Local News in Brief : Law Firm May Head Probe of Cheating

Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Leonard Britton on Oct. 17 will formally recommend to the Board of the Education that the law firm of Barbosa & Vera be chosen to head an investigation into test-score tampering on a state standardized exam.

School district special counsel Richard K. Mason said Monday that the superintendent and district staff chose the Monterey Park firm from among about six law firms or individuals considered for the job.

Calling the firm “superbly qualified” to conduct the inquiry into who changed test answers on the California Assessment Program tests of academic skills given in 1985, 1986 and 1987, Mason said Ronald Vera, a partner in the law firm, represented students in Jaime Escalante’s advanced placement calculus class at Garfield High School several years ago when the Educational Testing Service challenged their passing scores on the advanced placement calculus exam. The Garfield students took the test again and passed.

Henry Barbosa has extensive experience in criminal investigations, Mason said. He added that Britton and the district staff decided that the investigation should be conducted by attorneys because of concerns about due process for district employees who will be questioned about their knowledge of the test tampering.