Texas district pays $188,000 to superintendent ousted after being implicated in Atlanta cheating

Aug. 9, 2011

From The Dallas Morning News: The DeSoto (Texas) school district says it has paid a $188,000 settlement to former Superintendent Kathy Augustine, who worked one day on the job. Augustine had joined DeSoto before this school year after a decade in the Atlanta Public Schools, where she was the second-in-command. Days before she started in DeSoto, a state of Georgia investigation found that 178 Atlanta educators were involved in cheating. The investigation concluded that Augustine knew, or should have known, cheating was taking place. Augustine has maintained she did not play a role in the cheating.

AUGUST 2011...from WFAA-TV: The DeSoto (Texas) school board has voted 3-2 to negotiate an exit agreement with its newly hired superintendent, Kathy Augustine. Augustine, who has been on paid leave since July 11, is accused of being part of a massive cheating scandal in the Atlanta school system, where she worked as an assistant superintendent. As a result, Augustine was placed on leave after her first day of work in DeSoto, and the district has already paid her more than $15,000 of her $188,000 annual salary.

VIDEO:

Mon Aug 08 20:24:38 PDT 2011

DeSoto ISD seeks split from controversial new superintendent

The DeSoto ISD board voted Monday to work out an exit agreement with its superintendent, Dr. Kathy Augustine. It’s the first public admission that the district is trying to get rid of Augustine, who has been on paid leave since July 11. view full article

JULY 2011...from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: DeSoto (Texas) school district trustees have placed newly hired Superintendent Kathy Augustine on paid leave following a Georgia probe that found widespread cheating in the Atlanta district while she served as second-in-command. Video ( The Dallas Morning News):

EARLIER...

From WFAA-TV: Some community leaders in the DeSoto (Texas) Independent School District want newly hired Superintendent Kathy Augustine, who hasn't even started on the job, to resign because of allegations that she was involved in a test cheating scandal while working in the Atlanta school system. Augustine is accused of misrepresenting test scores and giving false information to officials with the state of Georgia. Before taking the DeSoto job, Augustine was an assistant superintendent in Atlanta.

VIDEO:

Wed Jul 06 15:19:24 PDT 2011

DeSoto superintendent facing accusations in cheating scandal

She has not even started yet, but newly hired DeSoto Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Kathy Augustine is already in the hot seat. view full article

Wed Jul 06 15:19:24 PDT 2011

DeSoto superintendent facing accusations in cheating scandal

She has not even started yet, but newly hired DeSoto Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Kathy Augustine is already in the hot seat. view full article