AEPA Principal Exam: Subtest I - Leadership and
Management Foundations
In Arizona, a primary role of the State Board of Education is to: - correct answer ✔✔set minimum
curriculum and competency requirements for high school graduation.
The goals that have been articulated for an elementary school include ensuring that all students have
equitable access to the curriculum. Which of the following approaches would best help the principal
evaluate how well this goal is being achieved? - correct answer ✔✔examining disaggregated results from
recent assessments
A principal is working with staff to create and implement plans to achieve goals for improved student
learning. In this context, the principal would most appropriately encourage staff members to conduct
research into what other schools are doing as a way to facilitate which of the following processes? -
correct answer ✔✔identifying effective action steps to remedy school issues identified through data
analysis
A recently appointed principal must create a new vision for a school where student performance on all
academic measures has been declining for some time. The principal knows that the current level of
parent/guardian and community participation in the life of the school is very low, as is overall
stakeholder support for the school. The principal expects that creating and implementing a new vision in
this context will be challenging. Which of the following strategies used by the principal would best help
ensure that the new vision will have broad stakeholder support? - correct answer ✔✔creating multiple
opportunities for individuals from diverse segments of the community to participate in various stages of
the visioning process
Last year a principal led teachers in implementing a plan to incorporate a specific set of research- based
techniques into their instruction. The goal of the plan was to increase students' motivation and
engagement in learning. This year during classroom observations, the principal sees that a few teachers
have modified their use of the prescribed techniques in ways that depart somewhat from the original
guidelines. The principal can best respond by first: - correct answer ✔✔evaluating the effectiveness of
the teachers' modifications to the new techniques in addressing the school's improvement goals.
An elementary school has been trying a new approach to math instruction during the past couple of
years, but the results have been disappointing. The principal is putting together a team to consider this
problem and identify possible solutions. At first, the team was going to include the principal, an assistant
, principal, teachers from different grade levels, and the district math coordinator. The principal then
decided to include a representative group of parents/guardians as well. Which of the following is likely to
be the most important benefit of the principal's decision? - correct answer ✔✔expanding the range of
perspectives and ideas that will be brought to the problem-solving process
The elementary school principals in a district note that kindergartners enter their schools with significant
disparities in their literacy backgrounds. Some children are already proficient readers, while others have
little or no prior experience with books. Which of the following actions taken by district educators would
best help ensure that all young children will have an equal opportunity to
be successful readers? - correct answer ✔✔putting in place an early intervention program in which
eligible students and their families may participate
Following many discussions about disparities in educational results among the student groups in a
school, the principal announces plans to put in place new programs designed to address this problem.
During a meeting to share information about plans for change, many parents/guardians and community
members express anger and dismay upon learning that the new programs will largely be funded at the
expense of existing school programs. The principal can best respond by emphasizing which of the
following ideas? - correct answer ✔✔The entire community will reap significant benefits in the long run
if all students are helped to succeed in school.
The members of a site council have been sharply divided in their views on how to address an important
school issue, with three members holding one view and two members holding an opposing view.
Discussion on the issue has now reached an impasse. The principal can best try to achieve consensus
among council members by using which of the following approaches first? - correct answer
✔✔maintaining a neutral position on the issue and helping the two sides identify common ground
A middle school principal would like to encourage greater participation by diverse groups in the school's
site-based planning and management. As a first step, which of the following actions by the principal
would most likely be effective in addressing this goal? - correct answer ✔✔creating a committee of
diverse stakeholders to recommend and implement appropriate strategies for this purpose
A district's decision to realign several school attendance areas has significantly increased student
enrollment in one particular school, resulting in a need for more instructional space. Teachers at the
school, who are concerned about space issues and potential increases in class size, have lobbied strongly
to maintain the status quo as much as possible. The principal knows that much space currently used for
noninstructional activities will have to be turned into regular classroom space. In responding to this
challenge, the principal's most important initial priority should be to: - correct answer ✔✔ensure that
any changes in space utilization will not impair the school's ability to meet its vision and goals for
instruction and learning.
Management Foundations
In Arizona, a primary role of the State Board of Education is to: - correct answer ✔✔set minimum
curriculum and competency requirements for high school graduation.
The goals that have been articulated for an elementary school include ensuring that all students have
equitable access to the curriculum. Which of the following approaches would best help the principal
evaluate how well this goal is being achieved? - correct answer ✔✔examining disaggregated results from
recent assessments
A principal is working with staff to create and implement plans to achieve goals for improved student
learning. In this context, the principal would most appropriately encourage staff members to conduct
research into what other schools are doing as a way to facilitate which of the following processes? -
correct answer ✔✔identifying effective action steps to remedy school issues identified through data
analysis
A recently appointed principal must create a new vision for a school where student performance on all
academic measures has been declining for some time. The principal knows that the current level of
parent/guardian and community participation in the life of the school is very low, as is overall
stakeholder support for the school. The principal expects that creating and implementing a new vision in
this context will be challenging. Which of the following strategies used by the principal would best help
ensure that the new vision will have broad stakeholder support? - correct answer ✔✔creating multiple
opportunities for individuals from diverse segments of the community to participate in various stages of
the visioning process
Last year a principal led teachers in implementing a plan to incorporate a specific set of research- based
techniques into their instruction. The goal of the plan was to increase students' motivation and
engagement in learning. This year during classroom observations, the principal sees that a few teachers
have modified their use of the prescribed techniques in ways that depart somewhat from the original
guidelines. The principal can best respond by first: - correct answer ✔✔evaluating the effectiveness of
the teachers' modifications to the new techniques in addressing the school's improvement goals.
An elementary school has been trying a new approach to math instruction during the past couple of
years, but the results have been disappointing. The principal is putting together a team to consider this
problem and identify possible solutions. At first, the team was going to include the principal, an assistant
, principal, teachers from different grade levels, and the district math coordinator. The principal then
decided to include a representative group of parents/guardians as well. Which of the following is likely to
be the most important benefit of the principal's decision? - correct answer ✔✔expanding the range of
perspectives and ideas that will be brought to the problem-solving process
The elementary school principals in a district note that kindergartners enter their schools with significant
disparities in their literacy backgrounds. Some children are already proficient readers, while others have
little or no prior experience with books. Which of the following actions taken by district educators would
best help ensure that all young children will have an equal opportunity to
be successful readers? - correct answer ✔✔putting in place an early intervention program in which
eligible students and their families may participate
Following many discussions about disparities in educational results among the student groups in a
school, the principal announces plans to put in place new programs designed to address this problem.
During a meeting to share information about plans for change, many parents/guardians and community
members express anger and dismay upon learning that the new programs will largely be funded at the
expense of existing school programs. The principal can best respond by emphasizing which of the
following ideas? - correct answer ✔✔The entire community will reap significant benefits in the long run
if all students are helped to succeed in school.
The members of a site council have been sharply divided in their views on how to address an important
school issue, with three members holding one view and two members holding an opposing view.
Discussion on the issue has now reached an impasse. The principal can best try to achieve consensus
among council members by using which of the following approaches first? - correct answer
✔✔maintaining a neutral position on the issue and helping the two sides identify common ground
A middle school principal would like to encourage greater participation by diverse groups in the school's
site-based planning and management. As a first step, which of the following actions by the principal
would most likely be effective in addressing this goal? - correct answer ✔✔creating a committee of
diverse stakeholders to recommend and implement appropriate strategies for this purpose
A district's decision to realign several school attendance areas has significantly increased student
enrollment in one particular school, resulting in a need for more instructional space. Teachers at the
school, who are concerned about space issues and potential increases in class size, have lobbied strongly
to maintain the status quo as much as possible. The principal knows that much space currently used for
noninstructional activities will have to be turned into regular classroom space. In responding to this
challenge, the principal's most important initial priority should be to: - correct answer ✔✔ensure that
any changes in space utilization will not impair the school's ability to meet its vision and goals for
instruction and learning.
