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Daley vows to investigate grade changing allegations at schools

They say that the inspector general is looking into it. What do you think the chances are for forcing former Chicago schools CEO Duncan to testify under oath? This is, after all, Chicago.

BY Rosalind Rossi and Fran Spielman

The inspector general for Chicago Public Schools is investigating 13 schools for grade-changing, an effort buoyed by revelations in a new Chicago Sun-Times/Chicago Teachers Union survey on the issue, the IG said Tuesday.

In addition, CPS officials are expanding new grading audits to cover last school year after Sun-Times reports that 5 percent of more than 1,200 CTU teachers surveyed believed their grades were altered by someone else at their schools this past school year.

Explained a CPS spokeswoman, "The survey has given us cause for concern."

The developments came as Mayor Daley contended that changing grades and passing failing students -- no matter how intense the pressure -- is no better than social promotions that were supposed to end in 1995.

"It's unacceptable,'' Daley said. "I don't care how much pressure you have. Don't do it."

Sunday's Sun-Times revealed nearly a third of high school teachers surveyed felt pressured to change grades for the better last year. One in five did so.

Such teachers were urged to offer kids 11th-hour deals of extra credit or make-up work, told to lower their grading scales or asked to "re-evaluate'' their grades -- often to avoid giving F's, which can impact graduation rates used to judge schools.

Others felt heat to help kids win a scholarship or maintain class rank. Grammar school teachers felt prodded to help kids get into elite high schools or avoid summer school.

"I had students fail, yet they were passed!" wrote one teacher in the survey. "Who pays the price, next year's teacher and the student who is already frustrated."

Of those pressured, more than half pinpointed principals, but Daley focused on teachers Tuesday instead.

"First of all, you have to find out who all the teachers are [who] would do that. That's No. 1,'' Daley said. "Then, they're gonna go and get those teachers, investigate those teachers and say, 'Why would you cheat a student?' . . . It all starts with the teachers."

CTU President Marilyn Stewart said in a written statement that teachers should be "commended for shedding light on this very serious issue," and any investigation should begin "with those putting pressure on the teachers. . . . The teachers are not the problem; they are the victims."

Grades to be audited

Inspector General James Sullivan said the IG's office is investigating several schools the Sun-Times and CTU received complaints about. At least two will be added to the mix as a result of the survey, bringing the total to 13 schools, he said.

Sullivan's findings that Simeon High changed grades for future Bulls star Derrick Rose prompted CPS to plan audits of every school starting this fall. Spokesman Monique Bond said CPS also will audit last school year's grades for "anyone who had a role in tampering [with grades] or gaming the system."

— Rosalind Rossi & Fran Spielman
Chicago Sun-Times
2009-09-01
http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/1746906,daley-investigate-grade-changing-090109.article

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