Students’ parents warned of scam

Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003 | 9:43 a.m.

Parents of Clark County School District students are being warned about a possible scam in which a telephone caller claims to work for Gov. Kenny Guinn and tells them their child needs to be brought in for special testing Saturday.

At least two families contacted the School District Wednesday to report the phone calls, Agustin Orci, deputy superintendent of instruction, said.

The caller claimed to be from the governor's office and told parents their child -- whose name was used -- had been identified as needing additional testing under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Parents were then told to bring their child to a nonschool location Saturday, Orci said.

The governor's office is not conducting any testing or contacting families, Orci said.

District officials speculated Wednesday that the calls may be some sort of sales gimmick to sell parents learning materials. While students at some district schools will be entitled to supplemental services such as tutoring under the federal act, parents will be informed in writing and given a choice of vendors, Orci said.

"We are not sponsoring any testing Saturday or any other day, and if we were this isn't how we go about informing parents," Orci said.