The Atlanta Skyline
A skyline shot of Atlanta. Reuters

Education officials in Atlanta promised swift action on Tuesday after an investigation uncovered systematic cheating by Atlanta teachers.

A state investigation found evidence of cheating, including falsifying test results to make students appear to be peforming better than they were, in 44 of 56 Atlanta schools. The investigation named 178 educators, including 38 principles, and alleges that some educators who did not themselves change answers still knew what was going on -- including former superintendent Beverly Hall.

Anyone who cheated or was responsible will not work in front of children in Atlanta again, interim superintendent Erroll Davis said.

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal warned that there will be consequences but declined to comment on whether he thought criminal charges could be brought. The investigation was initially prompted by Atlanta suddenly improving drastically on the state-mandated Criterion-Referenced Competency Test.

I think the overall conclusion was that testing and results and targets being reached became more important than actual learning for children, Deal said. And when reaching targets became the goal, it was a goal that was pursued with no excuses.

Officials told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the report does not single out a few anomalies but rather depicts a widespread culture of cheating in which those who protested were silenced and teachers sought to discourage state investigators.