The story so far Suspicious scores (2008-2009)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s investigative reporters broke the story about widespread cheating on tests in Atlanta Public Schools in 2008, and we’ve continued digging ever since.
The story so far Evidence of widespread cheating (2010-2011)
About 180 educators were accused of cheating after our reports triggered a state investigation. Our commitment to bringing you complete coverage continues with today’s report.
The story so far The fallout (2012-2013)
Thirty-five educators linked to the scandal were indicted and 21 pleaded guilty and signed documents saying they would testify truthfull if called upon. Twelve of the 35 went to trial. Two died, as did former Superintedent Beverly Hall. She was excused from the trial while suffering from breast cancer.
The story so far The resolution (2014-2015)
The case against 12 defendents went to trial in late summer of 2014. Hall died in early March. The jury returned April 1 with convictions for 11 of the 12 defendants for conspiracy, the most serious charge. Some were also convicted of lesser felonies, such as making false statements. Only one, Dessa Curb, a former teacher, walked away with no convictions. The convicted will be sentenced in coming weeks.
2008
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution analyzes scores on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test and finds what appear to be unusual score changes at several area schools. APS teachers and others begin alleging extensive cheating. Superintendent Beverly Hall, a nationally known innovator who built her reputation on improved APS scores, dismisses the possibility of cheating. APS responds that it had no plans to investigate.
2009
A computer analysis developed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution flags schools with unusual changes in test scores. In the case of some schools, the odds of improvement by chance were greater than a billion to one against. The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement calls for an erasure analysis on all CRCT answer sheets. Hall announces that national experts will review test scores at schools that recorded extraordinary improvements.
2010
The state analysis flags 58 Atlanta schools for excessive erasures and orders APS to investigate. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s continuing investigation reports that the gain in test scores and graduation rates claimed by Hall are illusions. In the summer, the district’s appointed commission finds that widespread cheating was limited to 12 schools. Gov. Sonny Perdue orders his own investigation. Hall announces that she will retire the following summer.
2011
The state investigators gather evidence, interviewing scores of APS teachers, administrators and staff. In July, Perdue’s successor, Gov. Nathan Deal, releases the results — an 800-page report saying that close to 200 educators cheated on the CRCT at 44 schools. Erroll Davis, former chancellor of the University System of Georgia, takes over as superintendent with a vow that no one who cheated on tests will be allowed in front of Atlanta schoolchildren again, as APS pursues the process of firing teachers and administrators suspected of cheating.
2012
APS officials tell implicated educators that they have one day to resign or face firing. In March, the Atlanta school district begins holding disciplinary tribunals for educators accused of cheating who wanted to appeal their dismissals. In the spring, the AJC investigative team reports that 196 districts throughout the U.S. exhibit suspicious patterns of test scores that, in Atlanta, indicated cheating. In December, the Atlanta school board votes 7-2 to renew Davis’ contract.
2013
Of the 178 people implicated in the state investigative report, about 150 resign, retire or lose appeals to keep their jobs. More than 20 were reinstated. A Fulton County grand jury indicts former Superintendent Beverly Hall and 34 others on felony charges, including theft by taking, influencing witnesses, conspiracy and false statements, and the most serious charge of conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, created to go after criminal conspirators such as Mafia members. Twenty-one other former educators will plead guilty in the runup to the trial, avoiding the most serious charges, but agreeing to testify for the prosecution.
2014
The years of allegations and fingerpointing come to a crux as those involved prepare for the trial. Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter, a gruff, funny jurist, is appointed to the case. He survives a challenge from defense attorneys to disqualify him because he tried to hurry along an appeal of one of his rulings on a pre-trial appeal. The best-known person facing charges, former Superintendent Beverly Hall, is excused from the trial because she is suffering from breast cancer. Testimony starts in late September.
2015
Prosecutors continued working their way through more than 130 witnesses, thousands of pages of documents and test answer sheets, while prosecutors brought up details about embarassing failures among some of the prosecution witnesses, many of them former teachers. The prosecution rested in mid February. Defense attorneys took a surprisingly short few days to make their case. Closing arguments began March 16 and it was pitched to the jury. But the oft-discussed but missing figurehead of the scandal, former Superintendent Beverly Hall, will never have her day in court. She died March 2.
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