Allegations of Misconduct Part 1: Falsifying Student Records to Obtain School Recognition Award Money

The worst example a public charter school can set is cheating.

Cheating to boost graduation rates, which ultimately raises school letter grades, that ultimately assists a school in receiving funds from the state for bonuses--is about the worst example any school could set.

There are allegations against one of our charter schools that are brewing to a roiling boil today, and I reiterate that at this point they are just that---allegations---of widespread grade tampering.

However, the evidence that continues to come in to me on this matter is enough for me to start asking some tough questions---which I have done and which I will continue to do.

From just a small part of what I have received on this matter:

"Many teachers changed grades, deleted zeros, deleted overdue assignments, forged passing grades, combined assignments, gave answers to tests, allowed additional time for over due assignments to be turned in, and falsified attendance records because it was asked of them in order to pass XXXXXXXXXXXXXX  Seniors onto graduation so the school could maintain its “A” rating..XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX was seen by several people telling senior XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX the answers to online class work in the front office using the computer closest to the office door near the girl’s bathroom after school on May 28^th.  One parent (XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX) of a graduating senior (XXXXXXXXXXXX) called XXXXXX XXXXXXXX to 

Devastating Allegations Swirl around One District Charter School Program

Last night I received a phone call at 7:45.  The conversation lasted more than an hour, and the allegations were stomach churning.   The allegations are so numerous and simply so outlandish, that the pages of documentation sent to me have already been sent to our Attorney and to the Superintendent.

Sadly, I have already been able to independently confirm that some of these allegations are true.

To say I'm disappointed in what I'm reading is the understatement of the decade.

More importantly than this damning information, is the lack of knowledge about it.  The board, me and my counterparts, so far as I know, were totally left in the dark on the most severe transgressions alleged in these documents.

I'm sitting in meetings as recently as last month, glowingly praising this program----blissfully unaware that MAJOR allegations have been leveled against this program for more that a year.  Documents and phone records prove this out.

These documents, which I have turned over to Legal, show a pattern of misbehavior that could potentially result in criminal charges;  these allegations, if true, will lead to the end of careers.