GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Officials said nine educators, including a principal, have been dismissed from their duties after investigators found evidence of "violations of testing procedures" at a Gwinnett County school.
School officials say six teachers and three administrators at Grace Snell Middle School will not be returning to the next school year
It comes after an investigation by the Gwinnett County School District and the Georgia Department of Education into the Georgia Milestones testing taken by eighth grade students at the school.
According to the district, the eighth grade math teacher allegedly provided her students with the Georgia Milestones Formula Sheet prior to the math portion of the test, giving them the opportunity to make notes on the sheet.
“Then that same sheet was given back to them when they actually were taking the test," said Gwinnett County Public Schools spokeswoman Sloan Roach.
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The teacher, who has not been identified, reportedly administered the math assessment portion of the standardized test to about 110 students.
The Georgia Department of Education launched an investigation to learn how many students actually benefited from the alleged testing violation – and how many students will have to retake the test. They determined 76 students would need to retake the test – which was administered May 20, much sooner than the original retest date in late June.
"While it was unfortunate that a retest was necessary, this earlier date provided a much better option for students and families," the district said in a letter sent home to parents.
The investigation also came to the conclusion that there were "clear violations of testing procedures and potential violations of the Georgia Code of Ethics for Educators," which calls for teachers to administer assessments fairly and ethically "without compromising the integrity of the assessment." Finally, the investigation determined a lack of oversight and training at the school compounded the issue. As a result, the six Grace Snell Middle School teachers and three administrators, including the principal, were dismissed, though the exact roles of the other teachers and administrators in the situation is unclear.
Meanwhile, the district said Vivian Stranahan, a former Gwinnett principal and current leader mentor with the district, will serve as interim principal until a new one is named by the school board. Stranahan will be working with school staff, supporting summer school efforts, and assisting with the transition to a new principal, the district said.
The situation comes 10 years after a cheating scandal rocked Atlanta Public Schools, where 11 educators were convicted of racketeering. In total, 178 educators were implicated and 35 were indicted. The Milestones replaced the CRCT test that exposed the APS cheating scandal.
Some of those who are most deeply impacted by the APS cheating scandal were the hundreds of students who fell behind – including one girl who was held back in eight grade twice after she just could not grasp the fundamentals needed in high school, after her grades were changed while she was in the fourth grade.