New Jersey has refused to invalidate the rigged 2005 scores at H.B. Wilson and U.S. Wiggins Schools, which could have helped with eligibility for tutoring reserved for failing schools. State officials have said federal regulations have kept them from providing tutoring to the affected students.

During the 2004-05 school year, 97 percent of Wiggins' fourth graders achieved proficiency in language arts, and 98 percent were proficient in math.

The next year, as fifth graders, those same students achieved 56 percent proficient in language arts, and 62 percent proficient in math.

Spellings, in an interview, said she was not aware of the Camden cheating scandal or that the state had determined the 2005 scores stemmed from "adult interference." When told, she said she would take action.

"Let me go investigate that - I'm not familiar with that," she said. "I'll find out the specifics of where the waiver request is."

"We ought to take a tough stance toward that - cheating shouldn't be tolerated. We shouldn't tolerate it from kids, and we shouldn't tolerate it from grown-ups," she said.

Still, Spellings stood by the department's earlier position that it's up to states to look for cheating if they so choose.

"On the whole and in the main it is the rare exception. Educators are honorable people, and I don't see much of that," Spellings said.