Dr. Hall: Teachers should come forward with evidence of cheating for sake of students
In our hour-long teleconference interview with Atlanta Superintendent Beverly Hall Thursday, she expressed dismay when AJC reporters told her that teachers in APS said they feared retaliation so did not report their suspicions of cheating. “It’s hard for me to believe that you can be intimidated into lying and cheating,” she said.
In her view, the teachers who stood by and did not report cheating share the responsibility for the disservice done to students. Dr. Hall was disappointed that teachers would say they saw cheating and then do nothing about it, saying, “It’s the same thing, you’re covering up for liars and cheaters.” (She also said that there are few secrets in the infamous teacher lounges and she believes murmurings of cheating would eventually be heard by most staff. Few things, she said, escape the notice of the teacher lounge.)
I also want to point out that there are APS records showing that when the system tried to follow up on some anonymous complaints of cheating, no one at the schools came forward. You can’t have it both both ways: You can’t knock the Atlanta system for not acting when no one was willing to speak up when it did act.
I think the time for silence if over. If teachers or staff have real examples of cheating, they ought to e-mail Dr. Hall today. I don’t think anyone has to fear reprisals at this point.
Here are some of her comments from a larger AJC story today by Heather Vogell and Kristina Torres.
By the way, several of you have suggested that the AJC interview APS teachers. We have been doing so as this excerpt shows:
A former teacher at Atlanta’s Cook Elementary said Friday that no one followed up after she told district officials that other teachers talked about cheating by pointing to answers or hinting at them during the 2007-2008 school year. She declined to be identified because she still works in the field.
Like several other teachers the AJC has interviewed, she said the pressure to make the school appear successful was intense. “I was told very often, ‘If your children do not pass, you won’t be back next year,’ ” she said, adding that she didn’t cheat.
She said she talked about what she’d heard in an exit interview when she left to take a job at a private school.
The year before, a Cook staff member had been warned not to point to wrong answers after a parent complained, records show. But no internal probe into cheating took place in 2008, according to documents provided to the AJC after a request for all such investigations. A spokesman said Friday the district is checking into the matter.
Cook was flagged by the state as a “severe concern” because more than 40 percent of classrooms exhibited suspicious erasures in 2009.
Atlanta investigators have at times struggled to find willing witnesses to talk about complaints, especially those that are anonymous, records show. District teachers have said they are afraid to step forward and report irregularities because they fear retaliation.
Witnesses who feel comfortable talking could prove crucial to the district’s current efforts to determine what happened in some classrooms. Hall said they should come forward.
Yet she said she has no sympathy for those who are afraid to step up. “How can I even have some sympathy for people who have no courage when children are being hurt, and the system is being hurt?” she asked.
“It’s hard for me to believe that you can be intimidated into lying and cheating,” she said. As for witnesses who don’t report wrongdoing, she added, “it’s the same thing, you’re covering up for liars and cheaters.”
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96 comments Add your comment
Dr. John Trotter
February 14th, 2010
9:25 am
To the AJC Staff: Happy Valentine’s Day and thanks for exposing the egregious and systematic cheating that is plaguing our public schools in Georgia, especially the school in the Metro Atlanta area (with Atlanta Public Schools being the hub). Thanks to those who have acknowledged that MACE was the first organization to loudly “holler” about the systematic cheating — in articles (see http://www.theteachersadvocate.com), grievances, and pickets.
Beverly Hall wanting teachers to report about witnessing cheating? What satire and irony! That’s like asking African Americans living in Birmingham, Alabama in the early 1960s to report to Police Commissioner Bull Conner (or is that “Connor”?) about witnessing evidence of racism in the city of Birmingham. This is ludicrous. Reporting to an outside, impartial tribunal or commission with immunity and protection guaranteed is one thing but reporting anything to the Beverly Hall Administration is something entirely different! Would the chickens in the coop report to the wolf?
Gotta run, folks. Heading to church. Yes, I do go to church. I need to go worst than anyone! I am the chief of sinners!
catlady
February 14th, 2010
9:28 am
Yet another example of how either stupid or out of touch Dr. Hall is. Her quotes are unbelievable regarding being unable to “believe that you can be intimidated into lying and cheating.” It would be funny if it were not so sad. Reminds me of the Dekalb superintendent’s assertations about his “pumping out the premium.”
And her statement about feeling no sympathy for those afraid to report? Classic misdirection. SHE is the one who sets the tone for the system. SHE is the one who was willing to accept unbelieveable “results” and take them to the bank. SHE is the one who knew or should have known–even with an EdD, she should have had enought statistical coursework to understand the results she was seeing. SHE is the one who has continued to deny the findings. Now she is finding it harder to deny them, and she wants to blame those who would have been fired if they revealed their concerns or suspicions.
It is inconceivable that teachers were behind this cheating, given their limited access to the tests and the pervasiveness of the erasures. Teacher cheating would manifest itself with answers that were correct from the start, either by vocal indicators (in the lowest grades) or by pointing or nodding at the correct answers. And teachers might suspect what administrators have done behind closed doors, but would not have the proof Ms. Hall demands. (Ms. Downey, check to see the protocol for how tests are distributed to verify access. Teachers pick up the tests a few minutes before giving the tests, and return the test immediately following the testing period The next day, they start all over again.)
Bottom line: responsibility is HERS.
Lee
February 14th, 2010
9:30 am
Does the APS have an ethics “hotline” where employees, parents, vendors, and other concerned parties can call in and report ethics violations / concerns? If not, they should establish one ASAP.
The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) fraud manual tells us that perception of detection is the number one deterent of fraudulent behavior and that a hotline reduces the occurances of fraud in an organization by 50%.
Some best practices for a hotline:
1. All calls/emails/mail should go to an independent third party.
2. Provisions should be made so that the concerned party can report ethics violations anonymously.
3. All items should be investigated – no matter how trivial.
4. Violators of the standard of conduct should be dealt with quickly – no exceptions, no cover-ups.
Dr. John Trotter
February 14th, 2010
9:33 am
One more thing…I would be remiss if I did not thank the Sonny Perdue Administration for having the integrity and guts to take on this indidious cheating scandal. Now, if the same administration would simply re-think its position of the fallacy of the All Star Teacher program. This program will do nothing but continue to facilitate and propagate this culture of cheating. It will be a disaster again!
Chris Murphy, Atlanta, GA
February 14th, 2010
9:39 am
Oh yeah, the *teachers* should step forward. Like, the situation hasn’t been painfully obvious for years. And so, some schmucks step up, are then publicly crucified- along with administrators at their schools- and “Dr.” Beverly Hall gets a bonus, to $500,000. That’s the way she’s trying to play it.
Chris Murphy, Atlanta, GA
February 14th, 2010
9:46 am
“Gotta run, folks. Heading to church. Yes, I do go to church. I need to go worst than anyone! I am the chief of sinners!”
Well, “Dr.” Trotter, at least you told the truth- once. The AJC has been exposing, poking and prodding the Atlanta Public Schools since I’ve been reading it (1981). They exposed the cheating on the standardized tests in 2001. They also exposed MACE for what it was, and is: a bunch of political thugs who seek to fashion school districts in their own image, that is, ruled by fear and intimidation. MACE did not help the situation in Clayton at all, and in fact made it much worse. You certainly should not expect any say in the APS cases, as you have no credibility whatsoever. Getting advice from MACE or Trotter to clean up the APS mess would be like asking Nixon what he’d do about political corruption.
catlady
February 14th, 2010
9:56 am
Has anyone noticed Dr. Hall’s statements follow the recognized pattern:
1) It didn’t happen (denial)
2) they are saying our children cannot achieve (misdirection)
3)if there are cheaters they will be harshly punished (bargaining)
4) it’s someone else’s fault (blaming)
To come:
They are persecuting me because…
Mark my words.
Suggestion to Ms. Downey: check on the procedures and (lack of) safeguards for teachers who report corruption to PSC. We were assured (by a school board employed attorney) that there were no protections to our jobs if we report any possible breaches of professional standards of behavior.
Maureen Downey
February 14th, 2010
9:59 am
catlady, I agree that schoolwide cheating would seem to have occurred at the administrator level after reading the tight controls on the delivery and return of test sheets. I also think the confession of the two DeKalb administrators tells us how this is happening at the administration level – quite simply and quickly. (Also, it’s interesting that the pair said they never spoke of what they did, even to each other.)
However, those schools with only a few flagged classrooms may reflect teacher cheating — done under the guise of “helping” kids review their answers.
I think the results of this year’s CRCTs are going to be interesting. I assume that all forms of cheating/helping will disappear. Let’s see if scores statewide dip at all.
Maureen
just browsing
February 14th, 2010
10:02 am
The key word is “evidence”. Hearing some speak of it, is not enough to determine that cheating has taken place. A whistleblower would, more than likely, have to be a participant or direct witness. Accusations in and of themselves will not be enough. Tips could be provided of course, but, proving this will be difficult- unless there is tangible evidence. My concern, is what happens to those classrooms which have been flagged? How will the counties be able to investigate to determine if cheating occurred at the classroom level or administrative level? As teachers rarely have a voice, it could end up being the administrators word against the teacher. If that happens, we know which way the organization will side. Only in the case of Blalock where this applied to a very large majority of 4th grade tests, can teachers challenge any probes. I am just hopeful that teachers are not made scapegoats, as the procedures are so air tight- at least at my school- that it would be impossible to do that without drawing attention from students. A third-party should be hired to address these issues. Perhaps teachers should just wait to allow the State and the Department of Education to complete its investigation and/or sanctions of fraudulent persons before getting involved. The roots of corruption in education run deep in Georgia. I am not so sure that allowing superintendents to investigate personnel in their own districts is a wise approach.
just browsing
February 14th, 2010
10:04 am
Why not just allow impartial representatives from GOSA to conduct these investigations.
ScienceTeacher671
February 14th, 2010
10:05 am
Maureen, I agree that on the whole it’s probably administrators doing the erasing, for reasons you & Catlady discuss, among others. I wish some of the articles were much clearer on that.
Don’t you think it’s possible that the schools with only a few flagged classrooms reflect that the administrators know where the “lowest” students are, or that only a few students are needed to reach AYP, so not every answer sheet needed to be reviewed? I don’t see the teachers “helping” students without some word of that getting out via the kids.
Maureen Downey
February 14th, 2010
10:08 am
just browsing, You mention something that we have not really explored and that is whether there is a longtime culture in Georgia of test cheating. For a long time, test results of any kind didn’t matter in accountabilty. I talked to a retired prinicipal who said that rural and urban teachers – most of whom wanted to help their low-income kids feel better about themselves — may have gotten into the habit of “helping” more than they should have. Now, we have shifted to a culture where test results have consequences for not only the students, but the teachers and schools, so these practices, too, now have consequences they did not 20 years ago.
Not sure how we could ever document that, but I do wonder if states with historically under performing schools – where many kids did not leave their communities to go off to UGA or UNC — simply did not take testing that seriously since it wasn’t a a life-shaping force for their students.
Maureen
just browsing
February 14th, 2010
10:10 am
Perhaps Science Teacher 671- they could determine if these occurred in high stakes testing areas and/or grades. If it occurred on a 7th grade test which is not counted, and there are discrepancies withing non critical vs. critical testing areas, one may arrive at a more accurate conclusion. I would like to know if these rates were also evident in these schools on testing in areas other than math/ langugage arts/ or reading. The wider the discrepancy I would suspect the more probable there was cheating.
Maureen Downey
February 14th, 2010
10:12 am
ScienceTeacher, I thought about that — targeted cheating by administrators for populations on the edge. I suspect cheating is happening in every variation possible. I also think there are going to be a lot of openings for new principals next year in many places.
Maureen
cheryl
February 14th, 2010
10:12 am
This is very sad and frustrating to read these comments. I know of a school where the principle forced the teacher to give a child a “C” on a when he should have gotten an “F”. I wish we really could put in a Hotline for teachers and parents to anonymously report any wrong doings by the admistration of our public schools.
Seriously??
February 14th, 2010
10:13 am
If Dr. Hall really wants us to believe that teachers would not be quickly ushered to the door she is seriously ill. This goes to show that she really has no grasp of what actually goes on in schools or wants us to beleive that she does not. Mortgage companies, hungry children, spouses, student loan companies and Quick Trip do not want excuses on how and why you chose to fight a battle that you KNOW you cannot win. Teachers telling to the same individuals that need to be told on? Career suicide. These same teachers would be made an example of and virtually paraded in the street. Every teacher has seen or heard of a teacher who did not comply with some sort of shady goings on and was made the example by administrators. Almost every school has a story to tell. In many cases there are several. The school I was in had similar reprimands happen to at least one teacher for 5 straight years. Now, how does one administrator get away with ruining the career of 5 teachers annually. Silence. All of the onlookers, other teachers, KNOW that it could happen to them and therefore their silence is guaranteed. In many cases the teachers who lost jobs are not even working in the field anymore or are suffering financially. Now, who would intentionally do that to themselves. Seeing IS believing.
Maureen Downey
February 14th, 2010
10:13 am
just browing, Not enough people in GOSA to handle the investigations. Not enough people in DOE, either, to do the test monitoring this spring. I wonder if they will hire retired teachers to help with the monitoring.
Maureen
catlady
February 14th, 2010
10:15 am
Ms.Downey–remember the CRCT results can be manipulated with different cut score settings. I have little faith in the tests themselves are valid (I think I have said this a lot) but even less that the scores MEAN anything. So if they don’t look much worse, I wouldn’t surmise that there is much meaning in that. It isn’t to the state’s benefit for the results to look worse from year to year. Too much at stake to show that we are “improving.” This is why many teachers just laugh when they see how many students’ scores vastly “improve” from spring to summer retest. Anyone seriously think those scores mean a big improvement in 20 days? And, in fact, the state tacitly agrees with this, as 80%+ (as per AJC expose from about a year ago) of those who fail the tests in the gateway grades are promoted anyway. Apparently it does not measure skills that are really necessary for success.
On the administrators saying they did not discuss the changing of answers as they did it–I think that is classic denial as well. If we don’t talk about it, it didn’t happen. Kind of like teenagers don’t prepare for having sex by having birth control in place–if you plan ahead it wasn’t “passion” and “spontaneous”.
the truth
February 14th, 2010
10:16 am
Perhaps someone could explain the recent mass exodus in the OIR department of APS. These were the internal investigators and frankly methinks that some folks did not want the ethical stench permeating from the 8th floor to filter down to them.
Dr. Hall is not bigger than the system and when you get to the payoffs to folks to keep accountablity off of her porch, you will begin to understand the whole sordid corrupt workplace that is APS.
Attentive Parent
February 14th, 2010
10:19 am
This article seems to be shifting the burden of proof away from Beverly Hall and her senior staff to explain how this could have happened. If no APS employees speak out, will that then be used by Hall as proof that this is all just a witch hunt or a misunderstanding?
Being a whistleblower in any occupation is career destroying because the next employer assumes there may also have secrets that are best left alone. That’s why qui tam offers federal whistleblowers a percentage of fraudulent claims. The plaintiffs have to have enough incentive to be compensation for no longer having a career.
What’s the incentive for an APS employee to come forward? Truth, justice and the American Way will not put bread on the table.
The AJC cannot make them whole. You might be able to stop a termination but there will be nothing to make sure promotions will be available.
Alison
February 14th, 2010
10:32 am
Thank you Chris…can’t think of a better way to say it. Beverly Hall must also know the “infamous teacher lounges” are the tell-alls of who’s being persecuted. Let me tell you…get a few years of teaching under your belt and you learn to keep your mouth shut.
It’s impossible to believe that everyone has known for years APS test scores were being screwed with except the superintendent. Amazing!
Nikole Allen
February 14th, 2010
10:37 am
I cannot believe that Dr. Hall is now trying to blame teachers that did not put their careers in jeopardy. There is no reason to believe that she would have personally protected those that did come forward to suggest that her monumental gains were not valid.
APS employee too
February 14th, 2010
10:38 am
They will destroy you for being honest. My principal trashed my reputation and I wrote to Dr. Hall. She did not respond. She did not respond. OIR exonerated him for his shenanigans. Keep digging AJC. OIR records at APS are open to the public. Dr. Hall, cheating on this year’s GHSGT writing test was reported to a principal. Did you do anything? I rest my case. Too late now. Come clean. Tell them who really took those NAEP exams also.
Perspective
February 14th, 2010
10:42 am
@Chris Murphy if any organization has any credibility to talk about cheating, it’s MACE. They’ve been ahead of the curve for years, fearlessly and courageously bringing the issue to light. Compare that to PAGE who still, after all the evidence the AJC has presented this week is still advocating a wait and see attitude, as Political Insider reporter in the AJC.
Also, MACE has been ahead of the curve when it comes to teacher retaliation. Where are PAGE and GAE on this? Guess it’s hard to be ahead of the curve when some of the same administrators who engage in retaliation might very well be members of your own organization.
Finally, if you relied solely on the AJC for the entire Clayton County story, you most likely don’t have the whole story. Not to defend anybody, because practically everybody fell short of their best in that episode, but that also includes the AJC and SACS.
For starters Chris, are you aware that up until the very end of that mess in Clayton, the majority voting bloc was comprised of members of GAE, not MACE? Did you recall reading that in the paper? Were you aware of reports that emails from the Board Chair, also a GAE member, from her state government email address, to numerous school personnel were presented as evidence to SACS as concrete evidence of micromanaging, yet SACS did not include them in the report? Did you happen to see that in your AJC, even though the emails were also placed on several AJC blogs and AJC reporters were made aware of them?
And while you’re thinking about that, if SACS was all about students, and had nothing to do with politics, wouldn’t SACS be opening full blown investigations into the districts that are cheating, and been even more public about it than they were about the actions of some board members engaged in personal and political feuds?
Believe it or not Chris, as good as the AJC’s reporting has been on the cheating scandal, the AJC is not the anointed word of God, and neither is SACS.
Ric30084
February 14th, 2010
10:42 am
As a 34 year education veteran, I’m sure Dr. Hall is right that the students “were overzealously rethinking answers, is to blame for the high number of erased wrong answers. ” (AJC 2/1/4/10)
During the annual testing process I always knew to have extra erasers on hand for the students….LOL)
Disgusted
February 14th, 2010
10:49 am
Funny. Our Superintendent just publically and in print threatened someone with a lawsuit who has posted some very interesting issues concerning goings on in our system. He ignored the questions totally of course and just made the threat and made fun of the poster to attempt to discredit them. I think there is just a level of arrogance with many of the Superintendents in GA. Nothing seems to stick on any of them.
Questions, Questions
February 14th, 2010
10:50 am
Maureen, surely you and others at the AJC have talked to APS teachers in the past. Therefore when Dr. Hall made the statement “It’s hard for me to believe that you can be intimidated into lying and cheating.” did you challenge her on it?
Did you also confront her with the fact that she was being evasive and disingenuous, in that the issue wasn’t about being intimidated into lying and cheating, the issue was about being intimidated into silence?
Also did you happen to point out that she was setting up a classic straw man, for if it’s the administrators who are changing answers, teachers have no direct evidence to report?
Under Fire APS employee
February 14th, 2010
10:52 am
I suspect my job will be terminated soon so here it is. You were sent a detailed letter by me Dr. Hall. You did not respond. You knew about sordid methods and how principals were trashing our reputations for speaking out and telling the truth.
You knew… Stop deceiving these people. You knew. Keep digging AJC. This cover up extends to unqualified administrators, special education manipulation, and much more. I am getting my courage together. I kept all the papers and I have the goods to expose corruption of the worse kind to the core.
Maureen Downey
February 14th, 2010
10:55 am
Questions, I think you will find that we questioned her intensely. (There were 12 of us on the call.) The issue will be how well Dr. Hall had a ground-level view of her system, not only of how teachers with complaints were treated but the fundamental issue of whether the gains credited to her reforms are true.
Maureen
Vox
February 14th, 2010
10:58 am
Teachers of Georgia,
Vote for legistlative candidates that will allow for “collective bargaining” for educators.
Get the American Federation of Teachers to come into Georgia public education at this time of monumental governmental educational failure.
Without a real union (not PAGE, not GAE, not xyz), Kathy Cox and the local superintendants will blame you for the cheating and continue to make you all the escapegoats of the nuclear winter of Georgia Education.
These folks who leads us (oversees us in the school plantations) already took their victory laps, earned bonuses, campaign contributions, and made speeches under the admiring gazes of their peers.
An enlightened, fair, and strong unions is what we need…to make this right.
Wake-up!
ScienceTeacher671
February 14th, 2010
11:05 am
“If teachers or staff have real examples of cheating, they ought to e-mail Dr. Hall today. I don’t think anyone has to fear reprisals at this point.”
That’s charmingly naive, but I hardly think that Dr. Hall is going to welcome evidence that her accolades have not been earned — I think such emails, unfortunately, are more likely to give her a heads-up on who she needs to shut up.
@Under fire APS employee
February 14th, 2010
11:13 am
Maybe you should send your letter to Maureen or another AJC staffer. Maureen has already stated for the record that she nor any other AJC staffer will share email addresses, IP addresses or any other identifying information concerning posts on this blog.
I’m am correct in that, right Maureen?
Maybe for the record, the AJC reporters can come on here and reassure the readers that if they wish to contact the reporters directly, off the record, their anonymity will be protected.
Maybe if enough is said off the record, and said on the blogs, some people can be found who are as likely to be subjected to retaliation, such as recent retirees or those who have recently left the profession, who will come forward publicly.
just browsing
February 14th, 2010
11:15 am
Georgia needs to provide more teacher protections for these types of situations, or allow teachers to unionize. The machine is not big enough to handle all of the corruption going on which is why the focus of PSC is so limited. It is time to go back to the drawing board and expand the current ethics bill for the sake of what is right for employees- and not for Race to the Top Funding.
Maureen Downey
February 14th, 2010
11:18 am
Underfire, That is true. And many people know that as we are hearing from many teachers.
Maureen
ScienceTeacher671
February 14th, 2010
11:21 am
Maureen, Under Fire and others are correct. Even if you have “tenure” there are ways of retaliating. I suspect there are many teachers out there who will welcome a “safe” place to report what they know.
catlady
February 14th, 2010
11:21 am
Funny how a teacher can be trashed by unattributed complaints, but the PSC has to have the name and blood type of people who allege improprieties to them BEFORE THEY WILL EVEN CONSIDER INVESTIGATING THE COMPLAINT! Stacked deck, anyone?
just browsing
February 14th, 2010
11:31 am
It is interesting how APS has morphed into what it has become. Retired persons from APS speak of how they enjoyed working there when they were teachers. It is so sad to see it has become so desperate and mean-spirited.
v racer
February 14th, 2010
11:35 am
What the GA school system needs is an independent Inspector General.
v racer
February 14th, 2010
11:39 am
Unions? Ho, ho, ho, to do what, protect cheating and incompetent teachers? Our school system is bad enough without that crowd.
Reality check
February 14th, 2010
11:44 am
v racer, look at the states that have collective bargaining for teachers, and look at the states that don’t and compare test scores. It’s not the only reason of course, but it’s part of the equation.
Sure job protections protect some incompetents at times; but they also protect many good teachers from incompetent administrators. Much like the criminal justice system protects the innocent, even as it lets some perps walk. If you don’t trust the educational system to do right by your child, why should your child’s teacher trust the educational system to do right by them?
trying hard to be patient
February 14th, 2010
11:55 am
The state of Georgia needs to STOP using the test results of all children who have IEPs. They are NEVER going to be able to pass this test. NEVER!!!!! They even make these children take summer school and retake the test and they still can’t pass but they promote these kids. Students with IEPs can go to school until they are 21. Now, there are exceptions to testing and that is if the student is consider severe and profound or they have a GAA(Georgia Alternative Assessment). These subgroups are what is making schools not make AYP. Plain and simple! Do not use these results!
Voice of Experience
February 14th, 2010
12:11 pm
Naive is one word for it catlady. I don’t know Dr. Hall so I won’t comment on her statement directly but my experience has been that the honest will pay. I was asked by a higher up to do something I found unethical (I am a school administrator). I declined. shortly thereafter I was threatened with non-renewal of my contract for not having the correct credentials and background for my position (UGA doctorate – go figure). I was told I could apply for any position open – no interviews – I had been with the district for many years. I moved on, found another position in a great system in another part of the state. My boss then gets a call from someone at my original school system’s central office attempting to put me in a bad light with him. I also received hateful anonymous threatening letter from someone at the first system also. A couple of years later I take a position in another good system – day after I am announced in the position my new boss receives phone call from same individual at original system attempting to get them to unhire me basically. When that doesn’t work then these people begin to anonymously attempt to libel and slander me in local newspapers. I finally have to spend a lot of money to hire a lawyer to get this to stop. This is educational politics in Georgia in many cases. I can only imagine what would happen to an actual ‘whistleblower’
Thank god the people I have found myself with since leaving my original system are good, ethical people.
just browsing
February 14th, 2010
12:23 pm
Voice of Experience- I am glad you bring up slander. I believe that those with a certain moral compass are able to see through the deceptiveness of these persons. Just because a person makes accusations that are not true, it does not always mean that everyone will believe them. I believe that those administrators with an axe to grind and who operate in this nature will be shown the door very soon as their practices, both directly and indirectly, contribute to the blight on Georgia’s educational system and undermines its ability to compete economically.
Naivety from both sides
February 14th, 2010
12:23 pm
I don’t know who is more naive, Dr Hall (playing naive) or Maureen Downey making statements like…”I think the time for silence if over. If teachers or staff have real examples of cheating, they ought to e-mail Dr. Hall today. I don’t think anyone has to fear reprisals at this point.”
The good teachers are focused on one main objective, their class. Being possibly ostracized by fellow faculty members and administrators (remember those observations that go into your file) would certainly change that.
Until workers are put under oath through an investigation by some agency or grand jury, not many will come forward with incriminating info. Let the deal making begin if this hits the proverbial legal fan though. The guilty rats will be scurrying for cover ratting on each other. Let the good teachers continue with their main focus, the kids in their class.
Voice of Experience
February 14th, 2010
12:50 pm
Just browsing – I agree. Unfortunately the system has been damaged in many ways, especially since the advent of the testing craze. Accountability is needed at the administration levels, from the top down ( I say this as an administrator) much more than at the teacher levels. Until this is done and done correctly we will continue to languish as a state and profession. I am not in favor of a union, but the one thing they do seem to do well elsewhere is keep us (administration) somewhat honest, or at least more cautious in our actions.
RESEARCH PLANNING AND ACCOUNTABILITY (RPA)
February 14th, 2010
1:00 pm
Hey Maureen,
Were you all aware that every school flagged has one common factor…all send their answer documents to the RPA department. Everyone in APS knows that RPA is a central location for all standardized testing materials and procedures housed at the Brewer Building and responsible for the intake and distribution of all testing documents. They are also responsible for calculating and determining the “targets” for every school in the district. “Data Analysis” is supposedly their thing. How is it that they have escaped scrutiny when they are the common factor with all of the schools? You must admit, from outward appearances there is an aroma of unethical behavior floating around, but ALL of these schools? Who polices what happens once the documents leave the testing coordinator’s possession? And teachers want to act like they are so “bullyied” into doing something. Give us a break teachers, you are not exempt, many of you received the bonuses for meeting the targets didn’t you? Let’s investigate how many of you returned the money because you felt “bullyied”! You too are foolish to report anything and think that people do not have a right to face their accusers when you talk about this level of accusation. Maureen, Teachers and Administrators can not control what happens to their school’s answer documents once they are dropped of at the Research Planning and Accountability department. Why don’t you set up a hotline for the dismissed staff that have come and gone from that department for the last five years…I’ll bet they’ll have alot to say about “bullying” and “procedures”.
Been there done that didn't get the t-shirt
February 14th, 2010
1:12 pm
Long story short-used to be a math teacher, 2 years, witnessed a para pro actually doing a CRCT for a 6th grade sped student instead or reading it out loud to him which was the modification. Reported it to my principal and was told that “I’ll look into it.” Brought it up 1 month later and was told that I was a trouble maker. I resigned that very day and have been happy ever since. This cheating scandal is big news now but I believe that it will blow over. Communities get the kind of schools they want and here in Georgia nepotism and the “good old boy” network is what people want.
Maureen Downey
February 14th, 2010
1:17 pm
Been there, What system?
Maureen
just browsing
February 14th, 2010
1:28 pm
@ RPA- What would incentivize them to cheat? How would they select which schools to assist and which to not help? Is there some difference between the schools? I find it much easier to believe that there is a culture of cheating in APS and that personnel- administrators specifically- have more to lose than someone in RPA. This does not extend to all schools, however, some administrators are bold enough to cheat- and as in the real world- some will not. I am certain that working in an administrative capacity is difficult and stressful, and that this does not apply to all schools or all principals. It is just that when this is so widespread, considering that there are similar populations in other districts, who took the test with much lower erasures, it does look suspicisious. Now there is certainly some more information that should be gathered by the GOSA to substantiate their claims as I am not certain there is enough data already for them to make such a call. If there is no dishonesty, then APS will vindicate itself this Spring when CRCT scores are released.
As for those who received monies for making the targets- many may have deserved it considering what they perhaps endured and tolerated during the school year. Bullying in any form is unacceptable. Getting money for making targets does not condone abusive leadership. The assertion that teachers did not return money even though they were bullied tends to parallel the disfunctional thinking of an abuser in an abusive relationship. As for a hotline- that need not be limited to just RPA- why not allow everyone to participate. As for “people facing their accusers”- how many teachers have had that right before being dismissed as a result of adminstrator “perception”- Not many
Sad day for Georgia
February 14th, 2010
1:45 pm
I am a former DeKalb County middle school teacher. I was told by my principal that my student’s grades were “too low” and I needed to do something about it. I responded by saying my students earned their grades, good or bad. I was pressured to adjust my student’s grades the day grades were to be turned in. The only thing I felt I could do was to finish out my school year and leave the district all together.
This current scandal goes so much deeper than just tampering with CRCT tests. We are cheating not only our students, we are cheating ourselves from being competitive in a hyper competitive world.
Q: Not to offer any type of excuse, but is there any correlation between a high number erasures and some cohort groups like ESOL, FRL, or students with disabilities?
the big unspoken if
February 14th, 2010
1:46 pm
If there is no dishonesty, then APS will vindicate itself this Spring when CRCT scores are released.
Just browsing that will only be true if the state is serious about sending outside monitors and they are serious about doing their jobs. Remember Kathy Cox considers Beverly Hall her good friend, and Atlanta’s supposed successes make Cox look good as well. Cox has already tried to cover for Hall, while Perdue, for whatever reason, is calling it like anyone with common sense sees it.
Should Cox be rescuing herself from this investigation, due to her stated friendship, to avoid any talk of conflict of interest?
irisheyes
February 14th, 2010
1:55 pm
Dr. Hall is just doing what my 2nd graders do when they get in trouble, point the finger. “The teachers didn’t do the right thing!” We’ve all seen that teachers have almost no rights when it comes to losing their jobs. Just ask the teacher in Barrow County. Anybody can lose their job over anything, and my electric company isn’t going to care that I “tried to do the right thing”. Plus, we’ve read about teachers that did report it, and it was swept under the rug. So I can’t really believe Dr. Hall when she starts throwing the blame around. She needs to stand up and take some accountability too.
Been there done that didn't get the t-shirt
February 14th, 2010
1:57 pm
Maureen
A large urban district which shall go unnamed.
john konop
February 14th, 2010
1:57 pm
Kathy Cox even has even a bigger conflict of interest by her promoting CRCT score she knew had issues. Also she openly was covering up the issue to cover up her failed one size fit all curriculums!
July 9th 2009
…..Superintendent Kathy Cox emphasized that the overwhelming majority of schools administer state tests honestly and in full compliance with state and federal law.
“The vast majority of educators are highly ethical and deeply concerned with following the rules,” she said. “While any cheating is cause for concern, I am confident it is not a widespread issue and that we have a valid, trustworthy testing program in Georgia.”…..
Vox
February 14th, 2010
2:18 pm
In days of old, when Rome ruled, Pudue, Cox, Hall, Lewis, et al. would have drawn a hot bath, entered in it, and slit their wrists in atonement and to keep their past triumphs and honors intact.
Bring back these good lold days!
john konop
February 14th, 2010
2:19 pm
October 19th 2009
Are drastic swings in CRCT scores valid?
When Kathy Cox was confronted with the cheating issue even after two principals were arrested read her comments!
….The AJC examined scores on state reading, math and language arts tests for students in grades 3 through 5. The newspaper compared students’ scores from 2008 with how they did in spring 2009.
The state Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests are Georgia’s main measure of academic ability through eighth grade. The Atlanta elementary schools in question include one that state Superintendent Kathy Cox praised effusively in May as a hardworking school with an “absolutely no-excuses attitude.”
“By the way, they’re knocking the socks off of the test scores,” Cox said of Peyton Forest Elementary at a state Board of Education meeting. “They’re just a shining star.” …..
http://www.ajc.com/news/are-drastic-swings-in-165974.html
Vox
February 14th, 2010
2:25 pm
Like I said Cox, like Hall, took her victory laps knowing the test scores were unreal and impossible.
Attentive Parent
February 14th, 2010
2:56 pm
From John Konop’s linked story:
Atlanta Deputy Superintendent Kathy Augustine said the district has no plans to check the validity of the scores highlighted by the AJC.
“I don’t have any reason to look at that,” she said. “We expect outliers every year.”
She said the district’s use of testing data to guide instruction and good teacher training are among the strategies that have helped schools make steady progress. Also, high rates of student turnover at some schools in question could create surprising score jumps, she said.
Funny. When this story broke Augustine and Hall were at a national education conference giving a dedicated presentation so that other school systems could follow their model of excellence.
No incentive at all. http://www.aasa.org/NCE/NCEcontent.aspx?id=11944
Now don’t these ladies look proud of themselves on Wednesday, February 10, 2010.
An analogy
February 14th, 2010
3:01 pm
“Start with a cage containing five apes. In the cage, hang a banana on a string and put stairs under it. Before long an ape will go up the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as the ape touches the banana, spray all apes with cold water. After a while, another ape makes an attempt with the same result – all the apes are sprayed with cold water. Then turn off the cold water.
“Now if another ape tries to climb the stairs for the banana the other apes will try to prevent it even though no water sprays them. Now remove one of the five apes from the cage and replace with a new one. The new ape sees the banana and tries to climb the stairs. To his horror, all of the apes attack him. After another attempt he is again attacked. He knows now that if he attempts to climb the stairs he will be assaulted.
“Next, remove another of the original five apes and replace with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm. Again, replace a third of the original five apes with a new one. The new one makes it to the stairs and is attacked as well. Two of the four apes that beat him up have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they are participating in the beating of the newest ape. After replacing the fourth and fifth of the original apes there are no longer any apes that have been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no ape ever again approaches the banana. Why not ??
“Because that’s the way it’s always been around here.”
That is how policy begins!!!”
And you wonder why more teachers don’t come forward.
majii
February 14th, 2010
3:27 pm
Teachers are constantly intimidated by administrators and BOEs. This is par for the course. Don’t think for one second that teachers who are brave enough to report incidents of cheating will be lauded for their efforts. The administrators and BOEs will quickly find some way to remove those teachers from their systems. I’ve seen it repeatedly. The first step in removing a whistle-blower usually involves giving unsatisfactoy/needs improvement scores on GTOIs, where none previously existed. Another often used technique involves “gotcha” duty infractions, such as rating a teacher unsatisfactory on something as simple as being 1 minute late reaching a duty station or not getting paperwork turned in at 3:00 PM if it is submitted at 3:01 PM. There are a lot of built in instruments that can be used to discourage teachers from reporting cheating. Many administrators and BOEs only want to hear positive things. Anything else labels you as not being a team player and no longer needed in that system/school.
Dr. John Trotter
February 14th, 2010
3:50 pm
“Chris Murphy”: Thank you for your kind words. Atlanta Cheating Schools (ACS): Improving Test Scores By Any Means Necessary. Maureen, the bloggers are telling the truth…When a teacher summons the nerve to complain about the dubious and unethical practices, he or she becomes a pariah and eventually is non-renewed or forced to resign. This is not just happening in Atlanta, but also in other systems. I believe that Beverly Hall has operated on the Big Lie Theory so long that she may actually believe her own b_llsh_t. This phenomenon does occur.
Wounded Warrior
February 14th, 2010
4:01 pm
why should teachers come forward, so they can be fired? ms. hall should fire herself and her cohorts.
john konop
February 14th, 2010
5:21 pm
As I said before, a scandal like this starts at the top! The culture was set from the top, Kathy Cox and the gang did not want to hear about the problems, in fact in sounds like they punished teachers who dare tell the truth! They were protecting the lobbyist money changers in Washington, who sold us the failed curriculum over protecting the students!
EchoToo
February 14th, 2010
6:19 pm
Just as teachers have to be evaluated, there should be a safe instrument available for teachers to do an annual evaluation of their principal. This is not just for APS, all school districts should have this as teacher abuse by administrators is profuse all over the state. Please, please allow Cobb teachers to do this.
cookie cutter
February 14th, 2010
6:45 pm
I am a teacher in another County. Not only does cheating exist on test but in other areas of the classroom. Teachers are encouraged to pass students on at the end of the year if they fail. Teachers are dishonest and assist to ignore poor behavior of students. Dishonesty starts with the principal. Teacher follow the protocal of the principals. It is very difficulty to remain in a school environment when you have principals, values and uphold a honor code. At my school, teachers are bullied, harrased and intiminated by the principal. Yet, non of them will speak up.
teacher317
February 14th, 2010
7:19 pm
Reading the comments of Dr. Hall really saddens me. I know of a teacher who would not cheat and the principal made sure she and any one else who expressed that notion loudly would not have a career in APS. When the teaher went to the executive director office to report it she was pulled to the side and told not to say anything about that principal at PFE because she was their girl and made them look good and it would only be worst for her. So Dr.Hall please stop pretending there is no intimidation when teachers are loosing their jobs because they won’t cheat. The principal has too much power and does what ever with his/her pen.
teacher317
February 14th, 2010
7:24 pm
Oh yeah, I also know that they do have evidence. They were given the test and they forgot to get it back before they dismissed the teacher. The test even has the teacher who gave it to her handwriting on it where she labeled various sections and copied questions from the test and stapled to the test. Oh believe me there is proof. I think she will now come out. I hope so we are talking to her to do so. She needs legal representation. AFT would not help her when she went to them. So I am trying to get her to come forward.
angela
February 14th, 2010
7:34 pm
It’s always wrong to cheat, but teachers are often put in untenable situations. We parents should stand up for teachers when we know a teacher is being or has been pressured to cheat.
Principals and other administrators put pressure on DeKalb teachers to change grades; in other words to give students grades they did not earn. Principals pressure teachers to go into the online grading system and input a grade of passing instead of failing, completely overriding the grade point averaging system that has been mandated by the county.
See these WSB videos:
http://dekalbschoolwatch.blogspot.com/search?q=callaway
http://dekalbschoolwatch.blogspot.com/2009/07/more-we-dig-more-we-find.html
Changing grades is cheating twice. It cheats the students who earned their grades, and it cheats the student who had his/her grade changed. I believe grade changing is actually worse than CRCT cheating because grades get students into accelerated classes, colleges, etc.
Were any DeKalb administrators ever investigated for pressuring teachers to change grades? In one instance grades were changed in the online grading system while the teacher was on maternity leave (although not in the teacher’s hand marked gradebook she kept as a backup).
Guess who was out the door? The teachers – one of them a Georgia Tech graduate who taught math, another a science teacher (and do we ever need science and math teachers – so hard to find – easier to find administrators).
Guess who kept their $100,000+ a year jobs – the administrators.
Is it any wonder with such unethical leadership and poor support by parents that our teachers feel set adrift? At least the teachers are adults and can find other jobs. The majority of our students cannot seek another learning environment.
Virtually all DeKalb administrators have been removed or reassigned during the last 8 years. The pressure to adhere to a corrupt system is powerful.
"Disgrace to the Top"
February 14th, 2010
7:37 pm
Maureen, I think that the feds should come in and conduct the same study all over again, scanning all test documents across Georgia. I wonder if we would see the same results. I work at a school In Gwinnett where my colleagues cheat annually. I have made formal complaints verbally and in writing and to no avail, the cheating continues. My school is on the “cleared” list-go figure. I think that Sonny and Mathers were very selective with whom they would expose in this scandal. This would never have flown in my affluent community. By the way, the bloggers are fools if they do not think that teachers have ample time to make changes after students turn their papers in and teachers return tests to the main office. Give me a break!
Patrick Crabtree
February 14th, 2010
9:36 pm
As President of the Atlanta Association of Educators, I am dismayed by this whole scenario. I love you John Trotter, but MACE was not the only one speaking out. I wrote an artice for the AAE newsletter over five years ago that stated, “when big monies (bonuses) and job threats are looming, inequities will occur.” This does not surprise me. This business model will make the most ethical person become unethical. I honestly do not believe that many teachers are changing scores. There is more to this than meets the eye. There is NO protection for an employee to be a whistleblower. Can we say Lynda Smith? I hope the teachers will not become the scapegoats. I will defend my members. The board needs to listen more to the employees and employee organizations and bring us to the table. The students are the real losers here.
@Patrick Crabtree
February 14th, 2010
10:53 pm
Patrick, nice to see AAE add their voice, but you’re still tiptoeing. Let’s call it what Dr. Trotter and MACE have called it for years. Not “inequities,” systemic cheating.
And though your organization represents teachers and administrators, glad to see that you aren’t caving in and pinning it on the teachers; as you correctly surmise there’s more than meets the eye, and when it’s this widespread in this many schools only the most delusional would think this is happening at the classroom level with no knowledge from the higher ups.
ATeacher
February 14th, 2010
10:56 pm
I am assuming that the procedure for administering and guarding the CRCT tests are the same at all schools. If so, I think it is very difficult for teachers to cheat on the CRCT. Each test section is timed and has specific instructions that are meant to be followed verbatim. Some teachers have a proctor, some do not. I teach 1st grade, so we read the questions and answer choices aloud to students. Because I have to wait for all of my students to answer each question, I encourage my students to check their answers while they are waiting for the next question. That can explain how one or two classes in a school would have a suspicious number of erasures. I am interested to see what my class’ average number of erasures was. Either way, I think it is difficult for teachers in lower grades to cheat on the CRCT. I cannot imagine a teacher in the upper grades giving answers to a *classroom* of students being able to do so easily either. Maybe students who are being pulled out? But, what students wouldn’t go home and say something? Just like Dr. Hall says that teachers talk, so do students!! I feel very fortunate to work in a school where the CRCT is not shoved down our throats, and I am not encouraged to teach to the test. The test, by the way, is NOT an accurate indicator of a student’s mastery of the curriculum. However, having worked in APS for a school that was embroiled in the previous cheating scandal, I can definitely empathize with teachers working for administrators who threaten jobs if classes do not pass. Dr. Hall is a fool if she thinks teachers could not be pressured in to cheating. Although I hope that was not the case. Cheating does nothing but hurt the students and skews data.
anon teacher
February 15th, 2010
8:00 am
I am so saddened to read these comments. I feel I need to interject something positive. I teach in a low income area, in a county south of Atlanta. I retained 6 children last year, because they simply were not ready for 1st grade. My principal supported me every step of the way. I had the anecdotal notes and assessments to support my decision. She is a strict but a fair principal. She does not condone cheating. She does not condone passing children just for the sake of passing them. If they need to be retained, then so be it. Sometimes,she comes under fire for her decisions. However, the best interests of the children are always on her mind. I have seen this proven every day for the past 5 years.
I just want to say that there are schools who are doing the right thing.
john konop
February 15th, 2010
9:35 am
Maureen,
The AJC did a great job uncovering this scandal. You guys should make sure the teachers are not railroaded in an internal investigation with the administrators in charge. This is like letting the fox guard the hen house. And for this scandal to reach this size it is obvious the investigation should be focused on the top not throwing teachers under a bus!
APSTeacher
February 15th, 2010
9:47 am
Dr. Hall has been a huge disappointment in her handling of this situation. I’d like to know what the results were of investigation of Benteen Elementary. There were accusations of staff witnessing the administrative team rolling the tests into their office after school hours. There are other schools that don’t use proctors in the classroom. Some schools are encouraging teachers to use physical gestures to give students answers.
Dr. Hall should understand that the truth will come out. Finally! Her reforms haven’t been nearly as effective as her “data” shows.
To Angela
February 15th, 2010
10:00 am
Angela, I agree with you. Administrators often encourage teachers to change grades. As a teacher, I was asked on several occasions to change grades of students. The reason, so the parents would “shut up”. These students earned these grades and were not performing well. If mama was on the PTA or active in the school she expected her child to do well academically. Cobb County elementary report cards are hand-written. To safeguard myself, I made a copy of the original and kept the hand-written note from my principal asking me to change the grade. The sad part is that the parent knew that her child was not earning the grade that was given, she did not care. The parent went directly to the principal to get a higher grade. This happened numerous times over several years from the same principal.
A teacher from another grade level said that she does not bother to give students the grades they earn, but rather the grades the parents and administrators expect. It is not worth the fight. The administrator and parent always win and then the administrator speaks badly about the teacher directly to the parent. This same principal also said that she would send the child on to middle school if he did not pass the CRCT. This way the student, and parent, become someone elses problem!
This is one reason why teachers often get students that obviously below grade level.
KZGuy
February 15th, 2010
10:17 am
Dr. Hall acts surprised that teachers feel intimidated ? Didn’t Dr. Hall get a salary BONUS that was more than the average teacher makes year. Why not just retest a few of these classes that showed a lot of progress and see if the students really did it on their own.
Patrick Crabtree
February 15th, 2010
11:11 am
AAE is not tiptoeing. I am a working President. I am an employee of APS. I have been harassed and threatened with my job for being a whistleblower. When I address issues at board meetings, my Principals get calls “why can’t you keep him quiet?” I know this to be true because they told me, excluding current one. What I do on my time is my business and I want APS schools to be recognized for their achievements. I live in the city and pay taxes. I am not the enemy, nor do I want to attack without full evidence and I do not want to lose my job. I will continue to speak out. I am at just about EVERY board meeting bringing isssues to my elected officials. I am sure “inequities” do occur. There have been red flags at Peyton Forest for over five years, especially how the teachers are overworked, dogged out, and held in meeting until 5:30.
On a personal note, I had a student I was referring to PEC. I made sure to set this child by himself so he wouldn’t cheat. How would it look if I referred a child to PEC and he passes a test? I have integrity. To say the least, he passed Reading and Math, and failed ELA by 1 point. When the psychological was given he scored very low. Inequities????????? The response, “some students are lucky guessers.” This child slept and bubbled in just any answers. Lucky??????
In response to the person who said teachers have time to change answers before they turn in tests. I am monitored, there is no time. I have no test answer booklet to look through and there are different tests. As I said before, there is more than meets the eye. AND IF, these alegations prove to be true, Dr. Hall will still laugh her way to the bank. She as earned over two million dollars since she arrived. The past and present boards should be ashamed of themselves giving that much power and money to the superintendent. The chamber of commerce needs to meet with employee organizations before thay cram business models down taxpayers throats. If their model is so good, why are they going under at suh a fast rate?
Stressed Educator
February 15th, 2010
12:36 pm
Once again Hall shows how out of touch she is with the real world and how big of a liar she is! She has no sympathy for anyone who does not report cheating going on in schools?? She CAN NOT be serious. I hope no one has sympathy for her when she is exposed for covering up the whole matter. Be careful of your own words Hall for they may very well bite you in your butt like that they did in New Jersey when you were accused of taking money and then fleeing to Atlanta. Do the research–she has been lying, stealing and cheating for years. I’m just glad the AJC and GOSA has made it official what Dr. Trotter has being saying for years. Folks, we are talking about the same woman who has sent her Goon Squad to warn teachers and administrators that if they speak with AJC reporter Heather Vogell, they will be terminated. So does she REALLY think or want her employees to come forward now? The GOSA and the US Dept of Education should set up hotlines so those who want to report the cheating (against Hall, Augustine, Executive Directors, Principals, etc.) will have a better chance of their concerns being investigated instead of being ignored like what happened to the teacher from Cook. To the teacher from Cook–you did the right thing and I know the mess you faced from Shelton (the former principal of Cook who was suddenly reassigned to BEST Academy). Isn’t it funny how administrators who cheat in APS suddenly receive promotions?
But she will have us fired if we come forward!
February 15th, 2010
2:22 pm
I don’t understand – she tells us we should come forward, and says she has no sympathy for us if we don’t, but if we do…..she will have us fired? I am so confused at this point!
At C.W. Hill was a young beginning teacher who observed a colleague cheating. It took her a while to figure out what to do. Who knows the exact route to take? She finally figured out to take it to OIR (wrong choice obviously), who said she knew about cheating and didn’t report it (as she was figuring out what to do about it). She was told she would be fired, and would probably lose her certificate for not telling in time. The one she saw cheat got her pick of location for a transfer. Oh, and they decided the other did nothing wrong. They ‘investigated’ and she was clean.
Does that make young, scared teacher want to tell?
But she will have us fired if we come forward!
February 15th, 2010
2:28 pm
oops – ‘teachers’ plural
Please, Maureen, don’t forget about the kids of this school. It’s on your ’severe’ list. The school is gone, but the kids still exist. Aside from this story, ask: When the changing of the guard occurred in ‘03, how did scores soar so high immediately after that? Why did the teachers really leave in a couple of years? Was it because we were bad teachers, as the new principal said (all of us???), or because we didn’t feel comfortable with some things?
.
February 15th, 2010
2:28 pm
Enter your comments here
APS Employee
February 15th, 2010
3:03 pm
C.W. Hill, hmm, on the moderate list, and wasn’t that Yolanda Chaplin Brown’s year at Hill? I hear her staff at her new school in Druid Hills are miserable and can’t wait to leave. That’s a nice pic of Brown on Wednesday with pals Hall and Augustine: http://www.aasa.org/NCE/NCEcontent.aspx?id=11944
Ole Guy
February 15th, 2010
3:34 pm
Ya know, I read a lot of comments here, and I’ve got to say, rhetorically…SO WHAT! Many people are posing complaints so that many more people can read these complaints and issue their own complaints. What’s next…light torches and march in the streets? Has anyone requested the DA conduct an investigation into allegations (at this point, that’s all these complaints are) of corruption at the highest levels of educational leadership. It’s easy to key out some complaints and commiserate…if that makes people feel better, well, I guess I’m all for that. Thus far, in this sad saga of the state of education within this equally sad state, I have observed words of scholarly pontification from those whom I would presume occupy leadership roles within their fields of endeavour. There your kids, people…what’s the next step?
APS Proctor
February 15th, 2010
4:04 pm
I am a retired APS teacher and now sub for APS. I have served as proctor for the past seven years at various schools. I can’t see how a teacher could possibly cheat. Teachers sign for and pick up the test box for their classes about ten minutes before the test is timed to begin. They have about ten minutes after the designated end time to return the test box and sign it back in.
Not once have I seen any sign of impropriety on the part of ANY teacher that I was assigned to proctor for. Not once. Teachers should not get a bad rap for something that they didn’t do. It is my feeling that cheating took place outside the time frame of these test being administered by the teachers. This is just my experience as a proctor. If a school did not use proctors, it must have been the decision of the principal not to use them and I’d have to wonder why a principal would make that kind of decision.
disheartened
February 15th, 2010
9:01 pm
I am sure that cheating went on at Benteen. Went on at Oglethorpe under the same principal’s watch.
MS Man
February 15th, 2010
9:39 pm
I wonder if the Governor released the erasure analysis in the middle of the very bad budget season to dissuade Superintendents and school boards from focusing on the cuts he is making and the troubles that school systems are having in getting even the QBE funding they are supposed to get. It is interesting timing, considering that the only talk on this blog and in all the education world was the budget until the CRCT information came out. Appears no one is paying attention to the budgetary issues any more. Scary, scary, scary…..
Glenn Dowell, Ed.D.
February 15th, 2010
10:39 pm
TO FORMER APS PROCTOR AND OTHERS…..
I too, served as a test proctor for many years while employed by APS. After following test protocol and observing tests being locked up securely at Bunche Middle School for the day,I unexpectedly returned to the school to catch the Principal ( who later became an Assistant Superintendent) along with her staff, in the school’s Media Center changing the student’s answer sheets. This happened several years ago. When I complained to the principal she indicated that she and the staff were merely cleaning up the sheets. I also complained to the Research and Evaluation Department.
This woman ultimately became a respected member of Hall’s cabal of crooks. It is common knowledge that for Beverly Hall, C.R.C.T. means (C)REATING (R)ESULTS (C)HEATING on (T)ESTS.
The fact of the matter is that the African- American community around the country has been the victims of a hoax that says to our children who are already affected by a “surfeit of woes”, that it is OK to cheat. YOU SHOULD VOLUNTARILY LEAVE ATLANTA, BEVERLY HALL-AND TAKE KATHY AUGUSTINE, YOUR C0-ARCHITECT OF THIS HOAX WITH YOU.
Teddy B
February 15th, 2010
10:42 pm
CRCT Spring 2009 proctors were given an order by an Atlanta Public School principal. They were told to sit outside, near the classroom doors, in the hallways during testing. Teachers were alone in the classrooms with the students administering the tests. The question is: Why did the principal give this directive? Check it out, this school is on the severe list. Beverly Hall needs to investigate this principal. She needs OIR to investigate by interviewing every teacher on the severe list. Like students, teachers will talk one-to-one.
Dr. John Trotter
February 15th, 2010
11:12 pm
Patrick: I appreciate what you and all of the organizations do to contribute to exposing the corruption of APS. Keep up the good work. John.
don'tunderstand
February 16th, 2010
6:40 am
What about FAIN elementary touting passing AYP for 12 years on their website and now are on the severe list…….HHHMMMM???
WTF
February 16th, 2010
8:12 pm
I just reviewed the individual flagged classes of the schools on the severe list and OMG most of the classes flagged are from first and second grade. This really makes no sense now. What is there to gain? They are not a part of APS targets nor are they counted toward AYP. This erasure analysis is BS! I knew this was a Sonny Purdue ploy with his lover that he is attempting to appoint as the next State Superintendent. Kathy Cox you better watch out. You are about to be replaced my Katydid Mathers if the governor gets his way. You wonder why you were not invited to the AJC calling Hall out party. This is unbelievable. Let the feds come in and see if this analysis can be duplicated across the state. I doubt it very much. The truth is about to be brought to light Sonny and Kathleen.
Sarah
February 21st, 2010
6:21 pm
@ WTF…Exactly, first and second grade…that’s the case even in other districts such as Gainesville…Maybe they are not really prepared to test at that age.
Worked There
February 22nd, 2010
6:22 pm
All of the Employee Organizations are a JOKE, none of them really do anything, they are all trying to get jobs with APS, John Trotter and Charles Carey are the only ones who at least speak up, but they get no respect. And yes, the teacher at CW Hill who reported the cheating, yes she did get fired! And did many others. Who is Dr. Hall fooling, she is locked up on the 8th floor and don’t want anyone to bother her cause she and her top administrators are still getting paid. It just appears that the whole educational system is a buddy, buddy system of administrators, not really interested in finding out the truth. I don’t care who replaces Kathy Cox, I just believe our children deserve to be taught and taught well and not by teachers who have administrators who have them afraid to breath!
Parks teacher/// tired of APS telling all
February 27th, 2010
12:56 am
Come on folks,everyone knew cheating was taking place at Parks and most of the succesful schools in Atlanta. Test scores promotes you. Beacher Hill’s Principal is now an Executive Director, her school is on the list. Anyone who is promoted in Atlanta Public Schools recently got it based on false testing data. Principals are complaining that they dont understand how she can investigate cheating when she cheated herself. Kath Agustine is a mad woman who only promotes females. Tyrone Smith, one of Atlanta’s most successful principal will not be promoted because he is a male and wont cheat, they overlooked him and give the executive directors job to Abagail Crowford who moved nothing while she was the principal at Carver, in fact she never made targets or AYP and was promoted. The Associate superintendent of High Schools cant speak proper english. Dr. Halls nephew is a middle school principal and her niece is too, oh she lost her license and is now working at the district office. Check out those Jamaicans from New York who arrived and become succesful principals from day one, family. Atlanta is filled with cheaters. Back to parks, of course he cheated. Mr. 100% I told you he was overdoing it.
Hmmm
March 11th, 2010
8:38 am
I wish dearly someone would find that sweet teacher at CW Hill who was bullied, harassed, and fired for reporting a cheater. There would be so many braver now, who could comfort her – she went through hell, and she would be vindicated now. The cheater she reported got a cush transfer (after APS central office ‘clearing’ her after an ‘investigation’) and is still teaching with high test scores.
To APS Employee – That episode was before the transfer of principals, but yes, CW Hill – you were asking if that was when Brown came on board, when the scores miraculously jumped, and the answer is yes. Times were tough under both principals. The teachers and staff at Spark are hurting (I still am in shock she was chosen by the committee to be given that job, as the search committee at Hill did NOT choose her and in fact had her last on their list – what a scandal that was) but she has taken a ‘leave’ to help her mother and they are now in the hands of Mr. Michael Cooper, who you might also remember.