SLPS Competitive Exam study guide
SLPS Competitive Exam · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The SLPS Competitive Exam - the School Leadership Preparation Series Competitive Examination - is a multiple-choice assessment used to evaluate candidates for school-level leadership roles such as assistant principal, principal, and instructional coordinator. It is designed for educators who already hold classroom or teacher-leader experience and are moving into formal administrative responsibility, and for current administrators seeking appointment or advancement in systems that use a competitive selection process. The SLPS Competitive Exam study guide has 9 sections and about 2,303 words.
01Leadership, Vision, and School Culture
This domain tests how a school leader builds a shared vision, aligns culture to it, and leads change through trust and distributed responsibility. The exam favors evidence-based judgment over slogans: a vision is useful only when it is co-constructed, published, and used to make decisions.
319 words, about 2 min02Instructional Leadership and Curriculum
This domain tests curriculum coherence, instructional supervision, and the leader’s role in improving teaching. Expect questions on standards alignment, guaranteed and viable curriculum, backwards design, MTSS, coaching, and professional learning communities.
289 words, about 1 min03Student Learning, Assessment, and Data Use
This domain tests balanced assessment, data literacy, and the disciplined use of evidence to improve learning. Questions probe formative and summative purposes, validity, reliability, disaggregation, progress monitoring, and data privacy.
256 words, about 1 min04School Operations and Resource Management
This domain tests stewardship of people, time, money, and facilities. Expect budget cycles, fund accounting, internal controls, Title I rules, scheduling, transportation, food service, and maintenance.
255 words, about 1 min05Human Resources and Staff Development
This domain tests recruitment, induction, evaluation, professional learning, and retention. Expect questions on hiring, mentoring, due process, collective bargaining, licensure, and equitable staffing.
242 words, about 1 min06Family and Community Engagement
This domain tests how leaders build trusting relationships with families and community partners. Expect Epstein’s six types of involvement, Title I family engagement requirements, communication, cultural responsiveness, and partnership outcomes.
253 words, about 1 min07Ethics, Equity, and Professional Norms
This domain tests ethical decision-making, equity, and professional conduct. Expect conflicts of interest, confidentiality, bias, resource equity, advocacy, and codes of ethics.
228 words, about 1 min08School Law, Policy, and Compliance
This domain tests legal literacy and policy implementation. Expect IDEA, Section 504, FERPA, Title IX, First Amendment, Fourth Amendment, due process, English learner rights, and McKinney-Vento.
234 words, about 1 min09School Safety and Crisis Management
This domain tests prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. Expect safety plans, threat assessment, drills, incident command, reunification, and communication.
227 words, about 1 min