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APS investigating possible grade-changing at North Atlanta HS

ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has confirmed the Atlanta Public Schools Office of Internal Compliance is investigating allegations of grade-changing at North Atlanta High School.

"It could include a pretty wide range, everything from teachers changing grades on student assignments to teachers changing final grades on a report card, grades on midterm exam, it could be anything," district spokesman Stephen Alford told Channel 2 Action News Thursday afternoon.

Alford says the district could not comment any further on the investigation, because he did not have any specifics about the allegations.
Alford said after the CRCT cheating scandal, APS instituted stricter controls which limit access to details about ongoing investigations to only those directly involved.

An anonymous APS memo faxed to Channel 2 Action News ordered school officials to keep all records. "Several anonymous complaints were filed that alleged improper grade changing at North Atlanta ... These grade changing allegations are referred to as the 'Pending Claims,'" it said.

"As you can appreciate, both hard copy and electronic data contained in the District's files and various information technology systems may be very important as a source of evidence regarding the Pending Claims. APS hereby intends to ensure that all documents and records (whether in hard copy or electronic format) that are potentially relevant to the Pending Claims are preserved and retained," the letter stated.

Last month, Superintendent Erroll Davis ordered the sudden firing of NAHS interim Principal Mark Mygrant and reassigned several top school administrators. It is unclear if that decision was sparked by the grade-changing investigation.

Davis has said he made the controversial move due to poor academic performance at the school and a low graduation rate. The sweeping changes sparked days of protests by angry students and teachers.

Mygrant told Channel 2 Action News he feels he was let go over anonymous allegations that two of his recent hires, a teacher and a graduation coach, were racists. Davis has said those allegations had nothing to do with his decision.

North Atlanta High School's new principal starts October 29.

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