The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is currently investigating 60 additional teachers for their alleged involvement in a statewide cheating scandal related to obtaining fraudulent teaching certifications. This investigation brings the total number of educators under scrutiny to approximately 160.
Key Points of the Investigation:
- The cheating ring is alleged to have been masterminded by a Houston ISD basketball coach.
- The scheme involved individuals paying around $2,500 to have someone else take the state licensure exams on their behalf.
- The cheating ring reportedly amassed over $1 million.
- The investigation initially surfaced when the TEA noticed irregularities at Houston’s Training and Education Center (HTECH), an approved testing location.
- At least 400 certification tests are thought to have been taken fraudulently.
Accusations and Charges:
- Five people have been criminally charged in connection with the scandal. These individuals include three Houston ISD employees.
- Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg described the cheating ring as a “circle of greed”.
- Vincent Grayson, the head boys basketball coach at Booker T. Washington High School in Houston ISD, is accused of running the ring and making over $1 million.
- Tywana Gilford Mason, former director at the Houston Training and Education Center, is accused of helping to hide the scheme.
- Nicholas Newton, assistant principal at Booker T. Washington High School, is accused of acting as a proxy test-taker.
- LaShonda Roberts, assistant principal at Yates High School, is accused of recruiting teachers to take part in the cheating scheme.
Districts Involved:
- The 60 teachers under investigation are spread across 33 school districts.
- The TEA is probing two dozen teachers from Houston-area districts.
- Nine teachers who were most recently affiliated with Houston ISD have had their certifications flagged for investigation.
- Other districts with teachers under investigation include Aldine, Alief, Cypress-Fairbanks, Fort Bend, and Spring ISDs.
- 25 teachers from North Texas are also implicated in the scandal.
Consequences:
- The State Board for Educator Certification will determine possible sanctions for the implicated teachers.
- Houston districts have placed teachers on paid leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
- The examinations could result in teachers losing their Texas educator licenses.
List of Teachers Under Investigation:
The list includes teachers from the following districts:
- Northside ISD: Alin Edouard, Colin Taylor
- Aldine ISD: Julia Harbin, Odell James, LaTyler Johnson
- Alief ISD: Rod Smith
- Alvin ISD: Jefferson Collins, Nehandra Edwards, Michael Garrett, Brandon Manning, Daphney White
Sources:
[1] https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/news/2025/02/07/tea-investigating-60-more-texas-teachers-in-cheating-scandal-probe
[2] https://houstonlanding.org/tea-teacher-cheating-ring-probe-snares-another-60-people-including-24-in-houston-area/
[3] https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/education/article/texas-teacher-cheating-scandal-names-20150061.php
