<p>I think the point is that some of the students must have realized each time they took a test that they had previously taken it at the tutoring center. If my understanding of that is correct, then yes, ideally at least one of them would have said something about it to someone. Similarly,the teacher might have noticed an odd pattern of success among the students who had already seen the test at the tutoring center, and figured out that future classroom tests needed to be reworked or something else done to make things more equal.</p>
<p>What I see as possible cheating is the fact that it was recurrent. After the first instance where it turned out the teacher used the practice tests as her classroom tests, and the tutoring center students realized what was happening, they needed to have reported it to both parties and see what could be done. That they let it continue this far into the year? That would seem to me to be their attempt to take advantage of the situation, and may be a violation of the school's student Honor Code. </p>
<p>I'm kind of surprised at least <em>one</em> of the students using the tutoring center didn't mention this situation to either party, if that's the case. Was there collusion on the part of the students to keep it quiet, or is it just an incredible coincidence?</p>
<p>Hi all.Thanks for responding, as I really am interested in both sides of this issue. Fortunately, my son was not part of the problem ( doesn't get tutored) but still managed to pull a solid A in the class, so I don't have a lot of energy in the argument.Yet, I think it's important.</p>
<p>The students have the materials that students are suppposed to have -textbook and lab book, and one with practice problems was optional, but I think everyone has it. What they don't have is the teacher's materials and test book made available only to teachers. I believe their science teacher, Ms.X, gives tests to the class based almost entirely on the test questions that the publisher provides, thinking that this will put her class on the same footing as others in the country that will be taking the ap test. The test questions are not available on the website, and are not supposed to be available unless you are a legitimate school. I'm sure she can "do" all the problems and that they relate closely to the material she covered in the class. </p>
<p>The tutoring center is not affiliated witht the school in any way. They are marketing heavily to parents in the community- even going so far in one brochure as to name our school in the literature that comes to our house, promising to help kids get through these tough courses. (they also obtained a copy of the address book and - used it without permission ,so some parent must have made that available to them). </p>
<p>Yes, they are obtaining the teacher's materials as they are registered as a school. I don't know what criteria are required to officially be a school, but they're a privately owned family company that students can come to for tutoring in SAT testing, SATIIs and APs. The students who go to this center were provided with access to the teacher's test materials before every unit test. This has been going on all year, and no student has spoken up before now. When the "new kid" came along, he noticed immediately after taking the test in class that he had seen the questions the day before in the tutoring center. He felt this was wrong, and spoke to his mom. The mom immediately called the teacher. The teacher was completely taken aback - saddened that her students would take such advantage, and considered it a breach of the honor code. (our school is big on the honor code, and kids are dismissed for cheating.) The students will not be punished, but have been warned. The administration talked to the tutoring center and asked them not to make the publishers tests for teachers available to our students any longer. Apparently there was enough doubt about whether this was cheating that the school felt it shouldn't punish the students. (not all admitted even going to the center, but most did, apparently.)</p>
<p>Personally, I think our hs acted appropriately under the circumstances - I also think this was cheating. The circumstances were questionable enough, I guess, that a case could be made that these kids were just taking advantage of opportunities their parents provided. My feeling is that all year long, the students knew that by going to this center, they would have the test questions in advance, and yet no one mentioned it to the teacher. This is dishonest.</p>
<p>The tests were taken from a testbook only available for teachers with the special school code. There is no way that other students could get these tests unless they went to this afterschool "school" - which is not a school, but a test prep center.</p>
<p>In response to Mattmom - the teacher didn't suspect because these kids are the ones who have done well all year. My son knows them, and apparently they go to this center for other classes as well, and for heavy SAT prepping. They are mostly A students.</p>
<p>Mootmom - I doubt that it was a coincidence, but I have no way of knowing.</p>
<p>Marite - I agree IF these had been readily available review books. All the kids have the review books. These were tests (not practice) that were intended for teacher use only by the publisher, and only available to registered schools.</p>
<p>"What I see as possible cheating is the fact that it was recurrent. After the first instance where it turned out the teacher used the practice tests as her classroom tests, and the tutoring center students realized what was happening, they needed to have reported it to both parties and see what could be done. That they let it continue this far into the year? That would seem to me to be their attempt to take advantage of the situation, and may be a violation of the school's student Honor Code. "</p>
<p>I can honestly say that I would have not said anything, because I don't see that as cheating. If they had the materials available to them, I don't see what is wrong with that. What if their parents would have purchased a book on Amazon that had practice tests in it to help their kids and the teacher magically happened to use tests out of that book? Does that mean the parent should throw the book in the trash?</p>
<p>"Marite - I agree IF these had been readily available review books. All the kids have the review books. These were tests (not practice) that were intended for teacher use only by the publisher, and only available to registered schools."</p>
<p>I'm confused. So, a parent gave these books to the tutoring center? For what?</p>
<p>Bluealien - These tests are written and made available to teachers only to be used in the classroom as actual tests by the college board. They are not available to students.
They are not on the website. Only schools can purchase (legally) these teacher materials.</p>
<p>A parent didn't give the prep center the test books. They ordered them themselve, as they somehow registered as a school. Some parent did make our hs's home addresses available to the center for the purpose of marketing.</p>
<p>Well then, did the Learning Center use underhand means to obtain the materials and boost their own success? Or they are misusing their 'school status' to obtain the books, in which case the Honor Code has been broken, and the Center should be reported.</p>
<p>I think that's possible. I don't know what is required to be considered a school either legally or by the college board. Does anyone here? That might be worth researching.</p>
<p>It goes without saying that the kids who are earning a B+ in the class, where the grading is on a curve, are a bit disillusioned.</p>
<p>A.S.A.P.-</p>
<p>I know that my son's calc book and all the supplement materials are available for purchase from the publisher. They are NOT the college board. The college board does produce its own review materials for its AP tests but the text book tests are generated by the publisher not the college board.</p>
<p>And I don't know if you have to be a school to purchase. Students that are homeschooled or are self-studying for the AP exams have access to these materials and they don't have a "school code".</p>
<p>Hope that helps.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>Kat, That's why I thought this was weird. Does this mean that no one can purchase this stuff online with a credit card? I would think that anyone would be able to buy this stuff somewhere.</p>
<p>This still confuses me, but I think when all of the dust clears my feeling will be that this may not qualify as a clear cut case of cheating, but it just doesn't pass the smell test. It appears to me that these kids/parents (or at least some of them) had the intent to pay for privilege of seeing their HS tests in advance, tests which were intended for use only by a qualified school. Not kosher. I wouldn't do it, and I would be ashamed of my S if he went along with something like this.</p>
<p>I'm still a bit confused, too. Previous AP questions are fairly readily available. Indeed, they serve as the basis of review books (same as 10RealSATs). AP-teachers regularly post inquiries about the availability of past exams in their subjects. When my S was preparing for the AP-Calc exam, a kind retired AP teacher mentored him. The teacher sent him a CD containing all the past AB and BC exams he'd collected since the 1980s to use as practice.
So I don't know if the questions that were used here were part of a test bank quite different from the collections of past exams that are available either through purchase or individual collecting, or if they are the same. If they were part of a test bank that should go only to teachers, then the tutoring center and the students were guilty of an ethical breach by not reporting the issue earlier, even if such banks are obtainable by any entity that calls itself a school or indidivdual who calls himself or herself a teacher. </p>
<p>But it looks as if the school is not entirely clear about the nature and magnitude of the ethical transgression.</p>
<p>No, the test books for teachers (the one's used in the class) are not available online for parent purchase. I don't know about your Calc class, or if the books you're using as a homeshooler are the same ones availble to teachers. Perhaps as a homeschool you qualify. I do know that as a parent, I can't order the same tests online, or buy them in a store.</p>
<p>Marite;" If they were part of a test bank that should go only to teachers, then the tutoring center and the students were guilty of an ethical breach by not reporting the issue earlier, even if such banks are obtainable by any entity that calls itself a school or indidivdual who calls himself or herself a teacher."</p>
<p>Yes, this is the case.</p>
<p>Just to clarify, this wasn't about prepping for the actual AP test, it was for classroom tests given in their AP class? The kids had to have known after the first test what was going on. This is cheating to me and shame on the teacher for not coming up with her own tests.</p>
<p>A lot of times the teachers editions are available on amazon used books. Don't know if that's true in his case. Anyway, i think it's irrelevant. The breach of the honor code seems to be not using material available, but instead when after the first (and second, and third, etc.) test, not one student said, "You know, Ms. X, I go to this tutoring center and we practice on the same tests that you use. Did you know that? I just wanted to make sure you knew so that you could make up your own tests, if you wanted to." I really think it's cheating if the student doesn't speak up.</p>
<p>Exactly, jenskate1, I agree with your assessment completely.</p>
<p>I think the kids involved here have a an opportunity here to really examine the question of what is ethical behavior. The issue of whistle blowing. It seems that these kids were put in a questionable situation by the tutoring center--evidently the kids weren't looking for an opportunity to gain an unfair advantage in the class, but it was handed to them by adults. So what to do in such situations? It takes courage to question authority.</p>