News 8 Investigates

Brett Shipp reports

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DALLAS — Officials in the Dallas Independent School District are about to put a full court press on student athletes with questionable grades.

District officials are set to release a report Thursday that calls for big changes in the monitoring of student grades.

It all comes in the wake of an ongoing News 8 investigation into alleged cheating surrounding the perennial state basketball champs, South Oak Cliff.

DISD hired a team of experts to do an analysis of the school district's grade monitoring of athletes. The findings were that DISD failed, and the assessment was it was due to "widespread confusion."

The analysis recommended the district hire a specialist to catch cheaters and make sure everyone else understands and follows the law.

When a News 8 Investigation uncovered evidence of improper grade changing last year, DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa stripped South Oak Cliff High School of its 2006 state basketball crown. Immediately afterwards, he called for an outside review of how athletes' grades are monitored and reported.

"As traumatic as that was to forfeit a state championship, we needed to look deeper," Hinojosa said.

DISD hired a firm from Kansas City to embark on a seven-month review into compliance with state eligibility rules at the district's 22 high schools. The deeper they looked, the worse it got.

Among several concerns, the firm discovered what it called an "inadequate understanding and regard for U.I.L. rules" and an "absence of coordination of eligibility decisions."

Hinojosa said the findings are not acceptable.

"Oh yes, we have to have some significant changes," he said.

Among the changes, DISD is prepared to hire an eligibility compliance officer, who ensures athletes are eligible to play. The district will also implement electronic grading, evaluation and monitoring systems to catch cheaters and create an electronic eligibility audit system to keep everyone honest.

"Well, it is what it is," Hinojosa said. "And we have to do what's right no matter whose feelings get hurt about it, but it's our responsibility. There's nothing more exciting than to win a state championship or district championship, but it's hollow if it's not done the right way."

Hinojosa did not stop there. Based on subsequent News 8 investigations, the superintendent has called for another outside review into South Oak Cliff's 2005 and 2007 state championship titles. That review is expected to be released in the coming weeks.

E-mail bshipp@wfaa.com