TAKS cheating probe is complete: 12 schools cleared, three are not
Yesterday HISD announced that it had completed its investigation into TAKS cheating; twelve schools were cleared and three were not:
Twelve Houston schools were cleared of any testing improprieties in a sweeping investigation by the HISD Inspector General, but the probe found that teachers at three schools helped students answer questions on the state TAKS test, HISD announced Wednesday.
Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra said he is moving to fire four school employees. In addition, one principal and an assistant principal will be demoted. Three other employees, including a principal, will be formally reprimanded. The district will move to fire a teacher at Key Middle, two teachers who were employed at Bowie Elementary School in 2004 but now work elsewhere in the district, and one teacher at Petersen Elementary School as a result of the investigation which found clear and convincing evidence that students were helped to answer questions during the TAKS test in 2004.
[snip]
The massive and thorough investigation by the newly created HISD Inspector General’s Office took four months to complete. The probe involved 12 HISD investigators who conducted interviews with dozens of students and district employees and inspected thousands of pages of testing documents and data in Houston and in Austin.
And here's more from today's Chronicle story:
The Dallas Morning News report focused on schools in HISD's Acres Homes Charter District, which has received national attention for its ability to raise test scores among poor, minority children.
Investigators found no proof of cheating at the Acres Homes schools, although the evidence was inconclusive at Osborne Elementary.
[snip]
HISD teacher Donna Garner first accused Acres Homes teachers and administrators of cheating in 2003, shortly after she left her job at the neighborhood's Wesley Elementary School. She said administrators at Wesley and Osborne elementaries expected teachers to help their students pass the state exam. As a result, she said, the schools' scores quickly went from among the state's worst to the top of the class.
And at the very end of Jason Spencer's story is this:
Attorney James Fallon, who also represents some of the teachers, said investigators erred by failing to offer immunity to teachers who may have been willing to testify against administrators.
It should have been noted that James Fallon is the son of Gayle Fallon who is president of the Houston Federation of Teachers. Transparency is a good thing, I'm sure the Chronicle would agree.
RELATED: Did HISD know about TAKS cheating prior to newspaper investigation? (blogHOUSTON)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 05/05/05 03:42 PM | Print |
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