Lawmakers joining test probe

Terry Webster

Thursday, Aug. 3, 2000 | 11:13 a.m.

Clark County School District administrators and Robert E. Lake Elementary School teachers are being asked to testify this month before the state Legislative Committee on Education about allegations of test cheating at the school.

Assemblyman Wendell Williams, D-Las Vegas, the education committee chairman, wants his panel to join the school district's investigation into the allegations. Testimony from school officials and the public will be accepted at the meeting set for 9:30 a.m. Aug. 29 at the Sawyer State Office Building at Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington Avenue.

The appointment of a blue ribbon panel to study testing issues also is likely to be approved.

Williams said he is preparing letters asking witnesses to appear before the education panel. Discussion is anticipated on issues ranging from the security of test booklets to the school district's request that Ramona Johnson's teaching license be revoked.

Johnson, a former fourth grade teacher at Lake Elementary, is charging that fourth grade TerraNova booklets were used to "teach the test" and that scores were inflated on the district's third grade Curriculum Based Assessment Program exam.

Although school officials debunk any wrong-doing on the TerraNova exam, they have said from the start of their investigation that they have concerns about the results on the curriculum test.

State Department of Education Superintendent Mary Peterson is taking a cautious stance on the school district's request to take Johnson's license.

"It's messy stuff," Peterson said. "This is such a high-profile case that we want to be very thorough and complete our investigation."

Bill Hoffman, the school district's lead attorney, referred to "the conduct of the teacher" in explaining the quest to pull her license.

"Her possession of the booklet is one of those things," Hoffman said. "I do not know all of the things that were mentioned."

Hoffman said Kay Carl, assistant superintendent of elementary education, prepared a report that was sent to the state.

Another concern the district has leveled at Johnson is that she refused to meet with them to discuss the investigation.

The Sun confirmed Wednesday that Johnson has retained an attorney and is now willing to meet with school officials.

A spokesman for the state attorney general's office said Wednesday that branch is meeting with the Department of Education to fine tune its role in the probe.