The special investigators' report released Tuesday found cheating in 44 schools on Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests. These schools were among 58 identified by a state review last year as exhibiting an abnormal number of answers changed from wrong to right. Here is part 2 of a list of the 58 schools identified by the state, with summaries of findings from the investigators' report. They are listed in order of the percentage of classrooms flagged in the state's 2010 review. (MAP of all schools flagged | Part 1: Highest percentage flagged )
Towns Elementary
760 Bolton Road N.W.
Enrollment: 382
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 96%
Classes flagged: 63.6%
Cheating occurred, but evidence did not implicate individuals.
Woodson Elementary
1605 Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway
Enrollment: 389
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 92%
Classes flagged: 63.3%
Two teachers confessed to using non-verbal signals to students to change answers, or seating poorly performing students so they could copy answers from other students. Three others were implicated. Principal Viola Blackshear denied knowledge of cheating.
Whitefoord Elementary
35 Whitefoord Ave. S.E.
Enrollment: 259
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 96%
Classes flagged: 59.3%
Evidence suggested widespread cheating, but no individuals were identified.
D. H. Stanton Elementary
970 Martin St. S.E.
Enrollment: 288
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 100%
Classes flagged: 58.3%
A fifth-grade teacher said half of her 2009 class of 16 boys could barely read, but passed the CRCT. The report says testing coordinator Francis Mack orchestrated cheating and principal Willie Davenport accommodated it. Mack said children or teachers were responsible for erasures. Davenport denied knowledge of cheating.
Boyd Elementary
1891 Johnson Road N.W.
Enrollment: 288
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 96%
Classes flagged: 56.1%
The report says evidence suggested widespread cheating and the principal should have known it. Principal Emalyn Foreman denied any cheating or knowledge of cheating.
West Manor Elementary
570 Lynhurst Drive S.W.
Enrollment: 282
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 55%
Classes flagged: 54.9%
The report says evidence suggested widespread cheating and the principal should have known it.
Turner Middle
98 Anderson Ave. N.W. (now closed)
Enrollment: 305
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 100%
Classes flagged: 54.0%
The report says evidence showed widespread cheating and the principal should have known it. Principal Karen Riggins-Taylor denied cheating.
Kennedy Middle
225 James P. Brawley Drive S.W.
Enrollment: 369
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 98%
Classes flagged: 53.2%
Interviews with 50 people identified four who cheated, including principal Lucious Brown; one confessed, the report says. Brown told a teacher and two other staff members to check students’ tests and “make them right.” He intimidated witnesses by requiring teachers and staff to meet with his personal criminal defense lawyer, the report says. Brown denied cheating.
Fickett Elementary
3935 Rux Road S.W.
Enrollment: 540
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 85%
Classes flagged: 51.4%
Four educators implicated, including two teachers who confessed.
Finch Elementary
1114 Avon Ave. S.W.
Enrollment: 464
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 97%
Classes flagged: 48%
Three teachers confessed to prompting students to change answers or themselves erasing and changing test papers. Six others were identified, including principal Linda Paden, who pressured teachers by telling them, “Walmart’s hiring,” the report says. Paden denied cheating or pressuring teachers.
Deerwood Academy (k-5)
3070 Fairburn Road S.W.
Enrollment: 687
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 75%
Classes flagged: 47.8%
In 2008, testing coordinator Lavonia Ferrell and a retired teacher went in a room with the windows covered to change answers, the report says. Assistant principal Tabeeka Jordan entered and left the room. A similar event occurred in 2009 and principal Lisa Smith was sometimes present in the room, the report says. The retired teacher confessed. Jordan and Smith denied cheating; Ferrell declined to answer questions.
White Elementary
1890 Detroit Ave. N.W.
Enrollment: 300
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 94%
Classes flagged: 47.4%
The report says evidence showed cheating; the principal failed to adequately monitor the test.
Hutchinson Elementary
650 Cleveland Ave. S.W.
Enrollment: 534
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 100%
Classes flagged: 47.0%
One teacher confessed to cheating and the principal failed to adequately monitor the tests, the reports says.
Humphries Elementary
3029 Humphries Drive S.E.
Enrollment: 347
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 100%
Classes flagged: 46.7%
A test proctor said she told principal Donald Clark she saw teachers signal answers to students and he said: “If you don’t tell me anything, I won’t have to report anything.” Five people were implicated. Clark denied any knowledge of cheating.
Benteen Elementary
200 Cassanova St. S.E.
Enrollment: 264
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 99%
Classes flagged: 43.1%
Principal Diana Quisenberry and two others “tutored” students for the test by showing them the test in advance, the report says. All denied it. Quisenberry said the investigation was politically motivated.
Beecher Hills Elementary
2257 Bollingbrook Drive S.W.
Enrollment: 347
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 76%
Classes flagged: 42.6%
Three teachers confessed to cheating and the report says there were more, but evidence was insufficient to identify them.
East Lake Elementary
145 Fourth Ave. S.E.
Enrollment: 238
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 89%
Classes flagged: 42.0%
Principal Gwendolyn Benton and testing coordinator Fran Standifer directed efforts, including changing answers and arranging easier tests for some students, the report says. Benton threatened retaliation against teachers who “slandered” her to investigators. Both denied the allegations.
Cook Elementary
211 Memorial Drive S.E.
Enrollment: 338
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 97%
Classes flagged: 40.7%
The report identifies six people; two teachers confessed to erasing and changing answers. Principal LaPaul Shelton accommodated and covered up cheating, the reports says, allowing some students to “retake” the test. He denied the allegations.
Fain Elementary
101 Hemphill School Road N.W.
Enrollment: 526
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 93%
Classes flagged: 39.7%
Four educators are identified; two confessed. Principal Marcus Stallworth directed teachers to use voice inflection, pointing to answers and other means to cue students to correct answers, the report says. He denied it.
Thomasville Heights Elementary
1820 Henry Thomas Drive S.E.
Enrollment: 462
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 100%
Classes flagged: 39.1%
A 2008 complaint said now-retired principal Janice Kelsey put extreme pressure on teachers to achieve good test scores. An internal district investigation found the charge had no merit. The state investigators implicated four people, including Kelsey; two confessed. Kelsey denied the allegations.
Dobbs Elementary
2025 Jonesboro Road S.E.
Enrollment: 563
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 100%
Classes flagged: 33.3%
“Principal Dana Evans is one of the few APS employees to accept responsibility for cheating that occurred in her school and she is to be commended,” the report says. Evans became principal in 2007 and, although investigators found she should have known, she denied knowing about cheating, while accepting responsibility. Five others were implicated and three confessed.
Coan Middle
1550 Hosea Williams Drive N.E.
Enrollment: 322
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 100%
Classes flagged: 31.4%
A special education teacher admitted cheating. Principal Andre Williams and one other knew of cheating, the report says. Both denied it.
Slater Elementary
1320 Pryor Road S.W.
Enrollment: 546
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 97%
Classes flagged: 30.3%
Five educators cheated. Two teachers confessed, including one who allowed students to look up answers at home and change test answers the day after the test.
Cleveland Avenue Elementary
2672 Old Hapeville Road S.W.
Enrollment: 422
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 96%
Classes flagged: 26.1%
One teacher confessed; the principal was not implicated.
University Community Academy (charter, k-8)
2050 Tiger Flowers Drive N.W.
Enrollment: 402
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 83%
Classes flagged: 25.0%
Five teachers were implicated; two confessed. Principal Jim Harris should have known of cheating, the report says. He said he did not.
Harper-Archer Middle
3399 Collier Drive N.W.
Enrollment: 631
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 100%
Classes flagged: 24.1%
Most of 52 people interviewed said cheating occurred, but no individuals were identified.
M. A. Jones Elementary
1040 Fair St. S.W.
Enrollment: 507
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 96%
Classes flagged: 23.1%
Six educators confessed to cheating; principal Margul Retha Woolfolk did not know of or condone cheating, the report says.
Bethune Elementary
220 Northside Drive N.W.
Enrollment: 462
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 98%
Classes flagged: 23.1%
Two teachers confessed to cheating; the principal pressured teachers and did not adequately monitor the test. Principal RoseMary Hamer said she was unaware of any cheating, the report says.
L.P. Miles Elementary
4215 Bakers Ferry Road S.W.
Enrollment: 469
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 98%
Classes flagged: 21.7%
Two teachers admitted cheating and another was implicated. The principal was not aware of the cheating, the report says.
Toomer Elementary
65 Rogers St. N.E.
Enrollment: 196
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 80%
Classes flagged: 21.4%
Two teachers confessed to cheating; principal Tonya Saunders admitted incidents and then recanted, the report says. The testing coordinator denied cheating.
Parkside Elementary
685 Mercer St. S.E.
Enrollment: 616
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 78%
Classes flagged: 21.3%
Three teachers confessed to cheating. The principal did not know about the cheating, the report says.
Grove Park Elementary
20 Evelyn Way N.W.
Enrollment: 416
Free/reduced lunch eligibility: 99%
Classes flagged: 20%
Two teachers confessed to cheating. The principal was not aware of it, the report says.
INCONCLUSIVE
Cheating was not established at these schools, in some cases because they are closed or did not warrant full investigation:
-- Carson Middle, 2210 Perry Blvd. N.W. (now closed)
-- C. W. Hill Elementary, 386 Pine St. N.E. (now closed)
-- Adamsville Elementary, 286 Wilson Mill Road S.W.
-- Cascade Elementary, 2326 Venetian Drive S.W.
-- Heritage Academy, (k-5) 3500 Villa Circle S.E.
-- A. D. Williams Elementary, 1065 Wilkes Circle N.W. (now closed)
-- Herndon Elementary, 350 Temple St. N.W.
-- Bolton Academy, (k-5) 2268 Adams Drive N.W.
-- Crim Open Campus, (grades 8-12) 256 Clifton St. S.E.
NOT IN REPORT
These schools were on the state’s list of 58 flagged schools, but do not appear in the special investigators’ report:
-- The Bridge School (for foster children, now closed) 1559 Johnson Road N.W.
-- Imagine Wesley International (charter, k-8), 1049 Custer Ave. S.E.
-- Long Middle, 3200 Latona Drive S.W.
-- Kimberly Elementary, 3090 McMurray Drive S.W.
-- Young Middle, 3116 Benjamin E. Mays Drive S.W.
STATE'S ADDITIONS
The investigators looked at three schools not on the state’s list of 58 flagged schools:
-- Jackson Elementary, 1325 Mount Paran Road. Two teachers admitted cheating.
-- Morningside Elementary, 1053 E. Rock Springs Road. Some evidence was noted; cheating was not established.
-- Morris Brandon Elementary, 2741 Howell Mill Road N.W. No cheating.
Note: All enrollment figures are for spring 2009, when the CRCT in question was administered.
Part 1: Highest percentage of classes flagged
