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Teachers Involved In Waterbury Cheating Scandal Return To School

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Eleven teachers involved in a cheating scandal at a Waterbury elementary school returned to work on Tuesday. The teachers will lose 20 days of pay and must perform community service as after-school tutors.

Teachers at Hopeville Elementary School were found to have coached students to erase and correct wrong answers on the 2011 Connecticut Mastery Test. Education officials were alerted to the possibility of test tampering after the school posted enormous gains in two years. 100% of 4th and 5th graders met the state goal in math and 100% met the goal for 5th grade reading.

An investigator for the State Department of Education concluded that much of the problem was orchestrated by the principal with the help of a reading teacher. The principal remains on leave, says Ron Frost, director of personnel for the Waterbury Department of Education.  

"The superintendent has commenced the termination of her contract under CT General Statute 10-151 which is the teacher tenure act."

The state’s investigation found that many of the other teachers participated in the scheme out of fear of reprisals by the principal. An agreement on punishment was reached last week. The reading teacher plans to retire and Waterbury officials have asked the state not to revoke the licenses of those teachers who are now back in the classroom.   

Frost says students whose test booklets were suspected of alteration retook the Mastery Test a few weeks ago.

"...and we are awaiting the results of that re-test. Obviously this has been a disturbing situation for all of the school district including the students and parents and staff at Hopeville. Lessons to be learned: Obviously we will review our procedures in the determination of the testing process."

Waterbury’s cheating scandal follows widespread test tampering uncovered in schools nationwide, including in the District of Columbia and Atlanta, Georgia. 

Diane Orson is a special correspondent with Connecticut Public. She is a longtime reporter and contributor to National Public Radio. Her stories have been heard on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition and Here And Now. Diane spent seven years as CT Public Radio's local host for Morning Edition.

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