Out of the 10 educators convicted of cheating on state tests in order to earn raises and bonuses, only two took plea deals while the remaining eight were sentenced to one to seven years in jail.

For the two who took plea deals, one "will serve five years' probation, including one year with home confinement between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.," and the other "was given six months of weekends in jail and five years' probation. Both those deals came on condition they won't appeal," according to NPR.

The prison sentences were handed out after Judge Jerry Baxter felt that the convicted educators did not admit responsibility for their actions by not waiving their right to appeal.

"'The only thing that we have asked from the very beginning is some acceptance of responsibility for what you've been convicted of now,' District Attorney Paul Howard said," according to the article.

For those unfamiliar with the details, it was revealed in 2011 after a 10 month investigation into the Atlanta school system that the educators in question were responsible for orchestrating a massive and widespread cheating ring in regards to state standardized tests.

Using intimidation, the educators in question falsified documents and rigged tests in Atlanta's elementary, middle, and high schools in order to ensure the school good test scores.

The ramifications of the cheating were at times devastating to students. The state report revealed that many students who otherwise would not have passed the state exams were moved forward all the while lacking the necessary skills to advance. "Several students passed first grade reading but are now struggling to read in the third grade," the report said according to The Washington Post.

Read the full article here and comment below.

Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor 

4/15/2015