A Dougherty County teacher who confessed to cheating on 2009 CRCT's is allowed to retire as school officials admit the cheating scandal may cost them state money.
The Board accepted the resignation of a West Town Elementary teacher who told state investigators she changed students' answers.
State education officials canceled a visit to Albany Wednesday, but they will be back to discuss money the system may have to pay back to the state.
Board members couldn't say how much the system may owe, Wednesday those dealing with the investigation say resignations and retirements have already made the number of tribunals they'll hold more manageable.
Cheating on the 2009 CRCT's could prove costly to Dougherty County Schools. They had expected a visit today from Dr. Avis King, the Deputy Superintendent School Improvement and Dr. Barbara Lundsford, the Associate Superintendent of Federal Programs to discuss funds that the system may owe the state as a result of CRCT cheating.
On Wednesday the Superintendent would say little about the matter.
"I'm waiting to hear, but I don't want to respond to that to be very clear because I would be trying to respond to something I don't have enough information on," said Dr. Joshua Murfree, DCSS Superintendent
Last week, Atlanta Public Schools were ordered to repay more than 363-thousand dollars in federal money earned based on fraudulent test scores.
The Board also accepted the retirement of Gloria Mosley who told state investigators she followed directions from her principal Alene Pringle and changed answers on CRCTs.
Dr. Murfree says the retirement will be retroactive to January first.
"We had someone who turned it in and it's all on file and we want to give her the same type of response we've given everyone else," said Murfree.
The board accepted three previous resignations and fired two non-contract employees, leaving nearly a dozen principals and teachers still at the Isabella complex. Some of the 49 named in the state's report had already moved on.
"It's a more manageable number than was first reported at 49, 49 and oh Lord we've got to have 49 hearings and that sort of thing, it's still a lot but it's a more manageable number," Tommy Coleman, DCSS Attorney
Board members also learned it will likely be the end of February before they get detailed evidence from the state investigators who are still dealing with the Atlanta investigation.
"Some requests from the DA up there from the professional standards commission for additional information and it's taking time from their paralegals and attorneys to compile that and so they told me Wednesday," said Tommy Coleman, DCSS Attorney
They are however proceeding with plans on how they'll deal with the large amount of data and which cases they'll handle first.
School officials say they remain in a holding pattern until they can get the state's evidence.
Attorney Tommy Coleman said he's gotten a lot of inquiries from attorneys representing school employees named in the report, but he has little to tell them until they get the state's evidence.
Copyright 2012 WALB. All rights reserved.
