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FLASHSALE
In this blog post, we're breaking down one of the most effective strategies for passing the SLLA 6990 and the Praxis 5412: thinking like a test maker instead of a test taker. If you've ever stared at four answer choices that all sound reasonable, you already know why this matters. Both exams reward candidates who can spot patterns in language rather than simply reading top to bottom and hoping the right answer jumps out.
Know the Structure You're Working With
Both the SLLA 6990 and the Praxis 5412 include 120 selected response questions, and it's worth noting these aren't just standard multiple choice. Selected response questions can ask you to choose all that apply or select a specific number of correct answers, and there's no partial credit. Get one part wrong, and the whole item is marked incorrect.
The SLLA also includes four constructed response questions, which make up 25 percent of your total score. That's a significant chunk of your grade, so it deserves real preparation. If you're working through my SLLA 6990 resources, you'll notice the constructed response section is built specifically to help you organize your writing efficiently under time pressure, since you'll have four hours total to complete the exam.
The Six Content Categories
Both exams are organized around six content categories:
- Strategic Leadership
- Instructional Leadership
- Climate and Cultural Leadership
- Ethical Leadership
- Organizational Leadership
- Community Engagement Leadership
Instructional leadership tends to carry the most weight, and it's also the category most closely tied to closing achievement gaps through data driven decision making.
Every leadership exam is aligned with the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, commonly known as PSEL. These standards, published by the National Policy Board for Educational Administration, shape the language you'll see in correct answer choices, so reviewing them alongside your test prep materials is one of the highest value things you can do before test day.
Learn the "Good Words" and "Bad Words"
This is where thinking like a test maker really pays off. Certain phrases show up again and again in correct answers:
- Disaggregated data
- Needs assessment
- Shared leadership
- Restorative practices
- Meaningful delegation
- Continuous improvement
Others signal a wrong answer almost every time:
- Reactionary decision making
- Punitive discipline
- Top-down decisions that skip the community
- Relying solely on standardized test scores
Here's the pattern that trips people up most: if a question asks what a leader should do first, the answer almost always involves analyzing data — before forming a committee, surveying staff, or launching a new program. Data comes first. Every time.
Working Backward Through Practice Questions
One of the most useful habits you can build: read the answer choices before you read the full scenario.
Long data sets and lengthy prompts tend to blur together, but the answer choices themselves usually reveal which good words and bad words are in play. Once you've narrowed your options that way, go back to the scenario to confirm your pick.
Like any strategy, this one gets easier the more you use it. Try it out on our free SLLA 6990 and Praxis 5412 Practice Test and see how quickly the patterns start to click.
Carry Your Strategy Into Constructed Response
For the SLLA 6990, you'll always get at least one constructed response question on strategic leadership and one on instructional leadership. The remaining two can come from any other category.
Don't switch gears here. The same good words and phrases that guide you through selected response should carry directly into your written answers, your test vocabulary doesn't change just because the format does.
Preparing With Confidence
Whether you're studying for the SLLA 6990 or the Praxis 5412, the goal is the same: understand the patterns behind the questions instead of memorizing content in isolation. Official Praxis 5412 Study Companion from ETS are worth reviewing alongside a structured study guide, they'll show you the exact format and scoring criteria you'll face on test day.
Get Ready With Our School Leadership Resources
Our School Leadership resources give you a clear, structured path to test day. Instead of memorizing content, you'll learn to recognize the patterns test makers rely on. Our SLLA 6990 materials cover all six content categories with realistic practice questions, and a constructed-response section to help you write strong answers under time pressure. Our Praxis 5412 materials take the same approach for that exam.
📹 Watch the full video for the complete walkthrough 📹
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