Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012

ATLANTA (AP) -- The head of the state's teacher licensing commission said he is frustrated by how long the Fulton County district attorney is taking to decide whether to file charges against educators accused in the Atlanta schools cheating scandal.

Kelly Henson, executive secretary of the Professional Standards Commission, told state lawmakers during a meeting Thursday that he is unable to move forward on sanctioning the teachers until the criminal probe is complete. It's been seven months since state investigators released a report detailing widespread cheating by 180 educators in nearly half of the district's 100 schools.

The district is spending about $600,000 each month paying salaries for those teachers, who are on leave.

A spokeswoman for District Attorney Paul Howard declined comment.

(Copyright 2012, The Associated Press)