Study Guide
Field 139: Elementary and Secondary (PK–12) School Administrator
Sample Constructed-Response Assignment
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The following materials contain:
- Test directions for the constructed-response assignment
- A sample constructed-response assignment
- An example of a strong response to the assignment and a rationale for the response
- The performance characteristics and scoring scale
Test Directions for the Constructed-Response Assignment
This section of the test consists of one constructed-response assignment. You are to prepare a written response of approximately 300to600 words on the assigned topic. You should use your time to plan, write, review, and edit your response to the assignment.
Read the assignment carefully before you begin to write. Think about how you will organize your response.
As a whole, your response must demonstrate an understanding of the knowledge and skills of the field. In your response to the assignment, you are expected to demonstrate the depth of your understanding of the content area through your ability to apply your knowledge and skills rather than merely to recite factual information.
Your response to the assignment will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:
start bold PURPOSE: end bold the extent to which the response achieves the purpose of the assignment
start bold SUBJECT MATTER KNOWLEDGE: end bold accuracy and appropriateness in the application of subject matter knowledge
start bold SUPPORT: end bold quality and relevance of supporting details
start bold RATIONALE: end bold soundness of argument and degree of understanding of the subject matter
The constructed-response assignment is intended to assess subject matter knowledge and skills, not writing ability. However, your response must be communicated clearly enough to permit valid judgment of the scoring criteria. Your response should be written for an audience of educators in this field. The final version of your response should conform to the conventions of edited American English. Your written response must be your original work, written in your own words, and not copied or paraphrased from some other work.
Be sure to write about the assigned topic. You may not use any reference materials during the test. Remember to review what you have written and make any changes you think will improve your response.
Sample Constructed-Response Assignment
Objective 010
Analyze and interpret information about a school's instructional program, climate, and culture, including student achievement data, teacher information, and survey data, and describe a strategy to address school issues relevant to the analysis.
Assignment
Using the scenario and exhibits provided, write a response in which you analyze a school strength and an area of concern at your school and outline your strategy for addressing the area of concern. In your response:
- identify and describe one significant school strength;
- identify one significant area of concern and describe its implications for teaching and learning;
- describe in detail a strategy you will implement to address the area of concern; and
- building on the school strength, describe how you will support your strategy, and explain why the actions you describe are likely to be effective in improving teaching and learning.
Be specific in your response, citing evidence from the scenario and exhibits as appropriate. Your response should be approximately 300–600 words.
Scenario and Exhibits for the Constructed-Response Assignment
Scenario
You are the new principal at a magnet high school in an urban district. The school offers a curriculum focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and currently enrolls 1421 students in grades 9 through 12. Students are chosen by lottery from the two to three thousand who apply each year. This year, approximately 3% of students are American Indian/Alaska Native, 6% are Asian/Pacific Islander, 30% are Black, 21% are Hispanic, 9% identify as Two or More Races, and 31% are White. Approximately 58% of students are eligible for the National School Lunch Program, 2% are English learners, and 4% are students with disabilities. The school has a reputation for academic excellence and consistently performs well above state averages on state assessments.
When you were hired, the superintendent described the school as a flagship school and noted that the district has invested substantial resources into realizing the school's inclusive vision and its mission "to provide an academically rigorous education with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in a learning environment that celebrates diversity, and to prepare every student to succeed and excel." During your initial meetings with the school's staff, you hear numerous teachers express their commitment to the realization of the mission and vision. Many mathematics, science, and technology faculty tell you that teaching at this school has given them opportunities to teach high-level content to small classes and to make extensive use of educational technology. In general, teachers are proud of the school and its reputation. Many of the students you speak with say they feel lucky to be attending the school. A few students acknowledge that they find the learning environment to be overwhelming. One student states that some teachers do not "waste time" on students who they do not believe have "what it takes to succeed" at the school.
Prior to the beginning of the school year, you discover several letters from parents/guardians that arrived shortly before the previous principal left. The letters express gratitude for the high-quality education that the school offers. However, many of the parents/guardians express concern that their children have been the subjects of numerous disciplinary referrals and even suspensions. "My child has been targeted by teachers," one parent/guardian writes, "and has been sent to the office several times each quarter" for reasons that are unclear to the parent/guardian. Another parent/guardian writes that their child seems to receive referrals "because of who he is, and what he looks like," rather than for any specific behavior.
As you prepare for your first year as principal, you review recent academic performance data, as well as teacher information and the results from perception surveys conducted at the end of the previous school year.
Academic Performance Data
start bold Assessment Performance by Student Group
(last year) end bold
This table displays percentages of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards by scoring at or above the proficient level on their state test.
| left intentionally blank | All | ELA | Math | Science |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Students | 52 percent | 45 percent | 57 percent | 55 percent |
| Female | 46 percent | 46 percent | 47 percent | |
| Male | 58 percent | 67 percent | 62 percent | |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 60 percent | 71 percent | 65 percent | |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 82 percent | 72 percent | 88 percent | 87 percent |
| Black | 26 percent | 23 percent | 28 percent | 26 percent |
| Hispanic | 36 percent | 34 percent | 39 percent | 34 percent |
| Two or More Races | 62 percent | 46 percent | 72 percent | 68 percent |
| White | 79 percent | 68 percent | 84 percent | 85 percent |
| National School Lunch Program Eligible | 37 percent | 34 percent | 39 percent | 37 percent |
| English Learners | 46 percent | Data Not Shown | Data Not Shown | Data Not Shown |
| Students with Disabilities | 46 percent | Data Not Shown | Data Not Shown | Data Not Shown |
start bold Discipline Referrals and Suspension Ratio by Student Group
(last year) end bold
| left intentionally blank | Total # of Discipline Referrals | Student Suspension Ratio: 1 suspension for every blank students |
|---|---|---|
| All Students | 288 | 15 point 1 |
| Female | 87 | 42 point 6 |
| Male | 201 | 9 point 5 |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | Data Not Shown | 14 point 3 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | Data Not Shown | em dash |
| Black | 112 | 8 |
| Hispanic | 86 | 13 |
| Two or More Races | 19 | 64 |
| White | 56 | 33 point 9 |
| National School Lunch Program Eligible | 229 | 10 point 8 |
| English Learners | Data Not Shown | 28 |
| Students with Disabilities | 13 | 11 point 4 |
Data Not Shown (DNS) Possible reasons: (1) Not applicable (2) Data protected by privacy laws (3) No valid data to complete calculation
Teacher Information
start bold Teacher Performance Ratings by Content Area
(end of previous year) end bold
This table displays teacher performance ratings from annual teacher evaluations, by content area (end of previous year).
| left intentionally blank | TOTAL (FTE) | Ineffective | Needs Improvement | Effective | Highly Effective | Superior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELA | 13 | em dash | 1 | 7 | 5 | em dash |
| Math | 13 | em dash | em dash | 6 | 5 | 2 |
| Science | 13 | em dash | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
| Social Studies | 11 | em dash | 1 | 6 | 4 | em dash |
| Specialists (Music, Arts, Languages) | 5 | em dash | 1 | 2 | 2 | em dash |
| Career and Technical Education | 7 | em dash | em dash | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Physical Education, Health | 4 | em dash | em dash | 3 | 1 | em dash |
| Special Education Teachers | 1 point 5 | em dash | em dash | 0 point 5 | 1 | em dash |
| TOTAL | 67 point 5 | em dash | 4 | 31 point 5 | 28 | 4 |
start underline Survey Results end underline
start bold Excerpt from Survey Results
(last year) end bold
| Survey Question: | percent agree or strongly agree | |
|---|---|---|
|
Teachers open parens 94 percent responding close parens |
Students open parens 86 percent responding close parens |
|
| I am proud of our school. | 97 percent | 94 percent |
| I support our school's mission and vision. | 98 percent | 91 percent |
| Our school is a safe place for teaching and learning. | 91 percent | 88 percent |
| Diversity is respected and valued at our school. | 88 percent | 56 percent |
| Teachers at our school believe that every student can succeed. | 88 percent | 63 percent |
| Teachers and staff at our school hold all students to high academic and behavioral expectations. | 84 percent | 59 percent |
| Teachers at our school are able to meet the specific learning needs of every student. | 91 percent | 69 percent |
| Teachers and staff at our school provide all students with the instruction and support that they need to excel academically. | 92 percent | 64 percent |
| At our school, teachers, staff, and students treat each other with respect. | 88 percent | 58 percent |
| At our school, discipline is an important concern. | 64 percent | 39 percent |
| Teachers and staff at our school ensure that rules and behavior expectations are clear to students. | 72 percent | 47 percent |
| At our school, rules are applied consistently and consequences for discipline infractions are fair. | 69 percent | 38 percent |
|
Views expressed by 5 or more teachers:
Views expressed by 5 or more students:
|
||
Sample Strong Response to Constructed-Response Assignment
start bold Please note: The sample response provided below is for review purposes only and should not be used in a response on an operational exam. Use of the exact words and phrases presented in this sample response will result in a score of "U" (Unscorable) due to lack of original work. end bold
One significant school strength is the teachers. They are committed to the school's inclusive vision and mission (Survey Results), 94% of teachers ranked as Superior, Highly Effective, or Effective (Teacher Information), and teachers have positive perceptions of the school (Survey Results). Teacher dedication to the STEM Magnet school coupled with high academic expectations is one key to closing the achievement gap. The strong support of teachers for the school is a huge asset.
The data suggest a discrepancy, however, between teachers' perception of equity and other stakeholders' perceptions. The school is very economically and racially diverse (Scenario) and the data suggest that disciplinary referrals and suspension rates are disproportionately students of color, especially black males (Discipline Referrals and Suspension Ratio by Student Group). When students are out of class for any reason, learning is negatively impacted. Furthermore, the stated vision and mission focus on inclusiveness and yet, parent/guardian comments, survey results, and discipline data suggest a significant equity problem in who gets disciplined, the severity of the disciplinary actions, and consequences of missing class. The Academic Performance Data suggest that black students are underperforming in all academic areas when compared to other subgroups. It is a cycle that needs to end.
The evidence suggests opportunities for improvement, which I will use to promote collaborative inquiry among teachers. It is our school and we need to work together to identify challenges, analyze relevant data, and set high expectations for all students. First, I will meet with the teachers to share the data and concerns and explain the purpose and value of collaborative inquiry teams. Collaborative inquiry allows teachers to systematically examine an issue more closely using data. In this case, inquiry teams can explore possible causes of the discipline gap and explore ways to provide interventions and supports, instead of practices that exclude students from classes. Non-punitive discipline practices will be beneficial at our school to address the achievement gap. Establishing a shared understanding is critical for teacher "buy-in" and the success of the inquiry.
The teachers are a significant strength at our school and building on their dedication, pride, and willingness to work hard for their students, collaborative inquiry teams can be well worth the effort. Effective collaborative inquiry teams draw valuable information from data, not only to pinpoint problems, but also to understand their nature and causes. Regular scheduled meetings with support from leadership is essential to the success of inquiry process. To support the teachers, I will provide sufficient time for meetings, protocols to guide data collection and discussion, and agendas focused on implications for instruction and improving our school. The intent of the process is to work together to find solutions to our problems. My actions will be effective because collaborative inquiry is a strategy for strengthening teaching and learning. It can be difficult to implement without the support of leadership. Time to meet regularly and providing appropriate investment in training teachers in the process takes patience and persistence. To that end, I will keep the school community and stakeholders apprised of our progress in addressing the issue as well as provide support to the teachers.
Rationale for the Sample Strong Response
Please note that the response is evaluated based upon the four performance characteristics of Purpose, Subject Matter Knowledge, Support, and Rationale. Please also note how the score point descriptions are based upon how the examinee attends to the performance characteristics. You should be very familiar with the performance characteristics and score scale and refer to them when reviewing this rationale.
The response fulfills the purpose of the assignment by clearly responding to all four of the tasks of the prompt. For instance, the response identifies and describes a school strength (i.e., the school's teachers – in particular their dedication and commitment to the school's vision and mission). Moreover, the response identifies one significant area of concern (i.e., the use of discipline referrals and suspension rates seem to be applied disproportionately across the student population). The response describes this area of concern in detail and explains the implications this concern has on teaching and learning. The writer cites relevant examples from the exhibits throughout the response, thus providing sound supporting evidence complete with high-quality, relevant examples. By doing this, the writer shows a deep understanding of the subject matter. For example, the writer goes into detail on the strategy (i.e., promoting collaborative inquiry among teachers) that they will use to help alleviate the given concern. This level of detail demonstrates a strong knowledge base by the writer and reflects a thorough knowledge of the subject matter. Lastly, the writer explains how the school strength will help improve teaching and learning at the school and the writer goes into minute detail as to what the principal will do to help support the teachers through this process, which will ultimately help improve the learning at the school. Overall, the response reflects an ably reasoned, comprehensive understanding of the topic.
Performance Characteristics
The following characteristics guide the scoring of responses to the constructed-response assignment.
Scoring Scale
Scores will be assigned to each response to the constructed-response assignment according to the following scoring scale.