Teacher who copied math test suspended

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Monday, Aug. 16, 2004 | 11:07 a.m.

The State Board of Education has approved an 80-day suspension for Clark County School District math teacher Steven Degelbeck for copying and distributing portions of the math proficiency exam to his students.

The education board voted at its meeting Saturday to accept the negotiated settlement of the charges against Degelbeck. State officials initially sought to have Degelbeck's license revoked. The 80-day suspension amounts to nearly half an academic year.

The date the suspension will take effect is still being worked out, State Schools Superintendent Keith Rheault said. Degelbeck's current license expires Dec. 4, and the suspension should be put in place before then, Rheault said.

"Ideally this (the suspension) should take place sooner rather than later, and Mr. Degelbeck could then apply for a new license," Rheault said this morning.

New Clark County teachers begin work Wednesday and returning teachers -- including Degelbeck -- report next week.

George Ann Rice, associate superintendent of human resources for the Clark County School District, said this morning she was waiting for notification from the state education department as to when Degelbeck's suspension would be implemented.

Degelbeck, first hired by the district in 1977, copied portions of the test during the April 2003 round of the math proficiency exam and used the questions to create a worksheet, according to a complaint filed by the Nevada Department of Education.

Degelbeck told investigators he created the worksheet to help his students prepare for the May 2003 round of the exam, when a different set of questions would be used.

Students must pass the reading, writing and math portions of the Nevada State High School Proficiency Exam to receive high school diplomas.

Degelbeck is the second Clark County teacher this year to face sanctions for mishandling proficiency test materials. Former Desert Pines High School teacher Ronald J. Williamson had his license revoked in May after providing his students with an advance look at the April 2003 math proficiency exam.

At Saturday's meeting the state education board also approved a 20-day suspension of the license of Sparks High School math teacher Ronald Voss.

Voss was seen reading -- and writing out answers -- to questions from the test booklet while students took the exam in the same room. Teachers and proctors are not supposed to see the exam's contents.

Because Voss did not attempt to share the test contents with anyone, his punishment was less severe, Rheault said.

Neither teacher attended Saturday's meeting. Degelbeck did not return calls for comment.