CRCT Cheating Probe: Former Principal Arrested

DECATUR, Ga. -- The principal of a DeKalb County elementary school that resigned amid allegations he purposely altered standardized test scores has been arrested in connection with a cheating probe.

Former Atherton Elementary School principal Dr. James Berry was arrested at home Friday. Assistant Principal Doretha Alexander turned herself in to police Thursday night and was later released on bond. They face charges of altering public documents.

Dekalb school system officials are the first of four school districts in the state to take action in the probe. Three other schools are alleged to have erased answers on CRCT tests and replaced them with correct answers. They are Deerwood Academy in Atlanta, Parklane Elementary School in Fulton County and Burroughs-Molette Elementary Elementary in Glynn County.

The test results are for 5th graders who took the standardized test in the summer of 2008. Those students failed the test in the spring.

No students or teachers have been implicated in the cheating scandal.