Two teachers removed in cheating probe

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Two teachers have been removed from their schools while the Kansas City School District investigates allegations of cheating on the Missouri Assessment Program tests, school officials said Monday.

The investigation at Van Horn High School involves possible inappropriate access and/or copying of test material by a teacher, district spokesman Edwin Birch said. The investigation has confirmed that no test material or questions were distributed to the students before the tests were taken last week, he said.

At Southeast High School, the investigation centers on the instructions given to students before the tests were administered. There are no allegations that students at the school were given the test questions before taking the exam, Birch said.

The two teachers are no longer at the schools but have not been suspended, Birch said, because it is too early to know what, if anything, happened. Scores from the tests will help determine if the district regains full accreditation during its next scheduled review in January 2004.