Former DeKalb educators indicted in record changing investigation

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A grand jury indicted three former DeKalb County educators on Tuesday for their role in a test cheating scandal and alleged manipulation of records.

Prosecutors said Angela Jennings, former principal of Rock Chapel Elementary, Agnes Flanagan, former principal of Cedar Grove Middle School and Derrick Wooten, former assistant principal of Stoneview Elementary are listed on the indictment.

Jennings is charged with eight counts of public record fraud and eight counts of computer forgery. Flanagan faces a nine count indictment including charges of making a false writing, public record fraud and forgery. The 13 count indictment against Wooten includes public record fraud, false statmement, criminal attempt to commit public record fraud and computer forgery charges.

Most of the charges stem from altering attendance records, according to prosecutors.

"This is about children. This is about children The reason we test is to make sure that these children are getting what they need," district attorney Robert James said. "When those test scores are manipulated, when attendance is manipulated... and when we don't know that, those children fall between the cracks."

James said Wooten instructed teachers to mark students at school when they were not. Flanagan faces charges for instructing teachers to change standardized test scores.

In February 2011, Channel 2's Richard Belcher reported that Jennings admitted she tried to improve school CRCT scores by unenrolling some students. Belcher obtained a written statement that Jennings gave to DeKalb School investigators. Jennings wrote that she was “worried about the effect certain students would have on her school's chance to make annual yearly progress, or AYP.”

James said teachers cooperated with the investigation and won't be prosecuted.

WSBTV