Connetquot ex-coach resigns after test tampering probe

Connetquot High School's former varsity swimming coach has resigned his job with the district, following what state education officials said was an investigation by local and state officials into his alleged tampering with exam scores in one of his chemistry classes.

The popular ex-teacher and coach, Larry Sullivan, resigned Sept. 29 from his $93,200 teaching job, school Superintendent Alan Groveman confirmed Monday. Groveman declined to discuss the district's findings in the case, or whether Sullivan had received severance payments, saying both subjects were legally confidential.

Before his resignation, Sullivan, who had coached one of the top-ranked girls swim teams in Suffolk County, was replaced as a coach of both the girls and boys squads. The district said Sullivan's last assignment was to help with a science curriculum project.

Sullivan, 37, who had worked in the district about eight years, did not respond to a Newsday reporter's request for an interview this week.

"We're talking about an excellent teacher with an established track record of success," said Carl Korn, a spokesman for the state teacher's union. "Students loved Mr. Sullivan, and he enjoyed support from parents and everyone in the community. The district made serious allegations that he made errors in judgment, and he resigned for personal reasons in September. There was no legal finding of guilt."

A spokesman for the State Education Department, Jane Briggs, confirmed that Connetquot reported the alleged test tampering to her agency in June and that the agency had investigated, but declined to disclose her agency's findings, citing privacy issues. Briggs also confirmed that the district filed disciplinary charges against Sullivan in the case - charges dropped when Sullivan resigned.

Fraudulent test scoring has emerged as a growing concern for national academic experts and local school officials alike in recent years, as schools have come under increased federal and state pressure to boost scores. Starting next year, schools throughout New York State will be required to base 20 percent of teachers' job evaluations on their students' scores.

In 2007, Uniondale school system was placed on probation temporarily due to evidence of tampering with Regents math exams there. Last spring, the state dispatched regional BOCES staffers to Roosevelt to proctor administration of elementary tests there.

Briggs said Thursday that her agency's review of 2009 test papers in Roosevelt determined that proctoring by outside staff last spring was warranted, but not a full investigation.

"Look, teachers and the union make no excuses. There is no acceptable reason for anything but the highest ethical standards for the profession," Korn said. "Having said that, it also needs to be said that there is unrelenting pressure on students and teachers to produce ever higher test scores and with reduced resources."

The State Education Department confirmed that Connetquot last spring informed the department that Sullivan allegedly changed some student answers on about 20 Regents chemistry exams. "The district self-reported the incident to SED," Briggs said.

Connetquot serves 6,600 students from Bohemia, Oakdale and part of Ronkonkoma.

Some parents of swimmers were upset when Sullivan was stripped of his coach's position. Among them is Anna-Maria Verron, whose son, Justin, a senior, swam for Sullivan the past three years.

"I think he was a great coach and a great teacher, and he definitely went out of his way for my son, when Justin started on the swim team," the mother said.