Finance panel OKs funds to combat test cheating

Thursday, Sept. 16, 2004 | 9:22 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The legislative Interim Finance Committee has provided $45,000 to combat cheating on the high-stakes tests in the public schools.

The finance committee authorized state Superintendent of Schools Keith Rheault to transfer the money within his department's budget to hire an administrator to handle the discipline of the teachers, principals or administrators once the cheating is detected.

The vote came after Rheault told the legislators of a report released earlier this week that said 24 students were been caught cheating last year, up from nine the previous year.

"There has been a large increase in small and major infractions," Rheault said. Students are using cell phones that transmit pictures and some have wristwatches equipped with calculators that the students used to improve their performance, he said.

The license of one teacher has been revoked and three others licenses have been suspended, Rheault told the committee.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno said this was a "high priority" to make sure the tests are administered fairly. Rheault said without a full-time person to follow up on these cases it takes the time of his other staff.

With a new person, he said, the state can clear up the pending disciplinary cases before the next test.

Rheault noted however that the 24 instances are small considering the 200,000 tests that are administered. The tests required by No Child Left Behind are given in the fourth, seventh and eighth grades.

Rheault was also questioned about the six high school proficiency tests taken by seniors in Clark County that were lost. The students are being given the examination again this week.

Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, said he was worried the six students may not know the results until Christmas. But the department is going to score the re-examination this week and the results should be back in two to three days, Rheault said.

Coffin questioned if these students could be given a passing grade. But Rheault said he has no authority to do that.

Raggio also questioned Rheault about the possibility of $7 million in federal funds not being spent by the Sept. 30 deadline. He said this money could revert to the federal government.

Doug Thunder, assistant superintendent for finance, said "virtually all of this money is obligated" and he said there may be a little returned from school districts that could not use it.

Earlier allegations that the state would send back millions of No Child Left Behind dollars to the federal government have been denied by the department.

Raggio said part of that money goes to the "Reading First" program for third and fourth graders and that is the "highest priority" in spending this money.

Thunder promised to submit a report to the Legislature on what money is reverted.