Principal faces suspension in PSSA breach

By SUSAN EVANS

EBENSBURG May 07, 2008 12:26 am

— Central Cambria High School Principal Ken Bussard faces a week’s suspension without pay for an apparent security breach of the annual state-mandated PSSA tests, The Tribune-Democrat has learned.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is investigating the incident.
Bussard is accused of supplying the PSSA test booklet to a science teacher before the test was to be administered, in violation of state regulations.
Central Cambria officials will not discuss details, calling it a personnel matter.
State education officials disagree.
“A PSSA security breach is certainly a lot more than a personnel issue. It can be grounds for suspension of an education certificate,” said Michael Race, press secretary for the state Department of Education.
Bussard did not return messages for comment from The Tribune-Democrat.
The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests are taken each spring as part of the federal No Child Left Behind act.
Results are used to hold schools accountable for how well students are doing, and poor results can harm a district’s funding.
Central Cambria’s disciplinary action apparently was agreed upon in a closed-door session last month. Board members referred questions to the district’s attorney, Carl Beard of Altoona.
“The test booklets came in, and it was the first year for a science PSSA test, and it was given back by the person who should not have received it,” Beard said.
“The security protocol violation was reported within 22 hours of the incident, and we believe we have it under control,” he said. “But any corrective actions we take internally, we cannot comment on.”
Central Cambria Superintendent Susan Makosy declined to discuss the specifics of the apparent breach.
“I can say that an incident was reported to me, and I investigated it. I reported it to the board, and the board took action,” she said. “The state will review the incident and the district’s response and notify us.”
Makosy, while declining to elaborate, said that test answers were not shared with students.
“At no time did students see the content of the test,” she said.
The state has rigid requirements for PSSA procedures and says that they “must be followed to ensure that the integrity of the test remains above reproach.”
Educators may not “possess any secure test materials at any time other than during the actual administration of the test,” according to the state Department of Education.
The state holds local school districts responsible for investigating and taking action in response to security breaches, but it can initiate a formal investigation of educator misconduct that can result in disciplinary action. The state also can invalidate some or all test scores involved and retest students.
The incident follows other highly publicized Central Cambria incidents. Students and administrators have been involved in misconduct, including improper bonuses, a widespread student cheating scheme, and manipulating the choice of valedictorian to favor the relative of an official.