Some seniors may have gotten unauthorized study materials

Wednesday, May 21, 2003 | 11:07 a.m.

Nevada Education Department officials said this morning they are investigating whether a handful of seniors at Desert Pines High School were given unauthorized study materials for the mathematics section of the statewide proficiency exam.

As a result of the investigation, fewer than five students had their April exam results invalidated and will have to retake the test, said Desert Pines Principal Roger Jacks. He refused to say exactly how many students have to retake the test.

Carol Crothers, testing security consultant for the state education department, said she expected to finish her investigation by next week.

"We'll either conclude that nothing more needs to be done or we will forward a recommendation to the Attorney General," Crothers said.

Crothers refused to discuss the specifics of the investigation, including what materials the students used and who may have obtained them.

Pat Nelson, spokeswoman for the school district, said officials are investigating whether an employee was involved in obtaining the materials.

"If the allegations are true, the district would absolutely discipline (the individual) to the full extent of the law," Nelson said. "We take these kinds of situations extremely seriously, and it's our priority to uphold every procedure to ensure testing security."

Jacks said following the April administration of the test, an exam proctor was in one of the school's math classrooms and noticed the materials. The state releases an approved list of study aids, including past copies of proficiency exams that have been retired, Jacks said. The materials in the classroom were not part of the approved list, he said.

This is the first year the state has given an updated, and more difficult version of the math test as required by the 1996 Nevada Education Reform Act.

Jacks said he believed a faculty member may have provided materials an earlier test without realizing it was unauthorized. The students are "innocent victims" and had no role in the acquisition or distribution of the study materials, Jacks said.

"I truly believe this was done with the best of intentions to help the students prepare," Jacks said. "This was not done to defraud the test."

The investigation is particularly frustrating given Desert Pines' efforts to improve student achievement on the proficiency exam, Jacks said. In addition to extra study sessions before and after classes, students in the advanced math classes have volunteered to tutor their peers during free periods during the day and on weekends, Jacks said.

As of this week, Desert Pines had 159 seniors -- about 35 percent of the class of 2003 -- who still needed to pass the math section in order to receive a diploma at graduation next month. That's down from the 61 percent who were still deficient in math when the April exam was given.

"We're fighting an academic image that we know is not justified," said Jacks of Desert Pines, the only Clark County high school the state's list of campuses needing improvement. "But we're going to rise to the occasion and show them all we can do it."