Special Report: None of 20 "Cleared" Schools in APS Cheating Report in Southwest Atlanta

The state's investigation into cheating on the 2009 Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) has marred the image of the Atlanta Public Schools and resulted in a rapid-fire effort to remove 178 educators—including 38 principals—across the city this week.

But 20 schools in a database of investigators' findings— published earlier this month by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution—are listed as having received "clear" reports.

None of the schools are in southwest Atlanta, as defined by Cascade Patch (see Editor's Note). They are:

• Forrest Hills Academy/APS-CEP Partnership School, 2930 Forrest Hill Dr., Atlanta, GA 30315
• (Atlanta) Neighborhood Charter Elementary, 688 Grant Street, Atlanta, GA 30315

• Atlanta (Neighborhood) Charter Middle, 820 Essie Ave., Atlanta, GA 30316

• B.E.S.T. Academy Middle, 1890 Donald Lee Hollowell Pkwy., Atlanta, GA 30318

• Blalock Elementary, 1445 Maynard Rd., Atlanta, GA 30331

• Brandon Elementary, 2741 Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta, GA 30327

• Centennial Place, 531 Luckie St. Atlanta, GA 30313

• Charles Drew Charter, 301 East Lake Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30317

• Coretta Scott King Middle, 1190 Northwest Dr., Atlanta, GA 30318

• Hillside Conant School, 3399 Collier Dr., Atlanta, GA 30331

• Hope Elementary, 112 Boulevard Dr. Atlanta, GA 30312

• Inman Middle, 774 Virginia Ave., Atlanta, GA 30306

• Jackson Elementary, 1325 Mt. Paran Rd., Atlanta, GA 30327

• Kipp West Atlanta Young Scholars (WAYS), 80 Joseph E. Lowery Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30314       

• Mary Lin Elementary, 586 Candler Park Dr., Atlanta, GA 30307

• Morningside Elementary, 1053 East Rock Springs Rd., Atlanta, GA 30306

• Price Middle, 1670 Benjamin Weldon Bickers Dr., Atlanta, GA 30315

• Rivers Elementary, 8 Peachtree Battle Ave., Atlanta, GA 30305

• Sarah Smith, 370 Old Ivy Rd., Atlanta, GA 30342

• Sutton Middle, 4360 Powers Ferry Rd., Atlanta, GA 30327

Having the status of "severe"— or even "moderate" or "minimal"—concern for cheating, could have a profound effect on a school, according to statements made by state and local leaders since the initial release of the report on July 5, by Gov. Nathan Deal.

Department of Education spokesman Matt Cardoza, APS interim superintendent Erroll Davis and others have said schools where principals and teachers have either admitted to cheating or who are found guilty of cheating, will see leadership and staff changes and, possibly, lose funding.

Late last week, Davis sent letters to all 178 employees named in the test-cheating scandal giving them the option of resignation or termination by Wed., July 20. According to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution report, only two employees stepped down Monday (one resigned and one retired).

APS spokesman Keith Bromery has said the district will start termination proceedings after Wednesday against those who decide to stay on and fight for their jobs. Some observers have suggested the district may end up in court for years with disgrunted former employees.

"The legal issues arising from the APS cheating report could take years to resolve depending on how many educators maintain they were wrongly accused by state investigators and demand their day in court," Maureen Downey said one of her recent AJC Get Schooled blog posts.

School board At-Large member Courtney English said after a Douglass High School forum last week that Davis plans to have interim principals in place for all schools implicated in the scandal by Aug. 8, the first day of school.

Meanwhile, Cardoza said last week that the state may ask APS to return close to $1 million received by the district's Title I schools for making "Adequately Yearly Progress," if investigations show the funds were received due to cheating.

Employees have contractual and legal rights to due process, according to the AJC. According to state law, when a district moves to suspend or fire a teacher, principal or other district employee, the employee is entitled to a hearing to defend himself or herself. The employee can also appeal to the state.

Some educators are fighting for their jobs. Earlier this month, three Finch Elementary teachers issued a statement through their attorney denouncing the report's assertion that they changed test answers, and they vowed to fight to "clear our names," according to a report in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Atlanta defense attorney Bruce Harvey, who represents six APS educators, has criticized investigators for disclosing the names of those who exercised their Fifth Amendment rights, the AJC story reported.

Editor’s Note: Cascade Patch is loosely bound by I-20 to the north, I-85 to the east (excluding College Park and East Point, except the Marketplace), Camp Creek Parkway on the south around to Fulton Industrial to the west. Cascade Patch has reviewed investigators' "ratings" for all schools but recognizes the possibility of an omission. We welcome corrections and clarifications found by readers and will report any necessary updates later this week.