By the time Atlanta Public Schools got serious about fixing the legacy of a districtwide cheating conspiracy, half of the victims were already gone — dropped out, moved away, graduated.

The other half, about 3,000 kids, are now the target of a 6-year, $18 million program to make up for educators “helping” students bubble in the right answers on state tests. The help includes tutoring, counseling and social services.

“We’re trying to make up for all the things that we didn’t do for years and years and years,” said Shawnna Hayes-Taveres, an Atlanta parent who has spoken out about the cheating for years and is a member of the advisory board for the program.

But it is satisfying to see the programming in place, she and others say, and could go a ways toward helping move past the scandal.

You can read the details, including thoughts from some of the children involved, here.

About the Author

Keep Reading

A graduate attends Clark Atlanta University’s 2025 commencement ceremony Sunday, May 18, 2025, at Georgia State’s Convocation Center. (Daniel Varnado for the AJC)

Credit: Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Featured

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, seen here in a file photo from Nov. 14, 2024, is conducting a statewide audit of voter registrations targeting registrations at businesses and P.O. boxes for possible cancelation. (Jason Getz / AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com