The Houston Clear Creek Independent School District is dealing with hundreds of its high school students cheating on final exams last month. The district is located in Texas, which claims close to 200 students at Clear Lake High School were able to acquire test answers before they took the exam back in December.
Teachers at the school noticed that close to one-third of the exams had identical answers. After the teachers figured this out, close to 600 tests were declared null and void. Students were given two options; take the test again or have the final grade in the class calculated without the final exam factored into it.
“We’re committed to determine how the test was accessed, how it was distributed, what we can do as a school, as a school district, to ensure our internal processes to make sure that this doesn’t happen again,” Clear Creek ISD spokesperson Elaina Polson said.
The final exam was given over a period of two days, with the test on the second day being different from the one given on the first day. School authorities realized that some students gave answers to other students that corresponded to questions matching the first day’s test.
Principal Debra Dixon sent home a letter to parents saying that the students will be issued an incomplete grade until they make a decision whether to retake the exam or not. In a twist, Clear Lake High School was given exemplary ratings in 2009 and 2010.
In accordance with the student code of conduct, those who are found to have cheated on the exam could receive a zero for their grade. After individual investigations are launched, disciplinary action will be determined.
