Education News in Brief

Georgia Districts Scrutinizing Testing Practices

By The Associated Press — January 05, 2010 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

An audit that showed 5th grade math exams were altered after the fact at four public schools in Georgia has had districts across the state scrambling to tighten rules for administering tests before they start again in the spring.

In the wake of the scathing report last June, districts have cracked down on where answer sheets are stored once they are completed by students and now require the sheets be turned in to collection warehouses immediately, rather than being kept on campus for several days. Other districts have increased training for principals and teachers who are in charge of testing.

“You don’t just sit there and give materials,” said Kathy Augustine, the deputy superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the Atlanta schools, named in the state audit as one of the districts where results were changed. “You walk hallways. If you see any irregularity, you report it immediately.”

The audit did not specify who corrected wrong answers at schools in Atlanta, DeKalb County, Fulton County, and Glynn County. But one DeKalb County administrator has pleaded guilty to tampering with the tests, and about a dozen educators have lost their state teaching licenses for up to two years as a result.

The audit was only the beginning of state officials’ monitoring of test-taking in schools.

The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, which produced the audit, is doing a statewide analysis of test results for every student in grades 1-8 who took a standardized test in Georgia in spring 2009. The report, set to be released this spring, could reveal more cheating or other testing problems.

Kathleen Mathers, the executive director of the office, said it’s the first time the state has taken a comprehensive look at testing, particularly focusing on whether schools are responding to performance pressures exerted by the federal No Child Left Behind Act’s standards by changing test answers or allowing students to cheat. She said the new audit is part of Georgia’s bid to win federal Race to the Top stimulus funding, which requires that states evaluate educators partly on the basis of students’ test performance.

We want to make sure performance data we have is accurate, Ms. Mathers said. But the bottom line is its the right thing to do for kids.

A version of this article appeared in the January 06, 2010 edition of Education Week as Georgia Districts Scrutinizing Testing Practices

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
The Future of the Science of Reading
Join us for a discussion on the future of the Science of Reading and how to support every student’s path to literacy.
Content provided by HMH
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
College & Workforce Readiness Webinar
From Classrooms to Careers: How Schools and Districts Can Prepare Students for a Changing Workforce
Real careers start in school. Learn how Alton High built student-centered, job-aligned pathways.
Content provided by TNTP
Student Well-Being Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: The Power of Emotion Regulation to Drive K-12 Academic Performance and Wellbeing
Wish you could handle emotions better? Learn practical strategies with researcher Marc Brackett and host Peter DeWitt.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: July 16, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
5 min read
Education Follow Education Week’s K-12 Coverage on Bluesky
Education Week has joined the social media platform Bluesky.
1 min read
Illustration of Education Week and Bluesky logos.
F. Sheehan/Education Week
Education Quiz Who Qualifies to Receive the First-ever Federal School Voucher? Take the Quiz to Find Out
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Quiz Trump’s Surprise Freeze on School Funding—How Much Do You Know?
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read