State announces cheating crackdown on tests

ALBANY -- State Education Commissioner John B. King Jr. announced yesterday that he has created a high-level board to crack down on cheating by teachers, administrators and students in standardized tests.

The board, headed by Executive Deputy Commissioner Valerie Grey, is scheduled to report its recommendations by the beginning of the next school year.

It was assembled in mid-July and will "begin an immediate review of all aspects of the state's testing system," said Department of Education spokesman Jonathan Burman, who wouldn't comment further.

The new measures are planned to be effective just as student scores become part of teacher evaluations.

Under a new law, teacher layoffs will no longer be done by seniority alone but will include student performances as a way to protect the better teachers from losing their jobs to poorer teachers who may have more experience.

The measures follow recent cheating scandals nationwide.

In June, the longtime Atlanta schools chief announced she would retire amid allegations of widespread cheating and accusations that she ordered a cover-up of test tampering.

The requirements will be in addition to measures taken almost a decade ago after The Associated Press found an increase in cheating by teachers and administrators during the rise of standardized tests in schools.

State records then showed an increase in cheating by teachers and administrators since student performance on standardized tests was used in public report cards on schools.