The top Texas education official says the El Paso school district faces harsh penalties if it fails to discipline those who helped former superintendent Lorenzo Garcia in a scheme to fraudulently inflate accountability test scores.
Education Commissioner Michael Williams says he expects "aggressive and immediate action" by the district to find and punish those responsible for helping Garcia carry out a scheme that kept students from taking the high-stakes test, sometimes by forcing them to drop out of school.
Garcia pleaded guilty to fraud and is serving a to 3½-year prison term. The Texas Education Agency placed the district on probation and Williams said more sanctions are on the table, including removing the school board.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.