Retired principal surrenders credentials in cheating scandal

Another former Philadelphia school principal has surrendered professional credentials in connection with a city cheating scandal.

Arthur "Larry" Melton, retired principal of Bok High School, gave up his teaching and administrative credentials over allegations that he "violated the integrity and security" of standardized state tests "over multiple years," according to the state Education Department.

Melton, 70, was the longtime principal of Bok, a career and technical high school in South Philadelphia that closed in 2013. He retired in 2012.

He could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Bok's scores dropped precipitously after the state put in place strict new test protocols designed to stamp out cheating. In 2012, just 25 percent of students were meeting state standards, down from a reported 71 percent in 2010.

The school is among 53 being investigated by the state and the district for possible cheating.

Last summer, the state briefly suspended the teaching credentials of Ronald Paulus, an English teacher at Bok during the years when cheating allegedly occurred. Paulus, who also served as the school's testing coordinator, agreed to the suspension to settle allegations that he failed to follow protocol in administering state tests.

The Inquirer first reported allegations of cheating in 2011, when teachers from Roosevelt Middle School in East Germantown said that school's remarkable score gains were achieved in part through cheating. Teachers from Cayuga School in Hunting Park also told the newspaper about alleged cheating at their school.

Also in 2011, the Public School Notebook unearthed a forensic analysis of 2009 state exams that revealed likely cheating in many city schools.

Melton and Paulus are among a handful of educators who have been disciplined by the state for their alleged involvement in testing improprieties.

Three principals have also been fired by the district.

And in the spring, state Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane charged five educators from Cayuga with tampering with public records, forgery, conspiracy, and other offenses - the first criminal charges in the cheating scandal. State and district officials say more charges and disciplinary actions are expected.

Altogether, 138 district educators have been implicated in the scandal, district officials said. The probe is ongoing.