Georgia Investigates High Stakes Test Cheating

The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement released official results from their investigation into cheating on the state 2009 Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT). All public school students residing in the state of Georgia in grades 1-8 are required to take the CRCT in reading, English and math. Students in grades 3-8 also take science and social studies exams.

The statewide investigation found that 180 educators, including 38 principals, were identified as involved in cheating on the states high stakes curriculum tests. 44 of 56 (76.6%) of the schools examined were found to have serious incidents of cheating. The report shows educators cheated on standardized tests by either helping students or changing the answers once exams were handed in.

A final report will be submitted to the governor in the fall of 2011. Three volumes of the preliminary report are available online.

http://cascade.patch.com/articles/read-the-crct-report-online