Here are 157 cheating incidents on state-mandated tests in Kentucky K-12 schools

The Herald-Leader in 2022, 2023 and 2024 analyzed public records involving testing violations in Kentucky. They included incidents in which 157 students and teachers (mostly students) cheated or were caught trying to cheat.

Here’s an in-depth look at those cases:

2022

In Jefferson County, at Iroquois High School, a student was given a zero and the score invalidated as a result of plagiarism. The student copied two complete sentences, word for word, from a website and included them in her response to the test item. Officials determined the test score’s integrity was compromised and the student gained a testing advantage. Test administrators were given three extra hours of training.

In Covington Independent Schools at Holmes Middle School, a student appeared to be videotaping her laptop screen with a cellphone while taking a mandatory statewide test. The test administrator seized the cellphone and reported the incident to the principal. Officials determined the student gained a testing advantage, so the score was invalidated.

In Madison County, at Madison Southern High School, a student plagiarized a response to a Grade 12 test, and officials reported the plagiarism to the Kentucky Department of Education. When questioned, the student admitted he cheated on the exam and plagiarized his essay in its entirety. Officials determined the student gained a testing advantage, the score was invalidated and the testing administrator was given three hours of additional training.

In Garrard County, at Garrard County High School, officials found a student cheated on a test by visiting unauthorized websites during online testing. Another student observed that the student waited for the proctors to pass by and then opened another browser window on the testing computer to search for answers to test questions online. The student admitted to cheating when confronted with the report. Officials determined the student gained a testing advantage and the score was invalidated.

In Newport Independent Schools at Newport High School, the test administrator/monitor failed to detect at least 13 students cheating during two Grade 12 mathematics assessment sessions. District IT staff verified and documented that 13 students opened new browser windows and accessed other websites during the assessment. In this case, because the evidence presented suggests the integrity of the test scores was compromised, and 13 students gained a testing advantage, 13 students’ mathematics scores were invalidated. Three hours of training was required for the test administrator.

In Fayette County, at Frederick Douglass High School, a student used an external device to plagiarize a response. The score was invalidated. Three hours of training were required for the test administrator.

In Fayette County, at Frederick Douglass High School, a student plagiarized responses on a writing test using an external device. The score was invalidated, and the testing administrator administrator given three hours extra training.

In Madison County, at Madison Central High School, a student used his phone to plagiarize. The student was interviewed and admitted he plagiarized the test response. The test administrator allowed the student to test alone in a small room. The test administrator attempted to monitor the student by looking through the window in the door to the room. At the same time, she was also responsible for monitoring other students testing in a separate classroom. The test administrator did not collect phones from students before testing began. The score was invalidated. The test administrator was given three hours of extra training.

In Kenton County, at Dixie Heights High School, a student used a device to plagiarize. After testing was completed, the test vendor detected the student’s plagiarism and reported it. The test administrator did not witness the student’s actions during the test session. The score was invalidated. The test administrator was given three hours of extra training.

In Lewis County, at Foster Meade Career Technical Center, a student accessed the district website on the school Chromebook used for testing. The student was not permitted to visit websites other than the testing site. The student provided a written statement admitting he had used information obtained from other websites to answer approximately five test items. The scores were invalidated. Two staff members were given three hours of extra training.

In Fayette County, at Tates Creek High School, two students plagiarized responses The test vendor reported the students’ plagiarism. The test administrators did not witness the students using devices to plagiarize test responses. The scores were invalidated and test administrators were told to get three hours of extra training.

In Jefferson County, at Valley High School, a student plagiarized a test response. The test vendor reported the student’s plagiarism. The administrator did not witness the student using a device to plagiarize a test response. The score was invalidated and the test administrator required to get three extra hours of training.

In Jefferson County, at Newcomer Academy, a student plagiarized on the writing portion of a 9th-grade test. The score was invalidated and the testing administrator required to get three hours of extra training.

In Jefferson County, at Jeffersontown High School, a student plagiarized two test responses on a Grade 12 test. The score was invalidated and the test administrator was required to get three hours of extra training.

In Jefferson County, at Doss High School, two students plagiarized test responses. One student admitted they used a cellphone to access Google Translate during testing. The two scores were invalidated. The test administrator was given three hours of extra training.

In Jefferson County, at Central High Magnet Career Academy, a student plagiarized a test response. The student admitted to accessing their phone and copying the response. The score was invalidated. The test administrator was given three extra hours of training.

In Wayne County Schools, at Wayne County High School, a student plagiarized a response. The test administrator allowed the student to test in a room adjacent to the computer lab with the door closed. The score was invalidated. The test administrator was given three extra hours of training.

In Madison County Schools, at Madison Central High School, ACT officials invalidated a score after a student accessed their earbuds during the ACT test session and then got their phone.

In Fayette County Schools, at Lafayette High School, a student plagiarized. The score was invalidated, and the test administrator was required to get three hours of extra training.

In Madison County Schools, at Madison Central High School, two students used their phones to plagiarize test responses. Both students admitted they accessed external websites and plagiarized test responses when confronted. The scores were invalidated, and the test administrator was required to get three hours of extra training.

In Muhlenberg County, at Muhlenberg High School, a student plagiarized two test responses. The test administrator did not witness the student plagiarizing because she placed a cardboard divider between them due to COVID concerns, and she was unable to see the student’s actions during testing. The test score was invalidated, and the test administrator was given three hours of extra training.

In Jefferson County, at Seneca High School, two students plagiarized test responses after hiding their phones and accessing them during the test. The scores were invalidated, and the test administrator received an extra three hours of training.

In Shelby County, at Shelby County High School, a student used Google to obtain information for test responses. The integrity of the scores was compromised, and the scores were invalidated.

In Jefferson County, at Seneca High School, a student accessed external websites to answer test items on a math test. Her test was marked “faulty.”

In Bullitt County, at Bullitt Central High School, a test administrator provided inappropriate help to students. The test administrator helped at least two students answer questions on the test by Googling information, humming to indicate correct answers, and discussing test items. The students’ scores were invalidated and the test administrator was given an extra three hours of training.

In Jefferson County, at Doss High School, a student plagiarized test responses. The score was invalidated and the test administrator given three extra hours training.

In Jefferson County, at Fern Creek High School, a student plagiarized. The score was invalidated, and the test administrator was given three extra hours of training.

In Jefferson County, at Iroquois High School, a student plagiarized responses, and their score was invalidated. The test administrator was given three hours of extra training.

In Allen County Schools, at Allen County Intermediate Center, a student used the calculator on his cellphone after being told not to. When caught, he was on question 19 out of 20. The math score was lowered.

In Bath County, at Bath County High School, a student typed into another student’s testing computer while the other student had gone to the restroom. The test administrator made them erase the answer. The score was not lowered. The violation letter noted that students should do their own work.

In Hardin County, at North Hardin High School, a test administrator saw a student using a handheld calculator he had hidden in his lap. The student had previously been told that no calculator would be available for that part of the test. The score was lowered because the student gained a testing advantage.

In Boone County, at Jones Middle School, a student used notes from under their Chromebook during an eighth-grade writing test and gained an advantage. The score was lowered.

In Jefferson County, at Wilder Elementary School, a student admitted using a calculator watch during testing while the test administrator’s back was turned. The score was lowered. The test administrator was given three hours of extra training.

In Fort Thomas Independent Schools, at Moyer Elementary School, a student used a calculator he pulled from his desk when he was not supposed to use it. He was on test item No. 13 when the test administrator confiscated the calculator. The score was lowered.

In Bullitt County, at Bullitt Central High School, a student Googled a test question. The test administrator had him close Google but allowed him to complete the test per instructions from the district coordinator. State rules say: “Assessments are to be terminated for students who cheat.” The score was invalidated, and the staff involved were required to get three hours of extra training.

In Jefferson County, at King Elementary School, a student used a calculator that was not permitted on a test. The score was lowered.

In Ohio County, at Ohio County High School, a student plagiarized a test response after hiding her cellphone and using it during a test. The score was invalidated, and the district test coordinator was given three hours of extra training.

In Jefferson County, in two cases at Waggener High School, a student plagiarized on a test. The score was lowered, and the test administrator was given three hours of extra training.

In Paducah Independent Schools, at Paducah Middle School, a student had a calculator they were not supposed to have and was on test item No. 2. Scores were not lowered.

In Jefferson County, at Marion C. Moore School, a test administrator was seen hovering over a student and pointing out a test item the student skipped on the ACT. The test administrator was given three hours of extra training.

In Jefferson County, at Marion C. Moore School, a student admitted to plagiarizing and their score was invalidated. The building testing coordinator was given three hours of extra training. Staff were also given extra training.

In Jefferson County, at Rutherford Elementary School, a student held a phone slightly out of their pocket, looking up the meaning of a word while working on a quality of school test survey. The test administrator had forgotten to collect phones from students. The score was not lowered. The test administrator was given three extra hours of training.

In Kenton County Schools, at Twenhofel Middle School, a student used a handheld calculator that they weren’t allowed to use. The score was lowered because the student received a testing advantage, and the test administrator was given three hours of extra training.

In Pike County Schools, at Belfry High School, a student plagiarized. The test administrator was monitoring through the room window instead of remaining inside the testing room. The score was invalidated, and the test administrator was given three hours of extra training.

In Daviess County Schools, at Apollo High School, a student plagiarized. The score was invalidated, and the test administrator was given three extra hours of training.

In Scott County, at Eastern Elementary School, a student admitted to having pulled a multiplication chart from her desk and using it during testing. The score was lowered.

In Lincoln County Schools, at Stanford Elementary, a student attempted to show another their screen during a fourth-grade test. Neither student changed their response. The test administrator’s manual says students are not to look at each other’s work.

In Bullitt County, at Bullitt County High School, the test administrator allowed disruptive behavior during testing, including students discussing questions during testing. The test administrator received an extra three hours of training.

In Marion County Schools at Marion County Middle School, a student photographed part of a sixth-grade reading test and posted it to Snapchat. The score was not lowered, but the test administrator was given three hours of extra training.

2023

In Jefferson County, at Atherton High School, a student accessed the internet and entered a test item in Google, presumably to get the answer on a math test. The test administrator advised the student that such behavior was not allowed, stopped the student’s test and invalidated the student’s score.

In Meade County Schools, at Stuart Pepper Elementary School, a student, against the rules, used a cellphone, and the content on the student’s phone matched the test content on the computer screen. No test content had been captured or saved on the phone. The student’s score was invalidated.

In Kenton County Schools at Dixie Heights High School, a student turned in one cellphone before testing but had another in his possession. The test administrators saw that the student was searching online for content related to a test item. The student’s score was invalidated.

In Hardin County, a teacher was found to have provided “inappropriate assistance and information” to 16 students who plagiarized on state-mandated tests, a violation that resulted in a reprimand by Kentucky’s certification board. The teacher denied the allegations found in a state investigation, her attorney told officials from the board that oversees educator discipline in a letter. He added that she decided to leave the teaching profession with no plans to return.

In 2023, at Kammerer Middle School in Jefferson County, two teachers in the room reported the test administrator was reading aloud to a visually impaired student as well as clicking and moving the mouse and typing responses while the student slept.

The student was allowed to have someone type their responses, but neither teacher heard the student telling the test administrator what to type for the test responses. The teacher was required to get three hours of extra training.

State regulations say test administrators must not engage in any behavior that would help students understand or respond to any item on the test. Evidence suggested the integrity of the test scores was compromised and the student gained a testing advantage, so that student’s score was lowered, according to Kentucky Department of Education documents.

In Jefferson County at Fern Creek High School, a student admitted to using their cellphone to look up an answer for the exam. The phone was confiscated, the student was removed from the test room, and their writing school was invalidated. No staff training was recommended.

In Jefferson County, at Newburg Middle School, students were left alone with test materials and were not properly monitored while testing in the library. The test administrator did not check in on the students until after the next class period ended, and found the students were still testing, sitting at a table, working closely together. After bringing the students back to her classroom to complete the test, the test administrator observed one student using a cellphone to look up answers and immediately confiscated the phone. One student admitted they had the phone out and were using it in the library. The student’s speaking scores were invalidated. The test administrator was told to get three hours of training.

In Muhlenberg County, a Muhlenberg County High School student opened Google to look up test items. The student was told to exit Google immediately, and when confronted, said he was sorry. He was dismissed from the test and advised that his score would be voided.

In Hardin County, at John Hardin High School, a student plagiarized test responses by using an Internet-connected electronic device to search for and plagiarize test responses. The score was invalidated. The staff was reminded that active monitoring of students is required during testing.

In Jefferson County, at Iroquois High School, a student plagiarized by copying information from a website and submitted it as a writing test response. The student’s score was invalidated. Staff were reminded to monitor students.

In Crittenden County, at Crittenden County High School, a student had an earbud in his ear connected to a cellphone while taking the ACT. He was dismissed from testing, and an irregularity report was filed with ACT.

In Trimble County Schools, at Trimble County Junior/Senior High School, a student plagiarized by using an electronic device to access Google Translate and submit computer-generated voice recordings as his test responses. A school testing official was required to get three hours of training.

In Russell County Schools, at Russell County High School, a student plagiarized text responses by using an electronic device to access the internet and copy information from a website to submit as her test responses. After being confronted, the student admitted she used her personal laptop to access the internet and plagiarize test responses. The score was invalidated. The test administrator was required to get three hours of extra training.

In Paducah Independent Schools, at Paducah Tilghman High School, a student admitted she used an electronic device’s Google to look up the answer for a test item, which she provided as a plagiarized response. Her score was invalidated. Testing staff were reminded to monitor students during testing.

In Jefferson County, at Seneca High School, a student plagiarized by using an electronic device, copying information from a website and submitting it as a test response. The student’s score was invalidated. The testing administrator was reminded to monitor students.

In Jefferson County at Valley High School, a student plagiarized by using an electronic device to access the internet during the test, copying information from a website and submitting it as a test response. The score was invalidated, and the test administrator was reminded to monitor students during testing.

In Jefferson County, in three separate cases at Iroquois High School, a student plagiarized by using an electronic device to access the internet during the test, copying information from a website, and submitting it as a test response. The score was invalidated, and the test administrator was reminded to monitor students during testing.

In McCracken County, at McCracken County High School, a student plagiarized by using earbuds and a second phone to access the internet during the test, copying information from a website and submitting it as a test response. The score was invalidated, and the test administrator was reminded to monitor students during testing.

In Jefferson County, at Jeffersontown High School, a student admitted he used his phone to plagiarize a test response. The test administrator did not remain inside the testing room during testing, but instead monitored his test by checking on him frequently from right outside the office area. The score was invalidated. The test administrator had to get three hours of extra training.

In Daviess County at Apollo High School, a student plagiarized test responses by using an electronic device to access the Internet during the test session. The student copied information from a website and submitted it as a test response. When confronted, the student admitted they used the phone during testing. In addition, the student reported the test administrator remained in an adjoining room during the test session instead of remaining in the testing room with the student. The test administrator resigned, though a state document didn’t make clear if the violation was why. The score was invalidated.

In Hardin County Schools, at North Hardin High School, a test administrator witnessed a 10th-grade student trying to reference notes he had hidden under his Chromebook. The test administrator immediately confiscated the student’s notes and had the student moved to a different testing location. The student was referred for discipline after testing was completed. The student’s reading score was lowered.

In Nelson County Schools, at Cox’s Creek Elementary School, a student was hiding and using a prohibited calculator. The calculator was confiscated, and the student was removed from the session. The student’s score was lowered.

In Knox County Schools, at Lynn Camp Elementary School, a teacher provided inappropriate help to a student. Believing that she was providing paraphrasing, the test administrator provided examples to explain what the test questions were asking. The student’s math score was lowered, and the test administrator was required to take three hours of extra training.

In Madison County, at Clark-Moores Middle School, the test administrator directed students to allow her to read their responses before they submitted them. The test administrator told students to either “submit” or “do your best,” which prompted at least one student to go back and review and/or edit their test responses. Testing was completed when a student asked whether this practice was appropriate. Test scores were not lowered. The test administrator was required to get three hours of extra training.

In Russell County, at Russell Springs Elementary School, a student used a “Sentence Starter” note pulled from a towel he was sitting on during the Grade 5 Writing test. This note included examples of ways to start sentences while writing. Another student reported having witnessed this incident, and the testing staff found the note in question hidden in the towel on the student’s seat. Scores were not lowered, but the test administrator was reminded to monitor students closely during test sessions.

At Sixth District Elementary School in the Covington Independent District in 2022-2023, a test administrator engaged in inappropriate activities while giving a statewide test to fourth graders, according to a testing violation document. The test administrator would not let students submit answers until he checked their screens. He reminded them of specific strategies. He asked them to go back and show him they had completed all the answers and made sure they answered all the multiple-choice questions before they could move on. He told at least one student to recheck a specific question and another to look at a chart. One student said the test administrator helped her with a restatement and said “mmmm” or “nah” to some of her multiple-choice responses. Another said the test administrator walked around and helped people with writing and reading words the student did not know. He was required to get training, and his name was turned in to the Education Professional Standards Board.

In Knott County, at Beaver Creek Elementary School, a test administrator saw a student pull a math book from his desk during the Grade 4 Kentucky Summative Assessment Mathematics test session. The test administrator immediately confiscated the book and put it away before the student had a chance to use the book for assistance. Scores were not lowered.

In Warren County, at Rockfield Elementary School, a student had a prohibited calculator hidden in her hoodie pocket during the Grade 5 Mathematics test session. The test administrator was monitoring and saw the student looking at the calculator and walked over and took it from the student. The test administrator could not determine whether the student used the calculator on the test or not.

In Warren County, at Briarwood Elementary School, a student pulled out a math document from her desk during the Grade 3 Mathematics test session. The test administrator observed the incident and took the document away from the student. It could not be determined whether the student used the information on the test.

In McLean County, at Livermore Elementary School, a test administrator was administering a make-up test session for the Grade 4 Reading test, and the student asked for help. The test administrator read a passage and a few questions to the student and gave him an “example of what one of the questions asked.” The test administrator also used her phone to text a question about testing to another teacher during the test session. She then reported the incident to the Building Assessment Coordinator. The score was not lowered. The test administrator was reminded to refrain from providing inappropriate assistance to students during testing.

In Jefferson County, at St. Matthews Elementary School, a student asked the test administrator what a word was on her screen during the Grade 3 Mathematics test. The test administrator read the word “vertices” aloud to the student. The Building Assessment Coordinator overheard this and told the test administrator she was not permitted to assist the student on the test other than telling the student to do her best .The score was not lowered. A reminder was issued to the test administrator not to provide inappropriate assistance to students during testing.

In Kenton County at Simon Kenton High School, a student took out a prohibited handheld graphing calculator during Part B of the Grade 10 Mathematics test and turned it on. The test administrator caught the student taking the calculator out and took it from the student before he could use it to answer the test question. The score was not lowered.

In Paducah Independent Schools at Paducah Middle School, one team of test administrators provided students with an old Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress reference sheet, which included mathematical formulas, to use during the Grade 7 Kentucky Summative Assessment Mathematics test. This sheet was given out even though the Building Assessment Coordinator repeatedly stated during assessment training that there should not be anything on the student’s desk during testing, and that all information needed for the test is on the computer. Scores were not lowered. The test administrators were required to get three hours of extra training. The superintendent had to tell the Commissioner of Education whether disciplinary action was taken.

In Jefferson County, at Minor Daniels Academy, a student taking the math test left the secure website to access the web. She tried to use information from the Mathway website to answer test questions. The test kicked her off, and her test was not submitted. When the teacher discovered the student on the Mathway website, they immediately instructed her that her test was invalid and ended the session. The score was invalidated.

In Mason County, at Mason County Middle School, the test administrator did not actively monitor the Grade 8 Kentucky Summative Assessment Mathematics test session as required. As a result, one of the two students in the test session accessed notes from their backpack and proceeded to use them on the test for approximately 10-15 minutes. The test administrator later noticed the student using notes. The score was lowered, and the test administrator was given three extra hours of training.

In Jefferson County, in two cases at Doss High School, students were observed getting their cellphones out during the ACT. Electronic devices can not be used in any way to gain a testing advantage. ACT was going to make a scoring determination. Students were dismissed from the testing room, and their tests marked as complete.

In Fayette County, at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, a student took a cellphone from his pocket and looked at the screen during a writing test. The test administrator told the student to put the phone away immediately, and the student complied. The test administrator caught the student before he was able to use the phone during testing.

In Fayette County, at Frederick Douglass High School, a student was using his hoodie to try to hide his earbuds when his cellphone fell out of his pocket 15 minutes into the test. A test administrator confiscated the devices and stopped the student’s test. A test administrator immediately confiscated the devices and stopped the student’s test. Students were instructed to place all electronic devices in their backpacks before testing. The test administrator caught the student before they could use the phone during testing.

2024

In Fayette County, at Henry Clay High School, a student attempted to use notes retrieved from her backpack while taking a writing test. Officials determined she did not get a testing advantage, so no scores were lowered.

In Campbell County at Campbell County High School, a student looked at another student’s monitor while taking the ACT. The students’ test materials were collected, and they were asked to log out. ACT was asked to make a decision on scoring.

In Laurel County, at South Laurel High School, a test administrator caught a student opening another browser window to locate an answer to a test question. Officials determined the student gained a testing advantage, so the score was voided.

In Newport Independent Schools at the Newport School of Innovation, a student plagiarized by using an electronic device to access the internet. The student copied information from a website. The score was deemed invalid.

In Shelby County at the Marnel C. Moorman School, a student asked a test administrator assistant a question on an English Learner test, and the assistant pointed to the correct English answer. Scores were not lowered because the evidence did not suggest the integrity of the test scores was compromised. The assistant had not had the required training and was given a reminder to not provide inappropriate assistance to students.

In Jefferson County at Southern High School, a student plagiarized by using an electronic device to generate an artificial voice response to record and submit as his test response. The test score was deemed invalid because the student gained a testing advantage. A test administrator was issued a reminder to monitor students during test sessions.

In Jefferson County, in two cases at Jeffersontown High School, a student plagiarized by using an electronic device to access the internet. One student copied information directly from a website and submitted it as a test response. Another used an electronic device to generate an artificial voice response to record and submit it as their test response. The scores were invalidated.

In Madison County, at Madison Central High School, a test administrator answered survey questions associated with testing for a student who had already transferred to another district, based on how he thought the student would respond to each question, and submitted it as though the student had completed the survey. The test administrator was required to get three hours of extra training.

In Jessamine County, at West Jessamine High School, an administrator told students to select “strongly agree” on a school quality survey attached to the test. He shared with them an incentive chart that offered them additional hall passes, an ice cream party, and an invitation to a coffee truck if they made a good faith effort on the test, which was a testing violation. The administrator was required to get three hours of training.

In McCracken County at Lone Oak Intermediate School, an instructional assistant reported the test administrator had asked her to take a test for an absent student. The test administrator had submitted answer sheets that the administrator completed for absent students. She also submitted a seating chart showing that the students were present for testing on days they were absent. Once the violation was discovered, the answer sheets were not submitted for scoring. The Kentucky Department of Education determined the actions were intentional and sent the names of staff involved to the Education Professional Standards Board. The test administrator was suspended from participating in statewide testing.

In Anderson County, at Anderson County Middle School, the testing administrator saw a seventh-grader hiding a calculator under his leg and confiscated it. Officials determined the test score was compromised, and he gained a testing advantage, so the score was lowered.

In Hardin County, at East Hardin Middle School, a student hid a prohibited calculator and admitted he used it on two to three questions. His scores were lowered.

In Meade County, at Flaherty Elementary School, a fifth grader pulled out a prohibited multiplication chart during testing. The student admitted he was using the chart to help with the state-mandated test. Officials determined that his math scores were compromised and he gained an advantage, so they lowered them.

In Ashland Independent Schools, at Crabbe Elementary School, a teacher periodically read test questions to a student. She told another teacher she knew she wasn’t supposed to, but she had to do something to keep the student focused on the test. Officials determined the student gained an unfair advantage, so her test scores were lowered. The teacher was required to get three hours of extra training.

In Williamsburg City Schools, a test administrator provided inappropriate assistance to a student who raised their hand and said there did not appear to be a correct answer to a multiple-choice question. The test administrator advised the student that there was a correct answer and told them to check their addition. A reminder was issued to the test administrator not to make evaluative comments to students during testing.

In Montgomery County, at Northview Elementary School, a fourth grader had a prohibited multiplication table on the corner of her desk during a state-mandated math test but said she didn’t use it. Authorities determined that the integrity of test scores was not compromised, and they didn’t lower the scores

In Carter County at East Carter High School, a test administrator did not collect cellphones prior to the test and did not monitor the 11th graders. A student admitted to using their phone to search for test answers, and their score was deemed invalid. Although student statements indicated several students used their phones to cheat during testing, the district determined that only one student actually cheated on the exam. The test administrator was required to get three hours extra training. The school district did not renew the teacher’s contract and turned his name into the Education Professional Standards Board.

In Madison County, at Kirksville Elementary School, a test administrator admitted she provided inappropriate assistance to students when they asked for help on a school quality survey attached to tests. She defined two terms for them. Officials determined that the students did not gain a testing advantage. A reminder was issued to the test administrator to tell students to skip questions if they don’t understand them, but not to give them information.

In Jefferson County at Farnsley Middle School, a seventh grader used a cellphone to search for the answer to one question on a science test, after being told to turn in the devices before testing. Officials said the integrity of scores was not compromised and did not lower them.

In Bullitt County, at Bullitt Lick Middle School, an eighth grader in special education taking a math test had handwritten formulas in front of her during testing. It could not be determined if she used them during the math test. Scores were not lowered but the testing administrator was reminded to monitor students for prohibited behaviors.

In Bullitt County, at Bullitt Lick Middle School, a student had a small piece of paper on the student’s desk that had math formulas written on it. The student said she wrote the formulas down before taking her math test. Officials determined the integrity of the test was not compromised and did not lower scores.

In Shelby County at Shelby County West Middle School, a seventh grader visited multiple prohibited websites during the math and science test. The student took a screenshot of a test question, but the computer history did not reveal that the student shared the screenshot with anyone. His device was confiscated, but officials did not think the integrity of the test scores was compromised and did not lower scores.

In Jefferson County, at Southern High School, a student used an AI-generated response during a test. The test administrator observed the student using their phone multiple times and repeatedly instructed them to put the phone away. The score was lowered. A reminder was issued to the test administrator to monitor students for prohibited behavior.

In Daviess County Schools, at Apollo High School, a student used an AI-generated response during a writing test. The score was lowered. A reminder was issued to the test administrator to monitor students for prohibited behavior.

In Bowling Green at South Warren High School, a student submitted two AI-generated responses. The score was lowered. A reminder was issued to the test administrator to monitor students for prohibited behavior.

In Garrard County at Lancaster Elementary School, a student’s scores were lowered after officials realized she got an advantage on a test by using headphones that highlighted text and read words out loud. The students’ reading scores were lowered. A reminder was issued to testing staff to ensure only appropriate accommodations are available to students.

In Boyle County, at Boyle County High School, a student admitted he used his personal handheld calculator that was prohibited, while taking a math test. His math score was lowered. A reminder was issued to the test administrator to monitor students for prohibited behaviors.

In Jefferson County, in two cases at Pleasure Ridge Park High School, a student submitted AI-generated test responses on an 11th-grade test. The scores were lowered, and officials determined that the student gained a testing advantage. A test administrator was reminded to monitor students for prohibited activities.

In Jefferson County, at Seneca High School, a student submitted AI-generated test responses on a 12th-grade test. The scores were lowered, and officials determined that the student gained a testing advantage. A test administrator was reminded to monitor students for prohibited activities during tests.

In Jefferson County, at Doss High School, a student submitted AI-generated test responses on a 12th-grade test. The scores were lowered, and officials determined that the student gained a testing advantage. A test administrator was reminded to monitor students for prohibited activities during tests.

In Hopkins County, at Jesse Stuart Elementary School, a teacher, while giving a state-mandated test, created a nine-page document with detailed notes about the tests to use for test preparation the next year, which is prohibited. She shared the document with another teacher at the school. She was temporarily suspended from participating in statewide testing, and her name was turned over to the Education Professional Standards Board.

In Jefferson County School, at Dunn Elementary, a fifth grader was using an organizer that gave them an advantage on a writing test. The score was lowered, and the test administrator was reminded to monitor students.

This story was originally published July 16, 2025 at 5:00 AM.