Review the NES Educational Leadership (815) exam outline, content-area weights and the TeacherPreps school leadership study guide lessons for this exam.

Published by TeacherPreps · Updated November 7, 2026

NES Educational Leadership (815): Study Guide

Exam facts

Exam: NES Educational Leadership (815)
State / jurisdiction: Multiple States
Credential area: School principal
Questions: 70 multiple-choice questions; 3 constructed-response assignments; 1 case study written assignment
Testing time: 225 minutes (3 hours 45 minutes)
Appointment time: 240 minutes (4 hours)
Passing score: 220
Scoring: National benchmark score. Your state may set a different passing score.

NES Educational Leadership (815) study guide lessons

The TeacherPreps study guide for this exam has 55 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.

1. Visionary Leadership For All (20%)

Topics to review

Mission, vision, goals, and values
A shared commitment to student success
Stakeholder participation and ownership
Evidence and goal selection
Alignment of plans and resources
Policy context and implementation
Leadership theories and how theory relates to practice
Managing change and supporting people
Barriers, competing demands, and uncertainty
Communication, alignment, and accountability
Alignment across classrooms and grade levels
Equity, access, and high expectations
Implicit and institutional bias
Inclusive leadership and public responsibility
Welcoming and accessible participation
Family voice in decisions and improvement
Coordinating school, family, and community support
Audience, purpose, and communication choices
Two-way communication and listening
Stakeholder relationships and access
Community context and responsiveness
Public information and media relations
Building and sustaining partnerships
Mutual benefit and shared resources
Mobilizing and sustaining resources
Technology and communication systems
Public education and democratic purposes
Governance roles and authority
Social, economic, political, and cultural context
Policy and the school’s direction
Advocacy and influence
Professional values and moral responsibility
A defensible ethical decision process
Equity and access in ethical decisions
Ethical use of authority, information, and public resources
Modeling professional conduct
Accountability and responses to misconduct

2. Student Learning (30%)

Topics to review

Coherent curriculum design
Alignment across classrooms and grade levels
Research and evidence for instructional decisions
Learning theories and child and adolescent development
Differentiation, intervention, and student needs
Language, culture, and learner strengths
Disability supports and instructional access
Technology, digital literacy, and responsible participation
Academic and nonacademic program coordination
School structures that affect instruction
Student placement and access to the curriculum
Assessment purposes, strengths, and limits
Using evidence to adjust instruction
Accountability systems
High expectations and shared commitments
Consistent expectations and accountability
Equity, access, and high expectations
Implicit and institutional bias
Responsive curriculum, instruction, and assessment
Equitable behavior management and conflict resolution
A caring and personalized learning environment
Coherent systems of student support
Behavior expectations and positive behavior support
English learners and language-development services
Supporting learning at home and school

3. Systems for Capacity Building (30%)

Topics to review

Collaborative planning and decisions
Managing change and supporting people
Systems thinking in school leadership
Cycles of inquiry and organizational learning
Trust, respect, and collegial relationships
Collaboration and collective responsibility
Induction, mentoring, and retention
Motivating, recognizing, and celebrating staff by career stage
Adult learning and differentiated professional development
Professional learning tied to student evidence
Job-embedded learning and resource support
Induction and mentoring
Teacher leadership and distributed responsibility
The principal’s own professional growth
Professional health and ethical learning practices
Principles of adult learning and staff motivation
Team building, trust, and shared responsibility among staff
Consensus, negotiation, and shared commitment
Communication during improvement and safety work
Building and sustaining partnerships
Organizational design and responsibilities
Data and information systems
Technology and communication systems
Resources and organizational capacity

4. Resource Management and Educational Law (20%)

Topics to review

Staff care, health, and sustainable work
Tiered disciplinary measures and student codes of conduct
Recruitment and candidate selection
Strategic assignment and scheduling
Evaluation and employment decisions
Personnel law, contracts, and records
Motivating, recognizing, and celebrating staff by career stage
Evaluation and personnel responsibilities
Organizational design and responsibilities
Time, schedules, and instructional protection
Facilities use and program coordination
Auxiliary and support services
Technology and communication systems
Security, privacy, and compliance
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
Purchasing and financial transactions
Records, reporting, and internal controls
Monitoring budgets and evaluating resource use
Ethical and lawful stewardship
Technology for financial management and business procedures
Reporting financial information to stakeholders
Balanced budgets and restrictions on moving funds
Facilities, equipment, and inspections
Security procedures and prevention
Emergency and crisis management
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
Monitoring compliance and communicating requirements
Sexual harassment and Title IX
Cyberbullying, social media, and digital conduct law
Ethical use of authority, information, and public resources

This exam also includes written responses (3 constructed-response assignments; 1 case study written assignment). 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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