Hempstead, Long Island school district accused in grade-changing scandal

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (WABC) -- There is a cheating scandal at a Long Island school district, but it's not the students who are accused of cheating.

It goes much higher than that, with more than 1,000 final grades changes.

The scandal cast a shadow over Tuesday's school board elections in Hempstead.

"I think that it's an opportunity now for us to turn things around because it should not be, and those of us who are community activists are here just trying to make sure we don't go down that same road again," said community activist William A. Watson, Jr.

In a state audit of Hempstead grades for the school year 2012-2013, grades were found to be changed 2,225 times, for nearly 1,300 students.

Although auditors were not able to determine changes from pass to fail for the entire group, the audit of a sample group of 180 students found that 64% had their grades changed from failing to passing.

"I really don't feel like I'm getting a good education. Me, as a freshman, I feel like I'm getting cheated," said Hempstead High School student Omar Velasquez.

And Hempstead High School has the lowest graduation rate on Long Island, at only 38%, even though the district spends more than $3,000 per pupil than the other districts.

We were asked off the premises of school district headquarters, and district officials have not responded to our requests for an interview.

One student doubts the state audit.

"I doubt they change grades here because if I do bad on a test, I keep that grade," said Hempstead High School student Cairo Peddie.

But a state spokesman says: "Our audit exposed ongoing, significant problems in Hempstead, but we're going to dig even deeper. We will continue to investigate the district's grade-changing and spending practices, order needed changes to their operations, and make criminal referrals if warranted."

"The individuals in this community are well aware that's what they were doing, as far as inflating grades," said community activist Sergio Argueta.

The results of the elections were expected to be known by late Tuesday night, but no matter who is in charge, the district can expect permanent attention by the state about its grading system.