Report: ex-Atlanta schools chief knew of cheating

ATLANTA – A state investigation says former Atlanta schools Superintendent Beverly Hall knew about cheating allegations on standardized tests but either ignored them or tried to hide them.

An 800-page report released to The Associated Press by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal's office Tuesday through an open records request shows several educators reported cheating in their schools. But the report says Hall and other administrators ignored those and sometimes retaliated against whistleblowers.

The yearlong investigation reported educators at nearly four dozen Atlanta elementary and middle schools cheated on standardized tests by helping students or changing the answers once exams were handed in. A previous governor had ordered the probe.

Hall could not be reached for comment. Her attorney declined comment because he hadn't seen the report.

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Dorie Turner can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/dorieturner