School psychologist

The Praxis® Study Companion

School Psychologist
5402

www.ets.org/praxis


Welcome to the Praxis® Study Companion

Welcome to The Praxis®Study Companion
Prepare to Show What You Know
You have been working to acquire the knowledge and skills you need for your teaching career. Now you are
ready to demonstrate your abilities by taking a Praxis® test.
Using the Praxis® Study Companion is a smart way to prepare for the test so you can do your best on test day.
This guide can help keep you on track and make the most efficient use of your study time.
The Study Companion contains practical information and helpful tools, including:
• An overview of the Praxis tests
• Specific information on the Praxis test you are taking
• A template study plan
• Study topics
• Practice questions and explanations of correct answers
• Test-taking tips and strategies
• Frequently asked questions
• Links to more detailed information
So where should you start? Begin by reviewing this guide in its entirety and note those sections that you need
to revisit. Then you can create your own personalized study plan and schedule based on your individual needs
and how much time you have before test day.
Keep in mind that study habits are individual. There are many different ways to successfully prepare for your
test. Some people study better on their own, while others prefer a group dynamic. You may have more energy
early in the day, but another test taker may concentrate better in the evening. So use this guide to develop the

approach that works best for you.
Your teaching career begins with preparation. Good luck!

Know What to Expect
Which tests should I take?
Each state or agency that uses the Praxis tests sets its own requirements for which test or tests you must take for
the teaching area you wish to pursue.
Before you register for a test, confirm your state or agency’s testing requirements at www.ets.org/praxis/states.

How are the Praxis tests given?
Praxis tests are given on computer. Other formats are available for test takers approved for accommodations (see
page 41).

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Welcome to the Praxis® Study Companion

What should I expect when taking the test on computer?
When taking the test on computer, you can expect to be asked to provide proper identification at the test
center. Once admitted, you will be given the opportunity to learn how the computer interface works (how to
answer questions, how to skip questions, how to go back to questions you skipped, etc.) before the testing time
begins. Watch the What to Expect on Test Day video to see what the experience is like.

Where and when are the Praxis tests offered?
You can select the test center that is most convenient for you. The Praxis tests are administered through an
international network of test centers, which includes Prometric® Testing Centers, some universities, and other
locations throughout the world.

Testing schedules may differ, so see the Praxis web site for more detailed test registration information at www.
ets.org/praxis/register.

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents
The Praxis® Study Companion guides you through the steps to success
1. Learn About Your Test.....................................................................................................5
Learn about the specific test you will be taking
2. F
 amiliarize Yourself with Test Questions.................................................................... 10
Become comfortable with the types of questions you’ll find on the Praxis tests
3. Practice with Sample Test Questions.......................................................................... 14
Answer practice questions and find explanations for correct answers
4. Determine Your Strategy for Success.......................................................................... 25
Set clear goals and deadlines so your test preparation is focused and efficient
5. Develop Your Study Plan.............................................................................................. 28
Develop a personalized study plan and schedule
6. Review Study Topics..................................................................................................... 32
Review study topics with questions for discussion
7. Review Smart Tips for Success..................................................................................... 39
Follow test-taking tips developed by experts
8. Check on Testing Accommodations............................................................................ 41
See if you qualify for accommodations to take the Praxis test
9. Do Your Best on Test Day.............................................................................................. 42

Get ready for test day so you will be calm and confident
10. Understand Your Scores............................................................................................. 44
Understand how tests are scored and how to interpret your test scores
Appendix: Other Questions You May Have .................................................................... 46

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Step 1: Learn About Your Test

1. Learn About Your Test
Learn about the specific test you will be taking

School Psychologist (5402)

Test at a Glance
Test Name

School Psychologist

Test Code 5402
Time

140 minutes

Number of Questions140
Format

Selected-response questions

Test Delivery

Computer delivered



Content Categories


I.

I
IV

Approximate Approximate
Number of
Percentage of
Questions Examination

Professional Practices, Practices that
42
Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery

30%


II. Direct and Indirect Services for Children
32

Families, and Schools (Student-Level
III
Services
II

23%


III. Systems-Level Services

IV. Foundations of School Psychological
Service Delivery

15%
32%

22
44

About This Test
The Praxis School Psychologist test is based on the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Model
for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services (2010) and is designed for candidates
seeking licensure or certification as school psychologists in educational settings. The test assumes that
candidates have had some form of supervised practicum or internship experience.
The 140 selected-response questions focus on both content and process issues that are relevant to the school
setting. The test content includes the areas of professional practices, practices that permeate all aspects of
service delivery; direct and indirect services for children, families, and schools (student-level services); systemslevel services; and foundations of school psychological service delivery.
This test may contain some questions that will not count toward your score.
NOTE: The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) was published in
May 2013 with revisions to the criteria for the diagnosis and classifications of mental disorders. In the interest

of fairness, and to allow time for educator preparation programs to integrate such changes into their curricula,
Praxis test materials will continue to reference the terminology, criteria, and classifications referred to in the
fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) until further notice.

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Step 1: Learn About Your Test

Test Specifications
Test specifications in this chapter describe the knowledge and skills measured by the test. Study topics to help
you prepare to answer test questions can be found on page 32.

I. Professional Practices, Practices that
Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery
A.

Data-Based Decision Making and
Accountability
1. Problem identification
a. knows various interview strategies
b. knows various observational strategies
c. understands appropriate use of
background information (e.g., student
records, medical records and reports,
review of previous interventions,
development history)
d. understands appropriate use and

interpretation of screening measures and
methods
2. Assessment and problem analysis

j.

knows how to use information and
technology resources to enhance data
collection and decision making

k. understands the use of ongoing data
collection to systematically assess the
quality and effectiveness of academic,
mental health, and system-level services
(e.g., intervention design and
implementation, progress monitoring,
treatment fidelity/integrity, learning
outcomes)
3. Knowledge of measurement theory and
principles
a. knows to use a problem-solving framework
as the basis for all professional activities
b. understands different types of test scores
and norms

a. understands theories of intelligence and
the appropriate use and interpretation of
measures of intellectual/cognitive
functioning

c. knows the strengths and limitations of
various types of assessment procedures
(e.g., self-report tests and inventories,
multiple-choice tests, interviews)

b. understands appropriate use and
interpretation of measures of educational
achievement

d. is familiar with the principles of reliability
and validity

c. understands appropriate use and
interpretation of diagnostic/processing
measures (e.g., memory, executive
functioning, phonemic awareness)
d. understands appropriate use and
interpretation of measures of development
and adaptive behavior
e. understands appropriate use and
interpretation of measures of affective/
social/emotional functioning and behavior
f.

knows appropriate use and interpretation
of a functional behavioral assessment

g. is familiar with performance-based
assessment (e.g., work samples, portfolios)
h. understands appropriate use and

interpretation of curriculum-based
assessment/curriculum-based measures
i.

knows appropriate use and interpretation
of ecological assessment (e.g., classroom,
family, community characteristics)

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e. is familiar with personal, social, linguistic,
environmental, racial, and cultural factors
that may influence assessment procedures
f.

knows about test fairness concepts

4. Assessment of special populations
a. is familiar with infant and early childhood/
preschool assessment procedures
b. knows appropriate use and interpretation
of assessment procedures for English as a
second language/English-language
learners (e.g., the appropriate use of
translators/interpreters, measurement
selection, language of assessment)
c. is familiar with the assessment of students
with low-incidence exceptionalities (e.g.,
chronic health impairments, severe physical
disabilities, autism spectrum disorders,

sensory impairments)
d. is familiar with screening for the gifted and
talented

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Step 1: Learn About Your Test

B.

Consultation and Collaboration

2. Issues related to academic success/failure

1. Models and methods of consultation used for
planning, implementing, and evaluating
academic interventions and mental health
services

a. understands the importance of using
evidence-based strategies when
developing interventions
b. knows factors related to academic progress
(e.g., school/classroom climate, family
involvement, motivation, socioeconomic
status, language competency,
programming for ELL)

a. knows to use a problem-solving framework

as the basis for all consultation and
collaboration activities when planning,
implementing, and evaluating academic
and mental health services
b. knows the various models of consultation
(e.g., behavioral, mental health,
instructional, organizational)
c. knows the importance of facilitating
communication and collaboration among
diverse stakeholders (e.g., school personnel,
families, community professionals, etc.)
2. Home/school/community collaboration
(student-level)
a. knows strategies for working with a
student’s family (e.g., building relationships,
collaborating on intervention plans,
promoting positive habits such as building
healthy lifestyles)
b. knows strategies for working with
community agencies/providers to support
a student’s success

II. Direct and Indirect Services for Children,
Families, and Schools (Student-Level
Services)
A.

Interventions and Instructional Support to
Develop Academic Skills
1. Effective instruction at the individual and

group level
a. is familiar with various instructional
strategies (e.g., cooperative learning,
flexible grouping, differentiated instruction,
engagement time, scaffolding, study skills,
metacognition)
b. knows common curricular
accommodations and modifications (e.g.,
information and assistive technology,
specially designed instruction)
c. knows methods for helping students
become self-regulated learners, set and
achieve individual instructional goals, and
assess outcomes to see whether goals were
attained

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c. is familiar with the Response to
Intervention (RTI) model
B.

Interventions and Mental Health Services to
Develop Social and Life Skills
1. Primary, secondary, and tertiary preventive
strategies
a. is familiar with common classroom
organization and management techniques
(e.g., time management, classroom rules,
physical environment)

b. knows how to conduct individual and
small-group programs (e.g., social skills
training, conflict resolution)
c. is familiar with risk factors associated with
severe learning and mental health issues
and designs appropriate intervention plans
to address those issues
2. School-based intervention skills/techniques
a. understands basic counseling theories and
techniques for use at the individual and
group level
b. knows about appropriate intervention
techniques for various developmental
levels
c. understands applied behavioral analysis
and intervention
3. Child and adolescent psychopathology
a. is familiar with common symptoms of
mental health issues and educational
disabilities
b. understands the impact mental health has
on the educational outcomes of children
and adolescents
c. has a basic knowledge of
psychopharmacology

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Step 1: Learn About Your Test

III. Systems-Level Services
A.

Schoolwide Practices to Promote Learning
1. Is familiar with school-based organizational
development and systems theory

IV. Foundations of School Psychological Service
Delivery
A.

1. Recognizes the importance of culture,
background, and individual learning
characteristics (e.g., age, gender or gender
identity, cognitive capabilities, socialemotional skills, developmental level, race,
ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual and
gender orientation, disability, chronic illness,
language, socioeconomic status) when
designing and implementing interventions to
achieve learning and behavioral outcomes

2. Is familiar with the importance of systems-level
resource mapping
3. Understands common educational policies/
practices (e.g., social promotion, high-stakes
testing, benchmarking, retention, tracking, zero
tolerance, corporal punishment)
4. Recognizes the importance of research
outcomes when designing school-based

intervention plans

2. Knows the importance of working with culture
brokers or community liaisons to understand
the needs of diverse learners

5. Recognizes the importance of using
knowledge of research and organizational and
systems theory in the development of school
improvement plans
B.

3. Recognizes personal biases or biases in others
that influence decision making, instruction,
behavior, and long-term outcomes for
students

Preventive and Responsive Services
1. Knows common school/system-wide
prevention programs (e.g., promoting safe
school environments, positive behavioral
support, bullying prevention, school climate
assessment, policy development, programs
promoting good health)

4. Recognizes the importance of promoting
fairness and social justice in educational
programs and services
B.

2. Knows how to translate research into practice
3. Understands research design and statistics
4. Knows how to incorporate data collection,
measurement, analysis, accountability, and use
of technology resources into program
evaluation

3. Knows a variety of crisis prevention and
intervention techniques
4. Is familiar with school/district-wide crisis
management planning, recovery, and response

5. Knows how to provide assistance in schools
and other settings for analyzing, interpreting,
and using empirical foundations for effective
practices at the individual, group, and/or
systems levels

Family-School Collaboration Services
1. Is familiar with the importance of advocating
for the involvement of families in schoolwide
activities
2. Is familiar with the importance of interagency
collaboration in developing effective
schoolwide interventions and policies

Research and Program Evaluation
1. Knows how to evaluate research

2. Knows risk and protective factors as they relate

to a variety of issues (e.g., school failure,
truancy, dropout, bullying, youth suicide,
school violence)

C.

Diversity in Development and Learning

C.

Legal, Ethical, and Professional Practice
1. Ethical principles related to the practice of
school psychology
a. knows the NASP Principles for Professional
Ethics
b. is familiar with the standards for
educational and psychological tests (e.g.,
APA, AERA, NCME)
c. knows the importance of ethical practice in
the use of technology (e.g., report writing
software, confidentiality, electronic data
storage and transmission)

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Step 1: Learn About Your Test

2. Legal issues related to the practice of school
psychology
a. knows the common laws and regulations
governing the practice of school
psychology
–– Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act (IDEA, PL108-446, 2004)
–– Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973 (PL 93-112)
–– Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, PL
101-336, 1990)
–– Elementary and Secondary Education Act
(PL 89-10, 1965) and No Child Left Behind
Act (PL 107-110, 2001)
–– Buckley Amendment to the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974
(FERPA, PL 93-380)

b. knows relevant case law that affects
practice

c. knows the rights of students (e.g., informed
consent, confidentiality, least restrictive
environment, manifestation determination,
seclusion and restraint)
d. knows the ethical, professional, and legal
liability of school psychologists (e.g.,
malpractice, negligence, supervision,
conflict of interest)
3. Professional foundations

a. understands the importance of advocating
for children and their families (i.e., issues
such as disproportionality, poverty, access,
and equity)
b. is familiar with the history of school
psychology
c. recognizes the importance of lifelong
learning and professional growth
d. is familiar with the importance and value of
supervision and mentoring

–– PARC v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
(1972)
–– Lau v. Nichols (1974)
–– Board of Education of the Hendrick Hudson
Central School District v. Rowley (1982)
–– Irving Independent School District v. Tatro
(1984)
–– Oberti v. Clementon (1993)
–– Newport-Mesa Unified School District v. State
of California Department of Education (2010)
–– Larry P. v. Riles (1979)

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Step 2: Familiarize Yourself with Test Questions

2. Familiarize Yourself with Test Questions
Become comfortable with the types of questions you’ll find on the Praxis tests
The Praxis assessments include a variety of question types: constructed response (for which you write a
response of your own); selected response, for which you select one or more answers from a list of choices or
make another kind of selection (e.g., by clicking on a sentence in a text or by clicking on part of a graphic); and
numeric entry, for which you enter a numeric value in an answer field. You may be familiar with these question
formats from taking other standardized tests. If not, familiarize yourself with them so you don’t spend time
during the test figuring out how to answer them.

Understanding Computer-Delivered Questions
Questions on computer-delivered tests are interactive in the sense that you answer by selecting an option
or entering text on the screen. If you see a format you are not familiar with, read the directions carefully. The
directions always give clear instructions on how you are expected to respond.
For most questions, you respond by clicking an oval to select a single answer from a list of answer choices.
However, interactive question types may also ask you to respond by:
• Clicking more than one oval to select answers from a list of choices.
• Typing in an entry box. When the answer is a number, you may be asked to enter a numerical answer.
Some questions may have more than one place to enter a response.
• Clicking check boxes. You may be asked to click check boxes instead of an oval when more than one
choice within a set of answers can be selected.
• Clicking parts of a graphic. In some questions, you will select your answers by clicking on a location (or
locations) on a graphic such as a map or chart, as opposed to choosing your answer from a list.
• Clicking on sentences. In questions with reading passages, you may be asked to choose your answers by
clicking on a sentence (or sentences) within the reading passage.
• Dragging and dropping answer choices into targets on the screen. You may be asked to select answers
from a list of choices and drag your answers to the appropriate location in a table, paragraph of text or
graphic.
• Selecting answer choices from a drop-down menu. You may be asked to choose answers by selecting
choices from a drop-down menu (e.g., to complete a sentence).
Remember that with every question you will get clear instructions.

Perhaps the best way to understand computer-delivered questions is to view the Computer-delivered Testing
Demonstration on the Praxis web site to learn how a computer-delivered test works and see examples of
some types of questions you may encounter.

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Step 2: Familiarize Yourself with Test Questions

Understanding Selected-Response Questions
Many selected-response questions begin with the phrase “which of the following.” Take a look at this example:
Which of the following is a flavor made from beans?
(A) Strawberry
(B) Cherry
(C) Vanilla
(D) Mint

How would you answer this question?
All of the answer choices are flavors. Your job is to decide which of the flavors is the one made from beans.
Try following these steps to select the correct answer.
1) L
 imit your answer to the choices given. You may know that chocolate and coffee are also flavors made
from beans, but they are not listed. Rather than thinking of other possible answers, focus only on the choices
given (“which of the following”).
2) E
 liminate incorrect answers. You may know that strawberry and cherry flavors are made from fruit and
that mint flavor is made from a plant. That leaves vanilla as the only possible answer.
3) V

 erify your answer. You can substitute “vanilla” for the phrase “which of the following” and turn the
question into this statement: “Vanilla is a flavor made from beans.” This will help you be sure that your answer
is correct. If you’re still uncertain, try substituting the other choices to see if they make sense. You may want
to use this technique as you answer selected-response questions on the practice tests.

Try a more challenging example
The vanilla bean question is pretty straightforward, but you’ll find that more challenging questions have a
similar structure. For example:
Entries in outlines are generally arranged according
to which of the following relationships of ideas?
(A) Literal and inferential
(B) Concrete and abstract
(C) Linear and recursive
(D) Main and subordinate
You’ll notice that this example also contains the phrase “which of the following.” This phrase helps you
determine that your answer will be a “relationship of ideas” from the choices provided. You are supposed to find
the choice that describes how entries, or ideas, in outlines are related.
Sometimes it helps to put the question in your own words. Here, you could paraphrase the question in this way:
“How are outlines usually organized?” Since the ideas in outlines usually appear as main ideas and subordinate
ideas, the answer is (D).

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Step 2: Familiarize Yourself with Test Questions

QUICK TIP: Don’t be intimidated by words you may not understand. It might be easy to be thrown by words
like “recursive” or “inferential.” Read carefully to understand the question and look for an answer that fits. An

outline is something you are probably familiar with and expect to teach to your students. So slow down, and
use what you know.

Watch out for selected-response questions containing “NOT,” “LEAST,” and “EXCEPT”
This type of question asks you to select the choice that does not fit. You must be very careful because it is easy
to forget that you are selecting the negative. This question type is used in situations in which there are several
good solutions or ways to approach something, but also a clearly wrong way.

How to approach questions about graphs, tables, or reading passages
When answering questions about graphs, tables, or reading passages, provide only the information that the
questions ask for. In the case of a map or graph, you might want to read the questions first, and then look at the
map or graph. In the case of a long reading passage, you might want to go ahead and read the passage first,
noting places you think are important, and then answer the questions. Again, the important thing is to be sure
you answer the questions as they refer to the material presented. So read the questions carefully.

How to approach unfamiliar formats
New question formats are developed from time to time to find new ways of assessing knowledge. Tests may
include audio and video components, such as a movie clip or animation, instead of a map or reading passage.
Other tests may allow you to zoom in on details in a graphic or picture.
Tests may also include interactive questions. These questions take advantage of technology to assess
knowledge and skills in ways that standard selected-response questions cannot. If you see a format you are
not familiar with, read the directions carefully. The directions always give clear instructions on how you are
expected to respond.

QUICK TIP: Don’t make the questions more difficult than they are. Don’t read for hidden meanings or tricks.
There are no trick questions on Praxis tests. They are intended to be serious, straightforward tests of
your knowledge.

Understanding Constructed-Response Questions
Constructed-response questions require you to demonstrate your knowledge in a subject area by creating

your own response to particular topics. Essays and short-answer questions are types of constructed-response
questions.
For example, an essay question might present you with a topic and ask you to discuss the extent to which you
agree or disagree with the opinion stated. You must support your position with specific reasons and examples
from your own experience, observations, or reading.
Take a look at a few sample essay topics:
• “ Celebrities have a tremendous influence on the young, and for that reason, they have a responsibility to
act as role models.”
• “ We are constantly bombarded by advertisements—on television and radio, in newspapers and
magazines, on highway signs, and the sides of buses. They have become too pervasive. It’s time to put
limits on advertising.”
• “Advances in computer technology have made the classroom unnecessary, since students and teachers
are able to communicate with one another from computer terminals at home or at work.”

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Step 2: Familiarize Yourself with Test Questions

Keep these things in mind when you respond to a constructed-response question
1) A
 nswer the question accurately. Analyze what each part of the question is asking you to do. If the
question asks you to describe or discuss, you should provide more than just a list.
2) A
 nswer the question completely. If a question asks you to do three distinct things in your response,
you should cover all three things for the best score. Otherwise, no matter how well you write, you will
not be awarded full credit.
3) A

 nswer the question that is asked. Do not change the question or challenge the basis of the
question. You will receive no credit or a low score if you answer another question or if you state, for
example, that there is no possible answer.
4) G
 ive a thorough and detailed response. You must demonstrate that you have a thorough
understanding of the subject matter. However, your response should be straightforward and not filled
with unnecessary information.
5) R
 eread your response. Check that you have written what you thought you wrote. Be sure not to
leave sentences unfinished or omit clarifying information.

QUICK TIP: You may find that it helps to take notes on scratch paper so that you don’t miss any details. Then
you’ll be sure to have all the information you need to answer the question.
For tests that have constructed-response questions, more detailed information can be found on page 5.

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Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions

3. Practice with Sample Test Questions
Answer practice questions and find explanations for correct answers

Computer Delivery
This test is available via computer delivery. The following sample question provides a preview of an actual
screen used in a computer-delivered test. For the purposes of this Study Companion, the sample questions are
shown as they would appear in a paper-delivered test.

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Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions

Sample Test Questions
The sample questions that follow illustrate the
kinds of questions on the test. They are not,
however, representative of the entire scope of the
test in either content or difficulty. Answers with
explanations follow the questions.
Directions: Each of the questions or incomplete
statements below is followed by four suggested
answers or completions. Select the one that is
best in each case.
1. To save the expense of purchasing a new test
form, a chief school administrator asks a
certified school psychologist to administer a
six-year-old form of an achievement test that
agreed with the curriculum of the school
district at that time. Considering the situation
and the Principles for Professional Ethics of
the National Association of School
Psychologists’ (NASP) the school
psychologist should
(A) administer the outdated form but use
new norms
(B) ask that at least a few copies of the new

form be administered for comparison
(C) insist on administering only the most
recent form of the test
(D) recommend that the assessment be
canceled

2. A 7-year-old student arrived in the United
States one year ago from a non-Englishspeaking country, where she achieved high
scores in reading. Over the year, she has
become fluent in social English. After a few
months in a monolingual English second
grade, her teacher refers her for evaluation
because she has great difficulty with the basal
reader used in the class. Two English
proficiency tests administered to the student
show that she performs above the mean for
monolingual English grade peers in speaking
and listening but well below the mean in
reading and writing. She also performs well
above the mean for grade peers on reading
tests in her native language. Based on this
information alone, which of the following is
the most accurate interpretation?
(A) Continued use of the student’s native
language in her home environment is
interfering with her development of
English.
(B) The student’s reading difficulty is an early
indicator that she will have increased
academic problems as her coursework

requires more reading.
(C) The discrepancy between the student’s
English social language skills and
reading skills is expected given the richer
context in which social skills are
acquired.
(D). The discrepancy between the student’s
native language reading skills and
English reading skills is related to the
greater complexity of English.

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Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions

3. According to Caplan’s model of consulteecentered case consultation, the consultant is
primarily interested in
(A) identifying the causes and solutions of
the client’s presenting problems
(B) identifying and eliminating the causes of
the consultee’s difficulties in handling a
problem

5. During assigned seat-work time, Mary, a firstgrade student, sometimes leaves her seat and
attempts to play with a block collection. When
she leaves her seat, she fails to complete her
seat work. Which of the following behavioral

intervention strategies will most effectively
increase the long-term likelihood that Mary
will complete her seat work?

(C) establishing a hierarchy of authority to
enable effective decision making

(A) Allowing Mary to read from a teacherselected book for a specific period of
time before beginning her seat work

(D) presenting a single, well-defined and
unambiguous course of action for the
consultant to overcome skills deficits

(B) Allowing Mary to play with the blocks
afterward if she remains in her seat
throughout the assigned seat-work time

4. A major advantage of standardized normreferenced assessment, as compared with
curriculum-based assessment, is that
standardized norm-referenced tests

(C) Explaining to Mary the value of
completing seat work in terms of the
objectives of the lesson
(D) Removing the blocks from the classroom
during the assigned seat-work time

(A) are more tailored to the specific
curriculum

(B) provide a greater capacity to evaluate
students in terms of large groups of
grade-level peers
(C) yield more information on whether
students have mastered units that are
prerequisites for future work
(D) provide more information on the interplay
between the students’ learning
environment and skills

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Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions

6. In a meeting with the school psychologist, Ms.
Harcar, a new sixth-grade teacher, expresses
some concerns about a student, Anthony. The
school psychologist has worked with the boy
and knows him well. Anthony has a mild
learning disability and receives academic
support. He is doing well on a daily basis but
has difficulty performing on tests. The school
psychologist discusses ways in which Ms.
Harcar could incorporate study-skills training
into classroom activities. With regard to
study-skills training, the school psychologist
should stress which of the following principles

while advising Ms. Harcar?
(A) The study skills of students with
disabilities are improved when they are
given a single, specific study strategy to
follow for all subjects.
(B) Students with disabilities often develop
study skills on their own and need only
some guidance and reinforcement by the
teacher.
(C) Training in study skills needs to include
helping students to guide their own
thinking to organize their own study
behaviors and to use varied study
approaches.
(D) Study strategies are best taught in a
small group by having students practice
collaborative problem-solving activities
modeled by the teacher.
7. A common criticism of labeling students as
disabled is that individuals tend to perform in
accordance with characteristics associated
with a label. This performing phenomenon is
known by which of the following names?
(A) The self-fulfilling prophecy
(B) The law of effect
(C) The primacy effect
(D) Social loafing

8. A 10-year-old student who was born in a nonEnglish-speaking country has been referred
as a possible candidate for special education

services on the basis of low scores achieved
on the school district’s group achievement
test. The student achieved high scores on the
district’s English fluency test. Of the following
approaches to diagnostic assessment, the
most appropriate is one that
(A) uses an interpreter who is fluent in the
language of the country in which the
student was born
(B) uses the results of at least two Englishlanguage intelligence tests
(C) accounts for sociocultural and adaptive
behavior in the process of identifying
skills and abilities
(D) includes parent interviews and classroom
observations as well as the results of an
intelligence test
9. According to the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Improvement Act, which of the
following must an educational agency do
before it changes the educational placement
of a student with a disability?
(A) Give the child a trial period in the new
environment
(B) Notify the parents in writing
(C) Obtain school board approval
(D) Obtain parental consent
10. In a code-based phonic approach to early
reading instruction, first-grade students are
taught the sounds of the letters b, a, s, and g.
According to the theory underlying this

approach, which of the following will be most
effective as the first sentence for the students
to read?
(A) Bob ate a snack.
(B) A dog bit Ann.
(C) Gail has a bag.
(D) Sally was happy.

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Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions

11. A sixth-grade teacher is concerned because
Kerry, a student in class, has been hostile to
classmates. Which of the following teacher
strategies is most likely to encourage Kerry to
be more cooperative with classmates?
(A) Preventing Kerry from participating in
play or recess activities as a
consequence of hostile behavior

13. Which of the following interventions is most
effective at facilitating the education of gifted
students?
(A) Using heterogeneous grouping to allow
gifted students to strengthen social skills
and grow academically

(B) Assigning independent research projects
within the framework of the curriculum

(B) Having Kerry memorize rules of behavior
and write examples of how they would
apply in the classroom

(C) Implementing cooperative learning to
encourage gifted students to work up to
their ability

(C) Withholding attention or approval from
Kerry in response to hostile behavior

(D) Providing acceleration for gifted
students, especially within the areas of
their interests and skills

(D) Implementing social skills training to
teach Kerry appropriate replacement
behaviors for hostile behaviors
12. The superintendent of a large school district
asks the school psychologist to predict
students’ grade point averages (GPAs) for the
first year of high school. The school
psychologist has included achievement and
aptitude scores as predictor variables for firstyear high school GPA in a regression analysis
and is considering whether to also administer
a school interest inventory and include those
scores. The major concern of the school

psychologist when making this decision
should be which of the following?
(A) The intercorrelation of the aptitude and
achievement test scores
(B) The degree to which the school interest
inventory score raises the multiple
correlation when it is included as a
predictor variable of first-year high
school GPA
(C) The zero-order correlation of first-year
high school GPA and the school interest
inventory score
(D) The difference in the correlations of the
school interest inventory scores with
first-year high school GPA and the
aptitude and achievement test scores
with first-year high school GPA

The Praxis® Study Companion

14. Which of the following conditions best
characterizes the focus of a behavioral model
of school intervention?
(A) Underlying psychological processes
(B) Relationships among children
(C) Events during the child’s infancy
(D) Observable events
15. According to the position statement
Supervision in School Psychology published
by the National Association of School

Psychologists (NASP), which of the following
is most accurate concerning school
psychologists who will be supervising in a
school district?
(A) They need provide supervision only to
school psychologists who are not fully
certified or licensed and to any school
psychology interns.
(B) They should provide professional but not
administrative supervision.
(C) They are eligible to serve as supervisors
after one year of experience as a school
psychologist.
(D) They should hold the Nationally Certified
School Psychologist credential or the
state school psychologist credential.

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Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions

16. A teacher attempts to encourage reading by
exempting students from some homework
assignments for each book they read. Which of
the following terms best describes the behavior
modification technique applied by the teacher?
(A) Extinction
(B) Variable-ratio reinforcement
(C) Fixed-ratio reinforcement

(D) Negative reinforcement
17. Arnold Gesell is significant to the history of
school psychology because he
(A) identified the four major periods of
cognitive development
(B) established the ethical standards of the
National Association of School
Psychologists
(C) developed a version of the thematic
apperception test appropriate for use with
children
(D) devised a prototypical normative
assessment for infants and young children
18. Susan is a first-grade student who is referred
to the school psychologist because she will not
remain seated at her desk. Her teacher reports
that Susan is “always getting up and walking
around the room.” What observation data is
LEAST relevant to the referral concern?

19. In test construction and evaluation, validity
refers to the degree to which a test
(A) measures what it purports to measure
(B) yields consistent results on successive
administrations
(C) has been piloted and statistically
analyzed
(D) includes norms based on a
representative sample of the general
population

20. The decision in Tarasoff v. Regents of the
University of California (1974, 1976)
established which of the following principles
regarding confidentiality in counseling
relationships?
(A) Duty to warn and protect
(B) Responsibility to maintain privacy
(C) Need to obtain informed consent
(D) Need to maintain accurate records
21. Which type of assessment attempts to identify
the most pressing behavioral problem, and
possible ways to alleviate it, by investigating
the relationship between aspects of an
individual’s environment and behavior?
(A) Personality
(B) Cognitive

(A) Frequency

(C) Ecological

(B) Duration

(D) Curriculum-based

(C) Intensity
(D) Peer comparison

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Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions

22. Within a multimethod model of assessment,
child interviews are most helpful for which
purpose?
(A) Incorporating a strength-based
perspective
(B) Meeting legal guidelines for a
comprehensive assessment

26. A school psychologist is asked to help Ms.
Smith address problem behaviors that are
disrupting the learning of her students. The
school psychologist is given data that indicate
discipline referrals have been written on 26 of
the 30 students in Ms. Smith’s class. Which of
the following is best for the school
psychologist to recommend?

(C) Providing an accurate timeline of when a
problem began and how it changed over
time

(A) Developing individual behavior contracts
for the 26 students who have received
discipline referrals

(D) Establishing rapport to better understand
the child’s perspective on a problem

(B) Using comprehensive emotional and
behavioral assessments for students
who have received discipline referrals

23. Mr. Thomas, a school psychologist, works
with Ms. Riddle, a special education teacher,
to meet the needs of Mark, a student with
autism spectrum disorder. Mr. Thomas does
not work with Mark directly; Ms. Riddle acts
as his mediator. This collaboration is an
example of which consultation model?
(A) Systems

(C) Providing school-based group
counseling to address issues such as
study skills, attendance, decision
making, problem solving, and goal
setting.
(D) Implementing a class-wide behavior
management plan, such as a responsecost raffle.

(B) Resource
(C) Triadic
(D) Adaptive learning environments
24. Which of the following statistical procedures
consists of systematically combining data
from multiple studies focusing on the same

question and using similar variables?
(A) Analysis of variance
(B) Analysis of difference scores
(C) Multiple regression

27. The precedent established in Larry P. v. Riles
resulted in
(A) the provision of a free, appropriate public
education for students with disabilities
(B) the provision of bilingual education for
English-language learners
(C) schools being held responsible for
providing tests that do not discriminate
on the basis of race
(D) the assignment of similar funding to
athletic activities for boys and girls

(D) Meta-analysis
25. Which of the following is a strategy that the
National Association of School Psychologists
(NASP) recommends as a best practice for
improving school safety?
(A) Expelling a student immediately after a
minor disciplinary infraction
(B) Implementing a strict student code of
conduct, such as a zero-tolerance policy

28. Which of the following is a stimulant
medication used to treat attention-deficit/
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?

(A)Adderall®
(B)Strattera®
(C)Prozac®
(D)Zoloft®

(C) Communicating to parents that the
school environment is safe
(D) Creating a school safety and response
team

The Praxis® Study Companion

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