Educators in Selma and Montgomery under suspicion of grade changing

SELMA, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama Department of Education is monitoring Selma's school district and has drafted a more than 80-page corrective plan after probing allegations of sexual misconduct and administrators pressuring teachers to change students' grades. Superintendent Gerald Shirley told the Selma Times Journal district officials received a letter from the Department of Education Wednesday and district employees will be provided with a copy of the 83-page corrective plan. The plan lays out four broad goals and 17 more specific goals for the district. Among other things, the plan calls for the district to implement a system-wide evaluation program that will include assessments for teachers, administrators, central office staff, the superintendent and more. Also, Six Montgomery Public Schools educators accused of participating in a district-wide grade changing scheme are facing state trials. The Montgomery Advertiser reports the district's former assistant superintendent, two principals, an assistant principal and two teachers are expected to appear before an administrative law judge in December. The newspaper reports the educators could lose their teaching certificates. More than 40 Montgomery Public Schools employees were accused of participating in the grade-changing scheme, which led to the Alabama State Department of Education to investigate the district's grading procedures. The district's former superintendent, Barbara Thompson, signed a separation agreement last month and was replaced by Interim Superintendent Margaret Allen. ---