Cheating in Nevada schools goes high-tech, official says

By Emily Richmond

Monday, Sept. 13, 2004 | 11:06 a.m.

Irregularities under further review

Of the 59 reported instances of testing irregularities at Clark County schools in 2003-04, four cases have been referred to the office of the attorney general for further review:

-- LAS VEGAS SUN

Armed with camera phones, Palm Pilots and text messengers, Nevada's students have taken cheating on tests to a new technological level.

"Phones these days have so many bells and whistles -- cameras, calculators," state Superintendent of Schools Keith Rheault said. "It's definitely an area of concern to us."

A review of test security at Nevada's public schools for the 2003-04 academic year showed that reports of cheating, mishandled materials and improperly administered exams increased 53 percent statewide and 79 percent in Clark County alone.

The annual report, prepared by the state Education Department for the Legislative Committee on Education, details everything from minor mishaps to major breaches of state regulations.

At Advanced Technologies Academy, the award-winning magnet high school in Las Vegas, a student used a cell phone to cheat during the July sitting of the math section of the High School Proficiency Exam.

The summer round of the proficiency test is reserved for seniors who did not pass one or more sections of the exam in time to receive a diploma at the June graduation ceremonies.

In Carson City in March, an elementary school student used a calculator built into his wristwatch to answer questions on a statewide math test.

"Our kids are under tremendous pressure, there's no question of that," said Gary Waters, president of the state Board of Education. "But the message has to be that cheating is never the right answer, no matter how tough the questions are."

The 2003 Legislature approved letting individual school districts decide which types of electronic devices would be allowed on campuses. Clark County School District students may bring cell phones to school but must keep them turned off during class hours.

In 2003-04 the state Education Department tallied 121 instances of testing irregularities, up from 79 cases the prior year. While the majority of the cases related to the administration of the exams, the number of cases of students cheating more than doubled -- 24 cases in 2003-04, up from nine cases the prior year.

The increase in cases of impropriety is the result of "more students, more schools and more tests," Rheault said.

"We think it (the number of reported test security breaches) will continue to increase," Rheault said. "The more times you have students sitting for a test, the more opportunities there are for things to go wrong."

There have been some improvements, Rheault said. Instances of testing irregularities at the state's private schools have decreased, thanks to new regulations requiring those school employees to undergo the same training as public school employees. There was also a decrease in reports of missing test booklets and answer sheets, a result of better staff training and an improved system for distributing and collecting the materials, Rheault said.

At Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a charter school serving the predominantly black neighborhood of West Las Vegas, "multiple irregularities" were found by state investigators, Rheault said.

During the fall administration of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills at Agassi, there was "a lack of organization and training, supplies not readily available, confusion regarding permissible accommodations for students, and a parent proctor was assisting students during the test," according to the state's report.

Agassi officials must submit a plan for corrective action to the state to ensure the problems are not repeated, Rheault said.

Perry Rogers, chairman of the board of directors of Agassi Prep, said he was waiting for a final report from the Education Department.

"We will, of course, go along with whatever recommendations are made," Rogers said.

This is the third year that the Education Department has issued a test security report. Following a slew of episodes of misplaced testing booklets and students gaining improper access to materials, state lawmakers in 2001 mandated that the Education Department track all instances of improprieties and submit an annual report.

The Education Department also has been in the midst of an aggressive campaign urging people to report any security breaches, no matter how small, Rheault said.

And at the other end of the spectrum, the state has aggressively pursued disciplinary action against school employees found to have violated the state's statutes, Rheault said.

"The word is out that we take this very seriously and that's going to keep people reporting," Rheault said. "In a way that's the bright side of all this."

Over the past year the state Board of Education has sanctioned three teachers -- including two from Clark County -- for violating test security measures.

Test security continues to be a top priority for the Clark County School District, said Karlene McCormick-Lee, director of research and accountability.

All school employees who handle test materials must undergo annual training and attend refresher workshops during the year, McCormick-Lee said.

"People need to realize the most severe consequence of a breach of test security is the loss of their certification," McCormick-Lee said. "We will continue working to ensure everyone knows the rules and follows them."

At Harney Middle School a teacher is under investigation for allegedly helping students edit their rough draft responses on the February 2004 round of the eighth grade writing test. Grant Hanevold, principal of Harney, declined to identify the teacher.

"There were some errors in judgment but no intentional disregard for the regulations," Hanevold said Friday. "We handled the situation as best we could and turned it over to the state."