Review the ILTS Principal as Instructional Leader Subtest 2 exam outline, content-area weights and the TeacherPreps school leadership study guide lessons for this exam.

Published by TeacherPreps · Updated November 7, 2026

ILTS Principal as Instructional Leader Subtest 2: Study Guide

Exam facts

Exam: ILTS Principal as Instructional Leader Subtest 2
State / jurisdiction: Illinois
Credential area: School principal
Delivery: Computer-based test
Questions: 56 multiple-choice questions; 2 constructed-response assignments
Testing time: 225 minutes (3 hours 45 minutes)
Appointment time: 240 minutes (4 hours)
Passing score: 240

ILTS Principal as Instructional Leader Subtest 2 study guide lessons

The TeacherPreps study guide for this exam has 45 lessons organized by chapter, each written for the content areas above. The first lesson, Mission, vision, core values, and priorities, is free to read without a membership.

Read the free first lesson

What this exam covers

This outline summarizes the content areas in the publisher framework. Use it as a study checklist, and follow the source links below for the full framework.

each area's combined share of the score across selected-response and written items

1. Visionary Leadership, Collaboration, and Contexts of Education (60%)

Topics to review

Mission, vision, goals, and values
A shared commitment to student success
Stakeholder participation and ownership
Evidence and goal selection
The principal’s leadership role
Alignment of plans and resources
Barriers, competing demands, and uncertainty
Communication, alignment, and accountability
Illinois governance and administration
Culture within its community context
Cultural and linguistic assets
Evidence of unequal outcomes
Responsive curriculum, instruction, and assessment
Inclusive leadership and public responsibility
Research methods for diverse student and community dynamics
Trauma and adverse experiences
Welcoming and accessible participation
Families’ knowledge and educational roles
Trusting relationships with families
Audience, purpose, and communication choices
Stakeholder relationships and access
Consensus, negotiation, and shared commitment
Conflict and competing interests
Community context and responsiveness
Public information and media relations
Transparency, confidentiality, and advocacy
Community assets and needs
Building and sustaining partnerships
Health, social, and family services
Mutual benefit and shared resources
Mobilizing and sustaining resources
Representative participation and engagement
Fair access and appropriate agreements
Evaluating partnerships and communicating value
Public education and democratic purposes
Governance roles and authority
Social, economic, political, and cultural context
Emerging issues and broader influences
Policy and the school’s direction
Advocacy and influence
Working across organizational boundaries
State governance structures and principal expectations

2. School Management and Legal/Ethical Guidelines (40%)

Topics to review

Illinois student and family protections
Illinois operations and school finance
Illinois personnel, contracts, and professional conduct
Equitable staffing and professional opportunity
Access, accommodations, and specialized needs
Staffing needs and workforce planning
Recruitment and candidate selection
Induction, mentoring, and retention
Fairness and diversity in personnel decisions
Evaluation and employment decisions
Personnel law, contracts, and records
Purposes and models of supervision
Instructional expectations and evaluation criteria
Gathering multiple forms of evidence
Interpreting evidence and identifying needs
Evaluation and personnel responsibilities
Adult learning and differentiated professional development
Induction and mentoring
Individual professional growth
Team building, trust, and shared responsibility among staff
Communication during improvement and safety work
Organizational design and responsibilities
Time, schedules, and instructional protection
Facilities use and program coordination
Auxiliary and support services
Technology and communication systems
Operational evaluation and improvement
Resources and organizational capacity
Free and reduced-price meal program requirements
Space for extended-learning programs
Legal requirements for auxiliary services
Funding sources and restrictions
Needs-based and collaborative budgeting
Equitable allocation and resource alignment
Resource development
Monitoring budgets and evaluating resource use
Physical and emotional safety
Facilities, equipment, and inspections
Security procedures and prevention
Emergency and crisis management
Health, counseling, and welfare services
Lawful safety and discipline practices
Sources and application of education law
Rights, due process, and fair procedures
Privacy, confidentiality, and information security
Equal access and nondiscrimination
Disability education and educational plans
Language access and other student needs
Employment, leave, and contractual obligations
Reporting, supervision, and liability
Lawful operations, facilities, and finance
Investigations, misconduct, and complaints
Open government and professional regulation
Sexual harassment and Title IX
A defensible ethical decision process
Protecting rights and confidentiality in ethical practice
Modeling professional conduct
Accountability and responses to misconduct
State school-leadership ethics and legal requirements

This exam also includes written responses (2 constructed-response assignments). The free diagnostic and Exam Builder practice cover multiple-choice content only.

Check the exam or component you need

Similar names can refer to different exam codes, credentials or components. Confirm the code your program requires before choosing a study plan or paying a registration fee.

Publisher sources

Checked November 7, 2026. Content areas and weights come from the exam framework; administrative details come from the publisher test pages.

TeacherPreps practice questions and lessons are independently written and are not publisher exam questions.

Continue your school leadership preparation

Read the study guide lessons, practice by content area in the Exam Builder and review the explanation for each answer.

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