Sanctions recommended against 5 APS teachers

ATLANTA,None — The Georgia Professional Standards Commission plans to take action against five Atlanta Public School teachers involved in the district's test cheating scandal.

Kelly Henson, the commission's chief executive, told Channel 2's Mark Winne on Friday that he and his staff will recommend action against the certification of five teachers for their alleged roles in CRCT cheating. Only one of the five educators is still with the district, but APS spokesman Keith Bromery said the licensure issue can affect whether they can teach elsewhere in Georgia.

About 100 APS employees are on administrative leave with pay while cheating allegations are sorted out. The process is costing more than $500,000 per month.

The Professional Standards Commission will ultimately recommend punishments for the teachers and administrators named in the cheating scandal, though not all of the accused will face penalties, school officials said. The possible punishments range from multiyear suspension to revocation of an educator's professional license.

Henson said he cannot reveal the specific action recommended against the five teachers, but he did say in each of the five cases he and his staff rejected the option of taking no action.

Henson said after the commission considered the first 11 of roughly 200 APS cases, Henson and the Attorney General's Office decided to hold off on further action until Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard released his office's file and the GBI file for each educator. So far, only files for the five teachers facing punishment have been released.

The commission may also investigate former superintendent Beverly Hall.

http://bcove.me/wjdthc9g

WSBTV