This comprehensive examination is designed for the student to apply theories into practice based on the Building Level Educational Leadership Standards.
The time allotted to complete the specialist comprehensive examination is 48 hours. Your entire paper should be written in APA 6th Edition Format which includes a title page (one page), body of paper (minimum of three pages per question and a maximum of six pages per question), and references (one page). Each question must include a minimum of three citations from textbooks, journals, and/or professional research to support your answer. You may use the library or any other appropriate resources. Please be very careful to use appropriate APA headings for each question.
Each question will be scored separately using the following rubric. You will be notified of the results of your comprehensive exams via email within four weeks.
| 4 Points | Response incorporates all relevant theories to practice and provides three or more citations to support the concepts included in the response. There are zero errors in the APA format and grammar. |
| 3 Points | Response incorporates some relevant theories to practice and provides only two citations to support the concepts included in the response. There are a few minor errors in the APA format and grammar. |
| 2 Points | Response incorporates some relevant theories to practice and provides only one citation to support the concepts included in the response. There are more than a few minor errors in the APA format and grammar. |
| 1 Point | Response incorporates little relevant theories to practice and provides zero citations to support the concepts included in the response. There are major errors in the APA format and grammar. |
| 0 Points | Response incorporates no relevant theories to practice and provides zero citations to support the concepts included in the response. There are major errors in the APA format and grammar. |
Good Luck!
- You are the middle school principal at Siouxland Community School, and you believe that your school building is ready to implement a second-order change. Your administrative team includes one superintendent, six elementary principals, two middle school principals (one is you), one high school principal, curriculum coordinator, technology director, and assistant principals at each building. During your first administrative meeting of the second half of the year your superintendent tasks each member of the administrative team with coming up with a second-order change that the district should consider implementing for the next school year. Your superintendent explains, “Second-order changes are a break from the past. These changes are inconsistent with normal procedures within a district. Many times second-order changes are incongruent with personal values. Stakeholders must acquire new knowledge and skills.” You informally talk with your team before the next meeting, and your team comes up with the following list:
- Project-based learning
- Innovative school calendar
- Co-teaching in middle school math
- Each student receives a Chromebook in grades 3 – 12.
- Language immersion
- Higher education courses offered for students in grades 9 – 12.
- Large construction project
- Transitioning your traditional K-6 elementary schools to elementary schools for K-2, 3-4 and 5-6
- (Any innovative idea of your choice)
Please choose one innovative idea from this list (or come up with one of your own) and explain how you would convince your superintendent to allow you to plan and to implement this innovative idea. List the specific steps that you would take in regards to research, communication, legal issues and finance.
- Marzano, Waters and McNulty (2005) list the 21 responsibilities of a school principal and their correlation with student academic achievement. The five responsibilities with the highest correlation with student academic achievement include: situational awareness, flexibility, discipline, monitoring/evaluating, and outreach. Please describe the principal’s role as it relates to each of the following responsibilities of the job. Each section should be 250 words or less.
- Situational Awareness: Is aware of the details and undercurrents in the running of the school and uses this information to address current and potential problems.
- Flexibility: Adapts his or her leadership behavior to the needs of the current situation and is comfortable with dissent.
- Discipline: Protects teachers from issues and influences that would detract from their teaching time or focus.
- Monitoring/Evaluating: Monitors the effectiveness of school practices and their impact on student learning.
- Outreach: Is an advocate and spokesperson for the school to all stakeholders.
