Preparation Manual

Section 3: Overview and Exam Framework
Superintendent (195)

Exam Overview

Table outlining the test format, number of questions, time, and passing score.

Exam Name	Superintendent
Exam Code	195
Time	5 hours
Number of Questions	110 selected-response questions
Format	Computer-administered test (CAT)

The TExES Superintendent (195) exam is designed to assess whether an examinee has the requisite knowledge and skills that an entry-level superintendent or assistant superintendent in Texas public schools must possess. The 110 selected-response questions are based on the Superintendent exam framework. Questions on this exam range from grades EC–12. The exam may contain questions that do not count toward the score. The exam contains two case studies and a set of questions pertaining to Texas Academic Performance Reports (TAPR) with authentic materials. These are located in a separate booklet. Your final scaled score will be based only on scored questions.

The Standards

Domains and Competencies

Table outlining test content subject weighting by domain.

Domain	Domain Title	Approx. Percentage of Exam	Competencies Assessed
I	Leadership of the Educational Community	40%	001–004
II	Instructional Leadership	30%	005–007
III	Administrative Leadership	30%	008–010

The content covered by this exam is organized into broad areas of content called domains. Each domain covers one or more of the educator standards for this field. Within each domain, the content is further defined by a set of competencies. Each competency is composed of two major parts:

• The competency statement, which broadly defines what an entry-level educator in this field in Texas public schools should know and be able to do.
• The descriptive statements, which describe in greater detail the knowledge and skills eligible for testing.

Domain I—Leadership of the Educational Community

Competency 001—The superintendent knows how to act with integrity, fairness and in an ethical manner in order to promote the success of all students.

The superintendent knows how to:

1. Serve as an advocate for all children.
2. Model and promote the highest standard of conduct, ethical principles and integrity in decision making, actions and behaviors.
3. Exhibit understanding and implement policies and procedures that promote district personnel compliance with The Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators.
4. Monitor and address ethical issues affecting education.
5. Apply laws, policies and procedures in a fair and reasonable manner.
6. Interact with district staff, students, school board and community in a professional and ethical manner.

Competency 002—The superintendent knows how to shape district culture by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the educational community.

The superintendent knows how to:

1. Establish and support a district culture that promotes learning, high expectations and academic rigor for self, students and staff.
2. Facilitate the development and implementation of a shared vision that focuses on teaching and learning and ensures the success of all students.
3. Implement strategies for involving all stakeholders in planning processes and for facilitating planning between constituencies.
4. Use formal and informal techniques to monitor and assess district/school climate for effective, responsive decision making.
5. Institute procedures for monitoring the accomplishment of district goals and objectives to achieve the district’s vision.
6. Facilitate the development, use and allocation of all available resources, including human resources, to support implementation of the district’s vision and goals.
7. Recognize and celebrate contributions of staff and community toward realization of the district’s vision.
8. Maintain awareness of emerging issues and trends affecting public education and communicate their significance to the local educational community.
9. Encourage and model innovative thinking and risk taking and view problems as opportunities.
10. Promote multicultural awareness, gender sensitivity and the appreciation of diversity in the educational community.
11. Understand and support educational programs for all student populations, including students with special needs.

Competency 003—The superintendent knows how to communicate and collaborate with families and community members, respond to diverse community interests and needs and mobilize community resources to ensure educational success for all students.

The superintendent knows how to:

1. Serve as an articulate, effective communicator for the importance of public education in a free democratic society.
2. Develop and implement an effective and comprehensive internal and external district communications plan and public relations program.
3. Analyze community and district structures and identify major opinion leaders and their relationships to district goals and programs.
4. Establish partnerships with families, area businesses, institutions of higher education and community groups to strengthen programs and support district goals.
5. Implement effective strategies for systematically communicating with and gathering input from all stakeholders in the district.
6. Communicate and work effectively with diverse groups in the district and community, i.e., social, cultural, political, ethnic and racial groups, so that all students receive appropriate resources and instructional support to ensure educational success.
7. Develop and use formal and informal techniques to gain an accurate view of the perceptions of district staff, families and community members.
8. Use effective consensus-building and conflict-management skills.
9. Articulate the district’s vision and priorities to the community and to the media.
10. Influence the media by using proactive communication strategies that serve to enhance and promote the district’s vision.
11. Communicate effectively about positions on educational issues using effective writing, speaking and active listening skills to ensure educational success for all students.

Competency 004—The superintendent knows how to respond to and influence the larger political, social, economic, legal and cultural context, including working with the board of trustees, to achieve the district’s educational vision.

The superintendent knows how to:

1. Analyze and respond to political, social, economic and cultural factors affecting students and education.
2. Provide leadership in defining superintendent and board of trustees roles and establishing mutual expectations.
3. Communicate and work effectively with board members in varied contexts, including problem solving and decision making.
4. Work with the board of trustees to define and consistently adhere to mutual expectations, policies and standards.
5. Access and work with local, state and national political systems and organizations to provide input on critical educational issues.
6. Use legal guidelines to protect the rights of students and staff and to improve learning opportunities.
7. Prepare and recommend district policies to improve student learning and district performance in compliance with state and federal requirements.

 

Domain II—Instructional Leadership

Competency 005—The superintendent knows how to facilitate the planning and implementation of strategic plans that enhance teaching and learning; ensure alignment among curriculum, curriculum resources and assessment; use the current accountability system; and promote the use of varied assessments to measure student performance.

The superintendent knows how to:

1. Facilitate effective curricular decision making based on an understanding of pedagogy, curriculum design, cognitive development, learning processes and child and adolescent growth and development.
2. Implement planning procedures to develop rigorous curricula that achieve optimal student learning and that anticipate and respond to occupational and economic trends.
3. Implement curriculum design and delivery systems to ensure instructional quality, appropriate depth of learning and alignment across the district.
4. Develop and implement collaborative processes for systematically assessing and renewing the curriculum to meet the needs of all students and ensure appropriate scope, sequence, content and alignment.
5. Use assessment to measure student learning, diagnose student needs and determine effectiveness of the curriculum to ensure educational accountability.
6. Evaluate district curricula and provide direction for improving curricula based on sound, research-based practices.
7. Facilitate the integration of technology into the school district curriculum to enhance learning for all students.
8. Facilitate the use of creative thinking, critical thinking and problem solving by appropriate school district staff and other individuals involved in curricular design and delivery.
9. Facilitate the effective coordination of district and campus curricular and extracurricular programs.
10. Ensure that staff members have a working knowledge of the accountability system and are monitoring its components to increase student performance.

Competency 006—The superintendent knows how to advocate, promote and sustain an instructional program and a district culture that are conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.

The superintendent knows how to:

1. Apply knowledge of motivational theories and strategies to encourage staff, students, families/caregivers and the community to strive to achieve the district’s vision.
2. Facilitate the implementation of sound, research-based theories and techniques of classroom management, student discipline and school safety to ensure a school district environment conducive to learning.
3. Facilitate the development of a learning organization that encompasses high student engagement and learning with academic rigor through the use of effective planning and lesson design.
4. Facilitate the ongoing study of current best practice and relevant research and encourage the application of this knowledge to district/school improvement initiatives.
5. Implement and support student services and activity programs to address developmental, scholastic, social, emotional, cultural, physical and leadership needs.
6. Establish a comprehensive school district program of student assessment, interpretation of data and reporting of state and national data results for improvement of student learning.
7. Apply knowledge of special programs to ensure that students are provided with appropriate resources and effective, flexible instructional programs and services.
8. Analyze instructional resource needs and deploy instructional resources effectively and equitably to enhance student learning.
9. Analyze the implications of various organizational factors (e.g., staffing patterns, class scheduling formats, school organizational structures, student discipline practices) for teaching and learning.
10. Develop and use appropriate change processes to improve student and adult learning.
11. Ensure responsiveness to diverse sociological, linguistic, cultural, psychological and other factors that may affect student development and learning and create an environment in which all students will learn.

Competency 007—The superintendent knows how to implement a staff evaluation and development system and select appropriate models for supervision and staff development to improve the performance of all staff members.

The superintendent knows how to:

1. Improve teaching and learning by participating in quality, relevant professional development activities and studying current professional literature and research.
2. Develop, implement and evaluate a comprehensive professional development plan to address identified areas of district, campus and/or staff need.
3. Facilitate the application of adult learning principles to all professional development activities, including the use of support and follow-up strategies to facilitate implementation.
4. Implement strategies to increase the expertise and skill of staff at the district and campus level.
5. Work collaboratively with other district personnel to plan, implement and evaluate professional growth programs.
6. Deliver effective presentations and facilitate learning for both small and large groups.
7. Implement effective strategies for the recruitment, selection, induction, development, evaluation and promotion of staff.
8. Develop and implement comprehensive staff evaluation models that include both formative and summative assessment and appraisal strategies.
9. Assess and support the organizational health and climate by implementing necessary strategies to improve the performance of all staff members.

 

Domain III—Administrative Leadership

Competency 008—The superintendent knows how to apply principles of effective leadership and management in relation to district budgeting, personnel, resource utilization, financial management and technology applications.

The superintendent knows how to:

1. Apply procedures for effective budget planning and management.
2. Work collaboratively with board of trustees and appropriate personnel to develop district budgets.
3. Facilitate and evaluate effective account auditing and monitoring that complies with legal requirements and local district policy.
4. Establish district procedures for accurate, effective, ethical purchasing and financial record keeping and reporting.
5. Acquire, allocate and manage resources according to district vision and priorities, including obtaining and using funding from various sources.
6. Use district and staff evaluation data for personnel policy development and decision making.
7. Apply knowledge associated with personnel management, including requirements related to certifying, recruiting, screening, selecting, evaluating, disciplining, reassigning and dismissing personnel.
8. Manage one’s own time and the time of others to enhance district operations.
9. Develop and implement plans for using technology and information systems to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of school district operations.
10. Apply legal concepts, regulations and codes as required.
11. Use revenue forecasting and enrollment forecasting to address personnel and budgetary needs accurately.

Competency 009—The superintendent knows how to apply principles of leadership and management to the district’s physical plant and support systems to ensure a safe and effective learning environment.

The superintendent knows how to:

1. Apply procedures for planning, funding, renovating and/or constructing school facilities to support the district’s mission and goals.
2. Implement strategies that enable the district’s physical plant, equipment and support systems to operate safely, efficiently and effectively.
3. Apply strategies for ensuring the safety of students and personnel and for addressing emergencies and security concerns.
4. Develop and implement procedures for emergency planning and for responding to crises.
5. Apply and evaluate procedures for ensuring the effective, efficient operation and maintenance of district facilities.
6. Implement and evaluate appropriate procedures to ensure efficient, effective district transportation services, food services, health services and other services.
7. Apply legal concepts, regulations and codes as required.

Competency 010—The superintendent knows how to apply organizational, decision-making and problem-solving skills to comply with federal and state requirements and facilitate positive change in varied contexts.

The superintendent knows how to:

1. Implement appropriate leadership skills, techniques and group process skills to define roles, assign functions, delegate effectively and determine accountability for goal attainment.
2. Implement processes for gathering, analyzing and using data for informed decision-making to attain district goals.
3. Identify, analyze and resolve problems using appropriate problem-solving techniques and decision-making skills.
4. Use strategies for working with others, including the board of trustees, to promote collaborative decision-making and problem solving, facilitate team building and develop consensus.
5. Encourage and facilitate positive change, enlist support for change and overcome obstacles to change in varied educational contexts.
6. Analyze and use political influences to benefit the educational organization.

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