Two former School District of Philadelphia principals have been arrested with cheating on the PSSA after an ongoing state probe.
Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane announced the arrest today. Barbara McCreery, 61, of Melrose Park, and Arthur "Larry" Melton, 70, of Cherry Hill, allegedly tampered with their students PSSA tests.
Kane's news release stated that a grand jury found that McCreery, former principal at Communications Technology High School, created an answer key to change incorrect answers on the PSSA through and including the administration of the 2010 test, when the school's math and reading scores increased exponentially.
State officials began investigating city schools in 2011 after finding unlikely results and suspicious erasures.
Philadelphia officials say more than 130 staffers have since been implicated. Seven have been charged with crimes.
Arthur Melton, former principal at Edward W. Bok Technical High School, also allegedly created an answer sheet he used to change wrong answers on the tests, which was demonstrated in PSSA scoring for Bok because test scores dropped after the practice ended, according to Kane.
McCreery and Melton were charged with tampering with public records or information; forgery; and tampering with records or identification.
Both have been taken into custody Thursday. It's not immediately clear if they have lawyers.
