Test Results Thrown Out in 3 DC Classrooms Because of Alleged Cheating (teachers accused)

My Fox DC ^ | 5/19/11 | BOB BARNARD

[Libloather]

Test Results Thrown Out in 3 DC Classrooms Because of Alleged Cheating
By BOB BARNARD/myfoxdc
Updated: Thursday, 19 May 2011, 11:31 PM EDT

WASHINGTON - There is more fallout from the standardized test score scandal rocking D.C. Public Schools. Three elementary school teachers are now accused or suspected of cheating.

At issue is the 2010 DC Comprehensive Assessment System or CAS Test.

Three classrooms (out of 3,800 across the city) just had test results thrown out because of alleged cheating.

"At one [classroom], there was clear evidence of cheating and the teacher admitted it," says D.C. State Superintendent of Education Hosanna Mahaley. "In the other two, there was a suspicion of cheating. But because we take test security so seriously, we decided to invalidate those test scores as well."

She would not name the three schools involved, but sources tell FOX 5 they are C.W. Harris, Leckie and Noyes Elementary Schools.

One teacher has been dismissed. The other two are being disciplined.

"There's a lot of pressure," Mahaley says. "And I believe that most teachers want to do the right thing and sometimes just in the interest of trying to be helpful to children, a teacher may do something that may not be appropriate."

Their union president says teachers are under a great deal of pressure when it comes to testing.

"Unfortunately, some individuals will consider an option of cheating," says Washington Teachers Union President Nathan Saunders. "Not only is the teacher evaluation based on it to a large degree, but there's also compensation. If the grades go up, then you'll get an additional compensation."

[blam]

Isn’t this kind of truth reporting racist?

[Crawdad]

DC has nothing on Atlanta when it comes to cheating on standardized tests.

[RobbyS]

It didn’t start yesterday. Many,many years ago if a teacher failed ten percent of his students, he/she would be at risk of losing his/her job. The pretence then was that if one “worked enough,” with a student he/she would get them over the bar. IOW, just dumb down the course enough and one convoy the class though to the next level.

[metmom]

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[Future Snake Eater]

"There's a lot of pressure," Mahaley says. "And I believe that most teachers want to do the right thing and sometimes just in the interest of trying to be helpful to children, a teacher may do something that may not be appropriate."

Of course, the teachers certainly aren't doing it to save their own pathetic jobs.