50 North Texas teachers arrested in statewide test cheating scandal

Dallas – The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is investigating whether 50 North Texas teachers were involved in a statewide teacher certification system.

The investigation began last year when the TEA noticed that some educators from around the state who had failed the exam were suddenly passing it after retaking it in the Houston area.

TEA has released a list of Texas teachers whose certifications were flagged due to suspicious testing activity in Houston. Some are employed by Dallas-Fort Worth school districts, including Dallas ISD and Fort Worth ISD.

Dallas ISD spokeswoman Robin Harris said, “A total of six employees have been identified. The district is fully cooperating with the TEA’s investigation process.”

Dallas ISD has not said whether disciplinary action will be taken against the six employees identified. The district also did not comment on the status of the other three employees named on the TEA’s list.

Fort Worth ISD said it is working with the TEA on the investigation.

“The district takes this matter seriously and is cooperating fully with the TEA, and we will continue to work together to thoroughly address this matter,” the school district said in a statement.

The teachers carrying the flag represent more than 50 schools in 21 school districts across North Texas.

Allen ISD: 1Arlington ISD: 3Cedar Hill ISD: 1Crowley ISD: 2Dallas ISD: 9DeSoto ISD: 1Duncanville ISD: 8Eagle Mountain – Saginaw ISD: 1Everman ISD: 1Fort Worth ISD: 5Garland ISD: 1Irving ISD: 2Lancaster ISD: 2Mansfield ISD: 2Mesquite ISD: 2Mineral Well ISD: 1Palestine ISD: 1Princeton ISD: 2Red Oak ISD: 1Richardson ISD: 2Waxahachie ISD: 2

The complete list of educators under investigation includes:

Lena Honea is president of Alliance AFT, a union representing about 4,000 Dallas educators.

“Our union fully condemns this unacceptable behavior,” she said. “It is extremely frustrating because the misconduct of these few places an unnecessary burden on the 99% of educators who are trying to get their qualifications right.”

In October, prosecutors charged three Houston ISD employees and two other teachers in Texas with committing $1 million in teacher certification fraud.

Aspiring teachers across the state reportedly paid others to take their certification exams in Houston. TEA has found that people who have failed their certification exams can pass if they take the exam in Houston.

“We know that at least 400 tests were conducted and 200 teachers were incorrectly certified,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said in a statement.

Ogg said much of the money went to Vincent Grayson, a longtime Houston ISD basketball coach and the alleged mastermind behind the scheme. Grayson reportedly made a profit of $1.09 million.

Houston ISD Assistant Superintendent Nicholas Newton is accused of taking tests for prospective teachers and making $188,000 in the process. Another principal allegedly made about $90,000 by recruiting teachers by charging them about $1,000 per test. Proctors who served as “lookouts” earned $250 per test, for a total of about $125,000.

Three Houston ISD employees were arrested, placed on administrative leave, and charged with engaging in organized criminal activity.

Ogg also revealed that two of the falsely identified teachers were sex offenders who had access to underage students. It is unclear whether these teachers worked in Houston ISD or elsewhere in Texas.

“Please know that that is not acceptable. They should not be part of the system,” Honea said.

A TEA spokesperson told FOX 4 that the agency fully expects to open additional investigations once it receives more information.