Hall could lose ‘Superintendent of Year' award

By David Ibata

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The organization that named former Atlanta Public Schools chief Beverly Hall “Superintendent of the Year” is considering whether to take the award back, Channel 2 Action News reports.

Never before in the 165-year history of the American Association of School Administrators has the organization considered rescinding one of its awards, Dr. Dan Domenech, the group's executive director, told Channel 2.

“This comes as a terrible shock to us and I think to education in general,” Domenech said of recent allegations of test cheating in the Atlanta schools.

The association named Hall its 2009 Superintendent of the Year in part because of her success in raising test scores in Atlanta. But now there are questions if Hall really accomplished any of it.

A more than 800-page report released last week by Gov. Nathan Deal named 178 educators, including 38 principals, as participants in cheating. Some methods included erasing and correcting mistakes on students' answer sheets. Investigators said they confirmed cheating in 44 of 56 schools they examined.

Hall's attorney has said there was no direct evidence his client knew widespread cheating had occurred. But there’s no question the scandal has hurt her reputation.

Domenech said, “It’s the first time one of our superintendents of the year has been so tainted by an investigation, so this is new ground for us, and we’re walking our way through it.”

He said that his executive committee would discuss the situation and that his organization is reviewing the state report and reserving judgment until any unethical behavior can be proven or criminal charges are filed.

In either event, “we will take whatever action is appropriate, and if that action is to take back the award, then we will,” Domenech said.