The sentence against the 11 Atlanta-based educators was strong and swift: up to 20 years in prison. Jail time – effective immediately. The former educators in bow ties and pink blazers were led away in handcuffs. In 2013, the group of Atlanta educators was accused of systematically changing the answers to students’ state standardized testing scores, boosting the ranking of the school district and earning ill-gotten bonuses. Judge Jerry Baxter said, “They have made their bed and they’re going to have to lie in it, and it starts today.” But the pressure on teachers and administrators is only growing, as Common Core ties 40% of a teacher’s evaluation to student performance. Too many years of bad testing can push teachers out of their positions. The government is making the tough job of teaching near impossible, and the more unscrupulous teachers will find ways to cheat the system, not to collect bonuses, but to keep their jobs. More…