Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigation: New Allegations of `Suspect' Test Scores at Blue Ribbon Schools
The latest installment in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s ongoing series examining suspicious test scores has cast a pall on the federal “Blue Ribbon Schools” program, which recognizes campuses that demonstrate dramatic improvement among at-risk students.
As part of its “Cheating Our Children” investigation, the AJC previously reported suspect test scores in public school districts across the country. The investigative team used open records requests to obtain student test data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The suspicious test score patterns -- which alone is not evidence of cheating -- were found in 196 of the nation's 3,125 largest school districts. (Some researchers and educators have challenged the AJC's methodology, arguing that it did not take into account mitigating factors such as student population changes in districts with high transiency rates.)
As part of its “Cheating Our Children” investigation, the AJC previously reported suspect test scores in public school districts across the country. The investigative team used open records requests to obtain student test data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The suspicious test score patterns -- which alone is not evidence of cheating -- were found in 196 of the nation's 3,125 largest school districts. (Some researchers and educators have challenged the AJC's methodology, arguing that it did not take into account mitigating factors such as student population changes in districts with high transiency rates.)