Atlanta Schools Cheating Trial Begins

It remains one of the largest test-cheating scandals in the nation.

By Julianne Hing Aug 11, 2014

Starting today, a dozen Atlanta Public Schools educators will face trial over whether they turned to cheating on their students’ tests in order to win bonuses and to meet federal and state education standards. Former principals, school administrators, teachers and testing staff have been charged with racketeering, and some have been accused of lying to state investigators and swaying witnesses, AP reported. 

The 12 who face trial today are just a fraction of the nearly three dozen educators who were indicted in a massive cheating scandal which rocked the nation, and the more than 200 teachers and principals that Georgia state investigators found involved in the cheating scandal. In 2011, Georgia investigators confirmed teacher cheating on student tests dating back to 2005 at 44 of 56 Atlanta Public Schools they investigated.

The trial could last months, Reuters reported.