Houston Educators Charged in $1M Teacher Certification Cheating Scandal

The scheme, allegedly led by a high school coach, resulted in hundreds of fraudulent teacher certifications across Texas.

Five individuals, including three Houston Independent School District employees, are charged with running a teacher certification cheating ring.
The ring allegedly helped as many as 400 people fraudulently obtain Texas teaching licenses since 2020, generating around $1 million in profit.
The operation involved taking certification exams on behalf of aspiring teachers, with each paying approximately $2,500 for the service.
Investigations revealed that some falsely certified teachers were involved in criminal activities, including indecency with a child.
The Texas Education Agency is reviewing the situation, and HISD plans to terminate any teachers found to have participated in the scheme.