Cheating, Scandal | featured news

Thirty-five former school officials indicted in a major test cheating scandal have until Tuesday to surrender in the US state of Georgia. The accused in the city of Atlanta face counts of racketeering, making false statements and conspiring to improve test scores to win cash bonuses.

Students paid test-takers up to $3,600 to boost scores and their chances of getting into a top college, New York prosecutors said.

Atlanta's schools will flag suspicious test scores and achieve a culture of integrity in the wake of a cheating scandal that could lead to criminal charges, officials said Thursday.