Principal Allegedly Helped Students Cheat

(Chester, Pennsylvania) A principal and administrator for Edison Schools, Jayne Gibbs, was suspended pending completion of an investigation of allegations that she gave students the answers to tests.

Jayne Gibbs was placed on a paid leave Thursday after eighth graders at Edward E. Parry Edison Junior Academy said she had given them answers to questions on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment test, said Wayne Emsley, Chester Upland School District assessment director.

As principal of a district middle school from 2002 to 2003, students testing proficient in math on the PSSA exam jumped from 11 percent to 71 percent. A 60% increase in math proficiency in such a short period of time should have raised some curiosity, but it seems unlikely that a principal would give answers to students. A school principal usually doesn't have direct day-to-day contact with students. If students were getting test answers, it would seem most likely to have been from a teacher. In any event, if cheating occurred, the teachers must have known or, at least, they must have been suspicious.

[Update] From another report, the Chester Upland School District became aware of the cheating by students who came forward. According to Wayne Emsley, Director of Assessment,

"We were made aware of it by students," Emsley said. "I think that's to their credit. They were uncomfortable with some of the things they were asked to do and they brought it to a staff member's attention."

It's worth noting that the students displayed a level of ethical behavior even though it appears their superior, the principal, was unprincipled. I consider the students' actions to be praiseworthy.