Computer hacked to change grades

Six students at Rancho Bernardo High School have been suspended on suspicion of hacking into the school’s computer to change their grades and peek at exams, a spokeswoman for the Poway Unified School District said Tuesday.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department says it will wait until the district finishes its own investigation to determine whether to conduct a criminal probe. A recommendation on punishment will be made to the school board.

The tests that were hacked did not include the Advanced Placement exams that can influence college admission, said spokesman Sharon Raffer. The computer system breach was discovered by a staff member.

The Poway district covers neighborhoods in Poway and the northeast corner of San Diego. Ninety-seven percent of its graduates attend college, according to district figures. Each student and his or her parents must sign the district’s “guidelines for academic honesty.” A first offense can result in getting a zero on the assignment and an “unsatisfactory” citizenship grade.