Petrilli Cleared of Testing Improprieties

Petrilli Testing Allegations Not Confirmed

Case Dismissed by KDE for Lack of Evidence

When Peggy Petrilli appeals her case against the Fayette County Public Schools for wrongful dismissal, she will have a letter from Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday to support her claim.

In his February 1st letter, the commissioner reviewed the district's claim of numerous testing improprieties and reported that the Testing Board of Review found that there was "not enough evidence" to sustain a violation of administrative regulations and the case was dismissed. The commissioner concurred.

Updated: According to KDE spokeswoman Lisa Gross, the Testing Review Board is a five-member group of KDE staff appointed by the commissioner and representing a cross-section of KDE offices and divisions. The process called for the Board to meet and hear a presentation of the allegations from the Testing Allegations Coordinator. The group reviewed documentation and other pertinent evidence as it saw fit. As the investigation proceeded the Testing Allegations Coordinator asked Fayette County for additional information. Petrilli was provided an opportunity to present information, but she declined and was not involved in the process.

So, the Board received the FCPS report written by Board Attorney Brenda Allen, asked for more information from FCPS, received it, and still found in favor of Petrilli, without her participation.

Asked if the dismissal of charges for lack of evidence lent support to Petrilli's argument - that the charges were trumped up to begin with - Gross declined to speculate. "It would be inappropriate for me to speculate on the veracity of the charges," she said.

Updated: In May 2008, the Fayette County Public Schools alleged testing violations against Petrilli in a report, 8-months in the making, that claimed:

• When Petrilli first arrived at the Booker T Washington Academy in September 2005, she moved 19 third-graders to second grade without consulting teachers or reviewing past grades, as required by law. The decision was based on how they performed in a series of tests conducted at the beginning of the school year.
• Petrilli misreported the number of students who were not academically promoted, which inflated test scores. In the 2005-06 school year, 62 students were demoted from third to second grade. But Petrilli only reported 43 demotions to the school district...among other things.

By July, the information in the report became evidence during the trial. Petrilli's attorney J Dale Golden objected asking, "Are they truly investigating the complaint? Or do they have an ulterior motive?"

Today, Golden told KSN&C, "The timing of their defense was key. Accusations have much less sting after they are determined to be false."

Golden said, "Appeal brief will be filed Thursday."

KSN&C Backstory:

While there was much we could not discuss on the record, there was no lack of confidence displayed by Petrilli in a conversation with KSN&C this morning.

Give me the lowest performing school in the state, and two years
- and I guarantee you I can turn it around.
--Peggy Petrilli

Look for updates to this story as I have requested comments from other parties.