processes and how to initiate, manage, and evaluate change in the school environment
- demonstrating knowledge of how to use technological tools and systems to support effective management of the organization (e.g., managing information, facilitating communication and collaboration)
- demonstrating knowledge of effective, equitable, and legal procedures for recruiting, hiring, assigning, retaining, evaluating, disciplining, and dismissing staff to support school goals and maximize achievement for all students
- applying knowledge of how to develop, implement, and evaluate effective induction and mentoring plans for new teachers
- analyzing issues related to equity, diversity, and fairness in human resource management
- applying knowledge of staff evaluation procedures and the use of staff evaluation systems that differentiate the performance of staff functioning at different levels
- demonstrating knowledge of how to obtain, allocate, align, and efficiently utilize human resources and develop the capacity for distributed leadership
- demonstrating knowledge of policies, procedures, and contractual obligations related to human resource administration, including relevant state and federal laws and regulations (e.g., ADA, FERPA, FMLA)