A fellow employee turned Pittman in before the erroneous data could be sent to the state, Little said. “We got it all corrected before it was reported to the state. There wasn’t any damage,” she said.
The Ohio Department of Education can’t discuss the probe until after it concludes, but spokesman Scott Blake said district officials have access to test scores used to compile the report card.
“When that data is submitted the superintendent affirms the data is correct,” Blake said, adding administrators could lose certification if caught falsifying data.
Board members put Pittman on paid leave July 10 after suspicions were raised a few days before, said Dave Scarberry, superintendent. He resigned July 22 after 21/2 years with the district with no past performance issues recorded in his personnel file.
Pittman did not return calls for comment.
“We want the community to know we are preceding every way we can to rectify the situation,” Scarberry said.
A criminal investigation also is underway. A complaint alleging grand theft of district property was filed with Fairborn police Thursday, said Sgt. Matt Ricketts.
The Fairborn school board had given district employees extra incentive to improve test scores on state report cards due out later this month. Employees across the district, with the exception of administrators like Pittman, would receive a $500 bonus if the district met 22 of the state indicators. The district met 13 of 30 indicators last year and earned an effective rating.
Pittman’s alleged fraud would not have gotten the district to its goal, Little said.
“He didn’t get them up that far,” she said. “There was no undue pressure on him. We thought he was really upstanding.”
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