Joseph C. Briscoe Investigative Report - Redacted

MEMO
To: Jeremy Grant-Skinner, Chief Human Capital Officer

Jerome Jones; Director, Labor Relations & Negotiations
Mary Ellen Quinn Johnson; Manager, Labor Relations
From: Donna Hawkins, Manager, Staff Investigations

Date: February 10, 2021
Re:
Attached is the investigative report referencing allegations against . The

allegations were made in an anonymous complaint and alleged that allowed
possible improper grade changes at Joseph C. Briscoe Academy during the 2018-2019
school year.
As a result, a thorough investigation was conducted that included interviews with staff.
The evidence does not support that allowed improper grade changes at Joseph
C. Briscoe Academy during the 2018-2019 school year.
The allegation of misconduct is unsubstantiated.
Review by:
Jane Ehrenfeld
__________________________
Jane Ehrenfeld
Director, Fair Practices and Compliance
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
INVESTIGATOR’S REPORT
Name: Anonymous (Complainant) Case # 345-9/19

(Accused)
Position: Anonymous Allegation: Misconduct
Investigator: Donna Hawkins School: Joseph C. Briscoe Academy
Initiated by: Anonymous Date Initiated: 11/23/19
ALLEGATIONS:
There has been possible improper grade changing at Joseph C. Briscoe Academy # 345
(“Joseph C. Briscoe”), a separate public day school for students with disabilities.
BACKGROUND:
has been a Baltimore City Public Schools (“City Schools”) employee

since August 1998 and was assigned to Joseph C. Briscoe from August 20, 2016-October
10, 2020 as She is currently assigned to Augusta Fells Savage High School
(“Augusta Fells”) as Fox 45’s Project Baltimore aired a news story regarding a
clip of an audio recording from an unknown source. Two female voices and a male voice
were heard on the recording discussing a student’s grades at Joseph C. Briscoe related to
the 2018-2019 school year. In September 2019, an anonymous complainant alleged
possible improper grade changing.
WITNESSES:
The following individuals were interviewed during the investigative process.

Teacher
IT Support Systems Teacher
Teacher Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
DISCUSSION:
• A report from the Office of Achievement and Accountability (“OAA”) revealed

four grade changes from failing to passing were made by two teachers at Joseph
C. Briscoe during the 2018-2019 school year.
• The changes impacted four seniors.
Page 1 of 5
- Teacher
• was interviewed on November 6, 2019. She has been a City Schools

employee since August 2015 and has been assigned to Joseph C. Briscoe since 2017
as teacher.
• A review of OAA data sheets indicated that Students and had grades
changed from failing to passing. explained that she returned from medical
leave at the end of the second quarter during the 2018-2019 school year, Student
’s second quarter final grade had been entered incorrectly, and once a correction
was made, his grade increased from a 50 [F] to 60 [D].
• Student had a grade change of 55 to 60 during the third quarter.
recalled that as the result of Student submitting make up work after Infinite
Campus locked in grades, she completed a grade change form and submitted the form
to .
• provided two grade change forms for this investigator to review that
reflected the changes. The forms substantiated claims. said
that did not ask for work, so she did not give him any. She said that at the
end of each school year, if students did not take their work, she got rid of it as she
cleaned out her classroom.
• reported that she was never told to change students’ grades from failing to
passing, and she would not pass students when students did not earn passing grades.
- Teacher
• was interviewed on November 5, 2019. He has been a City Schools

employee since 2018. He is in his second year at Joseph C. Briscoe as a teacher.
expressed that he has never been told to change grades for any students.
• A review of the OAA data report did not reveal that any of students had
grades changed from failing to passing. During the second quarter, one student,
had an increase from 90 [A-] to 95 [A]. said that Student was a good
student and he earned the grade that he was given.
- Teacher
• was interviewed on January 29, 2020. She has been a City

Schools employee since 2007 and has been assigned to Joseph C. Briscoe since 2017
as a Special Education teacher for grades 9 through 12.
• A review of the OAA report indicated that one student assigned to
had grades changed from failing to passing on three occasions during the 2018-2019
school year.
• During quarter one of the 2018-2019 school year, Student ’s grade was changed
from F to A. said that Student had family problems at the
beginning of the 2018-2019 school year and missed a lot of time.
said that Student was an excellent student and was able to improve attendance
and made up all missed assignments. As a result, Student ’s grades improved.
Page 2 of 5
During quarter four, Student ’s grade was changed from failing to passing on two
occasions. said that she entered grades in Infinite Campus that
Student earned.
• recalled mention by the school administration of the process for
grade changes at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year and that staff were told
about deadlines. The conversation revolved around staff responsibility to make sure
that grades were entered in Infinite Campus by deadline. said that
never told staff to change grades for students to passing.
only talked about meeting deadlines.
- Teacher
• was interviewed on October 24, 2019. He has been a City Schools

employee since August 2018. He has been assigned to Joseph C. Briscoe since 2018
as teacher.
• expressed that he has never had to change any of his grades, nor have his
grades been questioned.
• reported that he has not heard any discussions about teachers or anyone
being told to change grades.
- Teacher

employee since August 2018. She has been assigned to Joseph C. Briscoe since 2018
as teacher.
• Student was a Life Skills student on the certificate track and was in a work study
program during the 2018-2019 school year.
• According to the OAA report, two grade changes were made to Student ’s
records on May 20, 2019. One change was made by , and one was made
by .
• reported that she has never heard any conversations around Joseph C.
Briscoe about teachers being told to change failing grades to passing grades. She
reported that did talk with staff at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school
year about the requirements, such as what forms needed to be completed and the
protocol for grade changes.
- Teacher

employee since May 2007. She has been assigned to Joseph C. Briscoe as
teacher since 2017.
• does not recall a discussion with and staff about grade
changes. She has never heard any conversations around Joseph C. Briscoe about
teachers being told to change grades from failing to passing nor has she ever been
told to change failing grades to passing grades.
Page 3 of 5
• was interviewed on December 7, 2019. He has been a City Schools

employee since August 2002. He has been assigned to Joseph C. Briscoe as an
since 2016.
• has various duties. He ensures that grades are entered in Infinite Campus.
He is responsible for data cleansing, reviewing letter grades and percentage
mismatch, and reviewing missing grade reports. Once he completes reviews,
goes back to teachers (if there are discrepancies) to ensure that correct
percentage and letter grade percentages are entered.
• explained that when the grading window closes, teachers are not allowed
to enter grades. Teachers must submit grades to , and he enters grades into
Infinite Campus.
• said that he did receive two grade change forms from for
Students Student ’s grade was put into Infinite Campus before the grade
input window closed on 5/20/19 for seniors. didnot recall inputting any
grades into Infinite Campus for Student
• reported that he has never been told by to change grades
from failing to passing. He is not aware of any staff at Joseph C Briscoe being told to
change grades.
- Information and Technology (Grading and Scheduling)
• has been a City Schools employee since 2005. She has been the
of IT Support Systems related to grading and scheduling since 2005.
• said that all historical grade change forms comes to her team to review
and enter data into Infinite Campus.1 She advised that the instruction given to schools
was that if a grade is changed during the school year, the grade reporter can make the
change. If the grade reporter makes the change, the grade change form is kept in-
house. If the teacher makes the change, no grade change form is necessary.
• reported that 80 students were enrolled at Joseph C. Briscoe

Academy during the 2018-2019 school year. Six students graduated at the end of the
2018-2019 school year. Five were on diploma track and one was on certificate track.
• reported that her office is responsible for guidance to teachers
regarding grade changing. She said that training took place at the beginning of the
2018-2019 school year. Emails were sent to teachers regarding deadlines, comments,
etc.
• said that she is not the primary contact for teachers regarding grade
changes. She said that she signs off on the grade change form, once documentation is
1
Historical refers to prior school year.
Page 4 of 5
submitted justifying the grade change. expressed that grade change

forms are used only after window for changing grades has closed.
• denied that she ever told any staff to change grades unjustifiably or
otherwise.
FINDINGS:
Based on interviews of staff and review of documents, including the OAA data sheet, the
evidence is unsubstantiated that allowed improper grade changes at
Joseph C. Briscoe during the 2018-2019 school year. The data is inconclusive as to
whether there were improper grade changes by other staff at Joseph C. Briscoe during the
2018-2019 school year.
A review of the OAA data sheet revealed data for six students enrolled at Joseph C
Briscoe. Five of the six were on the diploma track, and one student was on the certificate
track. Four students, Students , , and , had grades changed from failing
to passing. Two of the teachers, whose changes accounted for five of the changes, said
that they gave students the grades that they earned. In both cases, students made up work
and/or submitted missing assignments.2 One teacher ( ) was required to
submit grade change forms for grades that were submitted after the submission deadline,
and grade change forms were submitted. All other teachers submitted grade changes
before the submission deadline.
expressed that teachers are tasked with being familiar with students’
abilities and are required to make every effort to ensure student success. said
that when teachers submit grade changes by the deadline, teachers have the authority to
change grades without completing grade change forms.
In the case of Student , who was on the certificate track, the OAA spread sheet
showed that grade changes were made minutes apart on the same day (5/20/20) by the
teacher of record and by . According to , students with
disabilities are placed on the certificate track based on their Individualized Education
Program (“IEP”), consistent with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(“IDEA”) and do not receive credit towards graduation requirements. Students who are
on certificate track can participate in graduation activities if they have completed four
years of school. According to , Student completed four years of
school.
The allegation that allowed improper grade changes during the 2018-2019
school year is unsubstantiated.
2
The policy regarding the retention of assignments and missing work was adopted at the
end of the 2018-2019 school year.
Page 5 of 5

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MEMO

To: Jeremy Grant-Skinner, Chief Human Capital Officer

From: Donna Hawkins, Manager, Staff Investigations

Attached is the investigative report referencing allegations against . The

The allegation of misconduct is unsubstantiated.

Name: Anonymous (Complainant) Case # 345-9/19

Investigator: Donna Hawkins School: Joseph C. Briscoe Academy

Initiated by: Anonymous Date Initiated: 11/23/19

has been a Baltimore City Public Schools (“City Schools”) employee

The following individuals were interviewed during the investigative process.

• A report from the Office of Achievement and Accountability (“OAA”) revealed

• was interviewed on November 6, 2019. She has been a City Schools

• was interviewed on November 5, 2019. He has been a City Schools

• was interviewed on January 29, 2020. She has been a City

• was interviewed on October 24, 2019. He has been a City Schools

• was interviewed on November 1, 2019. She has been a City Schools

• was interviewed on November 1, 2019. She has been a City Schools

• was interviewed on December 7, 2019. He has been a City Schools

- Information and Technology (Grading and Scheduling)

• reported that 80 students were enrolled at Joseph C. Briscoe

submitted justifying the grade change. expressed that grade change

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