Tuesday, July 19, 2011
However, several schools near Cascade Patch—including the all-male B.E.S.T. Academy and all-female Coretta Scott King magnet schools—did make the list.
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: 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 …
Monday, July 18, 2011
Cascade Patch review of state investigation into 2009 CRCT test taking found 28 of the 44 schools with "minimal" to "severe" concern for erasing test answers from "wrong to right" fall within the Cascade Patch boundaries.
Almost two-thirds of the 44 schools implicated in the Atlanta Public Schools test cheating scandal are in greater southwest Atlanta and set to receive new principals by Wednesday, according to a Cascade Patch review of a state investigation and school district records. Seventeen elementary and four middle schools within the boundaries of Cascade Patch (see Editor’s Note below) were identified in the investigators' report, first published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as having “severe concern” for cheating. According to the state, this rating indicates “24.5% or more of the testing classrooms at the school were flagged with wrong-to-right changes that fell above the state average.” The southwest Atlanta schools with the “severe …
Friday, July 15, 2011
Erroll Davis answers questions of parents, teachers and community members at "first public hearing' as interim superintendent.
Vowing to end the "culture of fear and intimidation," Erroll Davis, Jr., the new interim superintendent of the Atlanta Public Schools, met for the first time with parents, teachers and community residents Thursday. After brief comments about his role and the standardized test cheating debacle, Davis opened the floor to comments at the meeting, called by At-Large Board Member Courtney English, in the auditorium of Douglass High School, 225 Hamilton Holmes Dr. On both main aisles of the auditorium, participants lined up and waited patiently for a chance to pose questions, which ranged from inquiries about testing and improvements in student preparation to parent involvement and educator advocacy. As leader of the system since July 1st, Davis…
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225 Hamilton E Holmes Dr NW, Atlanta, GA
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Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Former City Councilman and WAOK-1380 AM radio personality Derrick Boazman is organizing a "Call to Action" meeting Thursday evening.
Community activist and WAOK-1380 AM radio show host Derrick Boazman will join parents and community leaders Thursday night to discuss how the APS cheating scandal is affecting APS youth. The meeting is 7 p.m. Thursday at Mount Nebo Baptist Church, 1025 McDonough Blvd., at Moreland Aveenue. The Atlanta Public School cheating scandal has rocked the school system and exposed widespread cheating on the CRCT test. Boazman, who also organized a Wednesday afternoon rally at Perkerson Elementary school over the issue, said he is concerned that children are the casualty in the cheating debacle. "It is very clear to me that while the adults such as teachers, administrators, school board members, and others have cast their lot," Boazman said. But, "…
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Why were were so many poor, disenfranchised youth "denied access to America's promise?" and "who, in the end, benefited?" El asked in a tearful address at Monday evening's school board meeting.
The television soundbites and edited news reports belie former Atlanta School Board chairman's full statement Monday evening, given upon officially resigning from the board. Sherrer El raised several critical questions that many people across southwest Atlanta and beyond are asking—in coffee shops, on the radio and across social media platforms. Here is a reprint of the Mozeley Park resident's words, posted on the Shaatim S. El, Atlanta Board of Education District 2 website: Dear neighbor and friend, I struggled tonight at the Board meeting to find the words to express how I feel. I take no solace in knowing that my beliefs have been confirmed by the recent report issues by the State of Georgia. But in the end, whether right or wrong, the…
Donell Underdue Jr., principal of Brown Middle, will become area superintendent over many southwest Atlanta schools, according to local news reports late Monday.
Donell Underdue Jr., principal of Brown Middle School in west Atlanta, is one of four Atlanta Public Schools principals promoted Monday to an area superintendent position, according to statement from APS spokesman Keith Bromery. At a Monday evening school board meeting, Interim Superintendent Erroll Davis removed all four area superintendents from their posts: Dr. Sharon Davis-Williams, Michael Pitts, Robin Hall and Tamara Cotman. The superintendents were replaced by Underdue and three other principals:Danielle Battle, principal of King Middle School; Elizabeth Bockman, principal of Inman Middle School, and David White, principal of E. Rivers Elementary School. Underdue will become the School Reform Team (SRT) 1 Area Superintendent, …
Monday, July 11, 2011
"Was this scandal based on pressure from the people in authority? Was it educators thinking they might respond to our image of being underachievers on standardized tests? Or, is the true issue the test itself does not have any relevance to our youth?
Hi Everyone: Should all the educators involved in the Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal be prosecuted? As a regular contributor to Cascade Patch, I'd like to know what you think about this "hot topic." I also think we should let all the educators know, so we can find the “soul”ution. For me the question is "Why did this happen?" Was this scandal based on pressure from the people in authority? Was it educators thinking they might respond to our image of being underachievers on standardized tests? Or, is the true issue the test itself does not have any relevance to our African-American culture? What are we truly measuring? Who are the educators who are setting forth the standards for testing "our" kids? Do any of them (test designers) …
Sunday, July 10, 2011
On a Facebook page, Dr. Hall says she is "shocked" by what she has learned but, in the end, "accountable" for the Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal.
The following letter from Dr. Beverly Hall was posted Friday on the Atlanta Education Fund Facebook Fan Page: "I am shocked and saddened by the facts uncovered by the Investigators. The instances of cheating they have documented are serious and cannot be ignored. I am particularly concerned for those students who have been affected by misconduct and whose education has fallen short as a result. I am also disturbed by the repeated references to statements by teachers and other professionals declaring that they cheated or chose not to reveal cheating because of a perceived atmosphere of intimidation and retaliation. A number of years ago, we installed a hotline by which persons with knowledge of misconduct could report it and could do so …
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Forum held Saturday at Cascade United Methodist Church.
Councilman, C.T. Martin, along with Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, held a community forum today in support of students and teachers of Atlanta Public Schools. The meeting was held at the Cascade United Methodist Church, 3144 Cascade Rd. on Saturday, July 9. "We would like to show our support for the teachers and students who have worked hard and honest that are being overlooked by the recent negative attention surrounding the Atlanta Public School System," Councilman C.T. Martin said of the meeting. The forum comes in revelation and response to the findings of an extensive state investigators' report, announced by Gov. Nathan Deal July 5. The report found evidence of cheating at 44 of the 56 Atlanta public schools. Georgia public school students …
Friday, July 8, 2011
First of series of personnel changes "will be put in place Monday," according to local news reports.
The Atlanta School Board voted Thursday to give interim Superintendent Erroll B. Davis, Jr., a one-year contract so that he can make changes in the wake of the high-profile schools cheating scandal that has netted Atlanta national news attention. The board decision effectively suspends the search for a permanent superintendent to replace Beverly Hall. According to an Atlanta Public Schools' news release Thursday, the board agreed to extend Davis’ employment contract to one year, following his presentation to them of an initial action plan to address the issues raised in the state CRCT investigation report. Davis, who became interim superintendent last Friday, is now scheduled to serve in the position until June 30, 2012. The action …
John Sam
11:11 am on Thursday, July 21, 2011
It will need to get worse before you can truly see the underlying roots of this problem. www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com Attorney BS...Cheated, Cleared, Investigated, Sort of cheated, Kind of cheated, Could have cheated, Lied, Sorta lied, Lied a little bit...Sounds like everyone needs to go back to 1st Grade and start over. more ›