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Atlanta educators guilty of cheating scandal

In addition to racketeering, several of the educators were also found guilty of making false statements and writings, and false swearing.

By Danielle Haynes

ATLANTA, April 1 (UPI) -- A jury found 11 of 12 Atlanta educators guilty for their roles in widespread cheating on standardized tests.

The former Atlanta Public Schools teachers, principals and administrators were each found guilty on one count of racketeering for conspiring to change the answers on students' standardized tests in 2009. The educators did so in order to inflate test scores to meet federally mandated benchmarks and earn bonuses.

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The scandal was uncovered in an investigation by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper, which found suspicious math and reading test scores in nearly 200 school districts in the United States.

In all, 34 educators were indicted for being involved in the cheating scandal, though 21 pleaded guilty to lesser charges and were sentenced to probation.

Some 162 witnesses testified in the five-month trial that included eight days of jury deliberation.

In addition to racketeering, several of the educators were also found guilty of making false statements and writings, and false swearing.

The convicted were immediately taken into custody upon reading of the verdict. They each face up to 20 years in prison for the racketeering charges, and between five and 10 years for the other felonies.

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Atlanta Public Schools superintendent Beverly Hall, who won national awards and received bonuses due to the district's successes on tests, resigned during the investigation. She was also charged but didn't stand trial because she underwent treatment for breast cancer as jury selection began.

Hall died earlier this month.

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