NORTH TEXAS – The Texas Education Agency has identified more than 100 educators who are under investigation for allegedly cheating on certification exams. Fifty of them are from districts in North Texas.
The teachers on the list are identified as either current or recent employees of 21 different school districts in North Texas. The biggest numbers are linked to Dallas ISD with 9, Duncanville ISD with 8 and Fort Worth ISD with 5.
The Harris County District Attorney has criminally charged five educators in Houston for running the operation. They include an assistant principal who prosecutors say took more than 400 certification tests on behalf of others, as well as two proctors who were allegedly paid to look the other way. The DA’s office says teachers came to Houston from all over the state and paid more than $1 million combined to get passing grades.
It isn’t clear if the teachers named in the report are under of criminal investigation, but the TEA could revoke their licenses. A search of the educators on the agency’s website shows that their certifications are still valid, but are flagged as under review by the TEA Educator Investigations Division.
CBS News Texas reached out to all of the school districts in North Texas with teachers that appear on the TEA list. Some districts said the teachers no longer worked for them, and others did not respond.
How many teachers cheated?
The more than 100 teachers that were identified were just the “first batch” that the TEA has flagged, according to the agency. The TEA said it fully expects to open even more investigations. The DA’s office told CBS News Texas it knows of at least 200 certifications granted through the alleged scheme.
Of the 50 flagged North Texas teachers, CBS News Texas found they held the following certifications:
- Special education – 13
- Physical education – 13
- Social studies – 12
- Generalist/core subject – 6
- Health – 5
- History – 2 (1 was listed as an intern certification)
- Science – 1
- Math – 1
- Marketing – 1
- ESL – 1
- English Language – 1
- Diagnostician – 1 (Probationary)
The numbers add up to more than 50, as some teachers have certifications in multiple subjects. In those cases, it is unclear if all their certifications are in question. Also, this list only reflects what subjects the TEA has certified the educators to teach, which may not be the subject they are actually teaching.
It’s unclear how many of the flagged teachers are still in the classroom. At least 3 have been placed on administrative leave, and at least 10 are no longer employed by the district they are linked to on TEA records.
What are the school districts saying?
The school districts that responded to CBS News Texas’ requests for comments said they are taking the matter seriously and cooperating with the TEA. Allen ISD confirmed that the individual in question is an employee. Richardson ISD has placed two teachers on administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing.
“Allen ISD is aware of the investigation being conducted by the Texas Education Agency, and will fully cooperate with the TEA as the investigation continues. The employee in question will be placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.”
“Richardson ISD was notified the afternoon of Dec. 4 by the Texas Education Agency that, as part of TEA’s investigation into an alleged teacher certification testing scheme across Texas involving hundreds of teachers, TEA has identified two current RISD teachers who are under investigation by TEA. RISD is taking this matter very seriously and is cooperating fully with the state investigation. As a result of the TEA notification, RISD has placed both teachers on administrative leave, effective immediately, pending the results of the investigation.”
“Irving ISD is aware of the statewide teacher certification investigation by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The two individuals listed as Irving ISD employees in the list released by TEA are no longer employed by Irving ISD and were last employed by the district in the 2023-2024 school year. Irving ISD is committed to hiring high-quality educators who meet the necessary qualifications and certifications required by the state of Texas to provide the best education for our students. The district takes all matters related to teacher certification seriously and is dedicated to ensuring that all educators adhere to the standards set by TEA. We will continue to work closely with TEA to support their investigation and maintain the integrity of our educational programs.”
“Waxahachie ISD, like many other districts around the state, is thoroughly investigating this situation and working to ensure that we only have qualified teachers in our classrooms. We will cooperate fully with TEA’s investigation into this matter.”
“The Fort Worth Independent School District was recently notified by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) that, as part of its investigation into an alleged certification-testing scheme across the state, TEA has identified five (5) FWISD teachers (based on 2023-2024 PEIMS Data) who are under investigation by the TEA Educator Investigations division. The District takes this matter seriously, is cooperating fully with TEA, and will continue to do so to address this issue thoroughly.
Like all Texas public school districts, Fort Worth ISD relies on TEA and the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) to manage and oversee teacher certification processes. Fort Worth ISD is committed to upholding the highest standards for educator certification and professionalism to ensure our students receive quality instruction”
“On Dec. 1, the Texas Education Agency notified Dallas ISD of individuals implicated in a statewide cheating scandal who are current employees of the district. A total of six employees were confirmed. The district is fully cooperating with TEA during their investigative process.”
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