High-stakes accountability policies have brought about significant change in schools, but have also triggered instances of cheating and gaming at school and district levels. This undisguised case study involves the El Paso Independent School District, one of its high schools, and a popular principal accused of cheating. This context provides the foundation for a fictional scenario of a new principal attempting to reform a culture of cheating and gaming of high-stakes accountability policies. The case explores issues related to legal practices, ethics and morality, and instructional leadership practices that can be useful for principal preparation and educational policy courses.
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