Breaking News: Atlanta Public Schools cheating highlight of national news - plan released by interim superintendent

The Atlanta Board of Education called a special legislative meeting and invited the press only two days after Georgia Governor Nathan Deal released a statement outlining the state’s investigation into the 2009 administration of the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT).

The investigation revealed that the cheating by APS employees started in 2001.

According to the Georgia Department of Education website, "The CRCT is designed to measure how well students acquire the skills and knowledge described in the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). The assessments yield information on academic achievement at the student, class, school, system, and state levels. This information is used to diagnose individual student strengths and weaknesses as related to the instruction of the GPS, and to gauge the quality of education throughout Georgia."

School board officials said they have developed a plan to question any test scores that show major improvements while paying close attention to department and employee evaluations.

The board was called to order by the new chair, Brenda Muhammad, a special presentation was given by Interim Superintendent Errol Davis, Jr., and then the board went into executive session.

The meeting was held inside the 130 Trinity Avenue location's auditorium and was attended by all major media. "This should be very eyeopening," said Jennifer Leslie, a reporter waiting outside amidst broadcast trucks.

Her station, 11Alive News, announced on its website that it "has committed its entire newsroom of journalists to covering the Atlanta Public Schools CRCT Cheating Investigation."

In a statement released by APS Communications Director Keith Bromery, the preliminary action plan submitted in response to Governor Deal's investigation includes:

* Moving the district’s Office of Internal Resolution (OIR) from Human Resources to Internal Audits, which reports directly to the Atlanta Board of Education;
* Setting ‘trigger points’ that will result in automatic investigations of schools whose test scores increase by a larger than normal percentage;
* Initiating climate surveys to periodically assess the culture at district schools and offices; and
* Adding customer service and student support key measures to the district’s ‘Balanced Scorecard’, which is used to evaluate the performance of departments and employees on an annual basis.

Why is this such a big story?

For years, students have been reprimanded for cheating, and now the shoe is on the other foot...administrators, principals, and teachers have admitted using erasers and pencils to change bubbles on answer sheets. This was done to improve student performance measurements. The "cheating" provides inaccurate information on student knowledge and achievement and skews teacher teaching skills in major subject areas.

Schools have to show yearly improvement on test scores to keep receiving federal government funds through the No Child Left Behind mandate.

“Nothing is more important to the future of our state than ensuring that today’s students receive a first-class education and integrity in testing is a necessary piece of the equation,” said Governor Deal in his press release.

“When test results are falsified and students who have not mastered the necessary material are promoted, our students are harmed, parents lose sight of their child’s true progress, and taxpayers are cheated." Deal said even though the report’s findings are troubling, "As we begin to turn the page on this dark chapter in Atlanta Public Schools, I am confident brighter days lie ahead.”

Deal's outline of APS impropriety stated, "A culture of fear, intimidation and retaliation existed in APS, which created a conspiracy of silence and deniability with respect to standardized test misconduct. In addition to the 2009 CRCT cheating, we found other improper conduct: several open record act violations; instances of false statements; and instances of document destruction."

Interim Superintendent Erroll B. Davis Jr. said that APS submitted the names of more than one hundred employees to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC) for further investigation of testing improprieties and temporarily reassigned 12 principals whose schools had apparent testing issues.

“I plan to issue a more detailed action plan in response to the state CRCT investigation report that will be based on an extensive and thorough review of the findings,” said Davis. “I plan to take the time required to painstakingly go over the state report so that we address each and every issue it identifies,” he said.

"I don't know what makes people cheat, but I want to make one thing clear: that it is not pressure to perform that does that...we will not dummy down our standards of performance," Davis said in an earlier press conference.

It was reported by the media that Dr. Beverly Hall, APS's former superintendent who was in office during the time the cheating occurred, was in Hawaii celebrating her birthday and was unavailable for comment. It was also reported that Dr. Hall was paid $500,000 last year including salary, bonuses, and travel expenses.

Board members, however, are ultimately responsible for what happens in APS. Board members include Brenda J. Muhammad, Khaatim Sherrer El, Cecily Harsch-Kinnane, Nancy Meister, LaChandra D. Butler Burks, Yolanda Johnson, Courtney English, Reuben McDaniel, and Emmett Johnson. According to the system's website, Atlanta Public Schools has 47,789 students, 101 schools, and a budget of $653 million.

One wonders whether honor students whose pictures grace the halls of APS headquarters had their test scores altered. One also wonders why teacher's kids excel in school and are placed in honors programs which could be the result of teachers having copies of tests and correct answers. Only time will tell.

"Many of our students have been cheated, and that I think is the most sinful thing," said school board chair Brenda Muhammad in a press conference the day Gov. Deal's investigation report was announced. To view the July 5th video, go to: http://www.apsk12.org/media/VIDEO_PAGES/CRCT-NEWSCONF_7-5-2011.html.

NOTE: Dr. John D. Barge is Georgia's Superintendent. "Georgia law requires the development and administration of the CRCT in the content areas of Reading, English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Each spring students in grades 1 through 8 take the Reading, English/Language Arts, and Mathematics CRCT, while students in grades 3 through 8 also take the Science and Social Studies CRCT. Reports yielding information on academic achievement at the student, class, school, system, and state levels are produced annually."
(Georgia Dept. of Education website)

©2011 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.