Authorities allege million-dollar teacher certification scheme in Houston

Five people have been arrested after organizing and conducting an illegal fake teacher certification scheme that made at least $1 million in Houston, local prosecutors said on Monday.

Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said that under the scheme, a teacher impersonator would take the certification exam and put the real potential educator’s name on the test, with a corrupt test administrator allowing the cheating to occur.

Each of the five individuals, who either previously worked or currently work at Houston Independent School District (HISD), were charged with two counts each of engaging in organized criminal activity.

The basketball coach at Booker T. Washington High School was at the head of the operation, according to Ogg, and made around $1 million from it.

"The extent of this scheme will never be fully known, but we know that at least 400 tests were taken and at least 200 teachers falsely certified," Ogg said.

The investigation went back to May 2020, and officials say that at least two of the educators who were falsely certified were "sexual predators.”

"HISD was made aware of the investigation into an alleged cheating conspiracy shortly before arrests were made. Any educator who engages in conduct of this nature abdicates their responsibility to our students and to our staff and represents a complete betrayal of the public trust. HISD will cooperate fully with the Texas Education Agency and state and local law enforcement as the investigation progresses. All three of these employees have been arrested and will be receiving notifications relieving them of their duties effective immediately,” said Alexandra Elizondo, chief of public affairs and communication at the district.

“Additionally, if it is determined that any teachers currently working in HISD participated in this scheme or passed their certification exams fraudulently, we will take swift action to terminate their employment with the District,” she added.