Oversight Group Gets Cheating Complaints

Georgia's teacher certification agency has received complaints for the four school districts where a state audit found cheating on standardized math tests. John Grant with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission said Wednesday that formal complaints have been filed for elementary schools in Atlanta, Fulton County, DeKalb County and Glynn County. The commission will vote in September whether to investigate educators named in three of the complaints. A commission probe is already under way for DeKalb County's Atherton Elementary, where the principal resigned and the assistant principal was reassigned after admitting to changing students' answers on fifth-grade math tests. Both have been charged with tampering with state documents, a felony. Educators found to be involved in the cheating could lose their teaching licenses.

(Associated Press)

District Attorney Investigates Test Cheating

The DeKalb County district attorney's office is investigating allegations that two elementary school administrators changed answers on Georgia standardized tests to improve students' scores. Don Geary, assistant to the district attorney, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday that those responsible could be charged with tampering with state documents, which is a felony. The cheating came to light in a state audit released last week, revealing discrepancies on the fifth-grade math Criterion-Referenced Competency Test answer sheets in four school districts. State officials do not believe students are to blame. The audit led to the resignation of Atherton Elementary principal James Berry and the reassignment of assistant principal Doretha Alexander. Neither has returned repeated requests for comment.

(Associated Press)

Cheating Sparks Law Debate

The head of the state's Senate education committee wants to create a law that would levy criminal charges against educators who change answers on standardized tests. Sen. Dan Weber is calling for the new law in response to an audit released last week by the state showing that someone altered answers on the fifth-grade Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests to improve scores at four elementary schools last summer. At one of the schools - Atherton Elementary in DeKalb County - the principal resigned and the assistant principal was reassigned late last week after officials discovered they tampered with the tests. The higher scores helped all four schools meet federal No Child Left Behind standards.

(Associated Press)

CRCT Cheating Probe Leads To Resignation

The principal of one of the schools under state investigation for cheating on Georgia standardized tests has resigned. James Berry gave up his job as principal of Atherton Elementary in DeKalb County. In addition, the school’s assistant principal has been reassigned pending the probe’s outcome. A DeKalb County school official says the two administrators changed answers on fifth grade CRCT math tests last summer to help students improve scores and help the school meet federal standards. The DeKalb school is one of four being investigated by the state for cheating.

Georgia Gazette Thursday, June 11, 2009

Join host Rickey Bevington tonight for Georgia Gazette. On tonight's show … Suspicion over cheating fifth graders… Inside the state investigation. Re-branding Macon as the birthplace of southern rock. And classical music from two living American composers. These stories and more tonight on Georgia Gazette at 6, 7 in Athens, re-broadcast at 11, hear our show any time at www.gpb.org/georgiagazette , and download a free podcast on iTunes.

CRCT Cheating Alleged In Some Schools

Four schools are being investigated by state officials for possible cheating on standardized tests—the CRCT’s. An official with the Governor’s Office for Student Affairs says the schools in question had high numbers of changed answers on more than 100 of the fifth-grade math tests. From there, the scores improved dramatically with the changes. The schools under investigation come frmo the Fulton, DeKalb and Glynn County school systems, along with from the Atlanta school system.