Denver Public Schools has asked the state to look into a credit-recovery program at North High School after the district’s investigation turned up “areas of concern.”
DPS spokesman Michael Vaughn said the internal investigation, prompted by an investigative story by the newspaper Westword, revealed problems with record-keeping and transcripts.
The letter requesting the investigation was sent to the state Department of Education on June 8. A spokeswoman for the department was unable to confirm Wednesday whether an investigation has begun.
The credit-recovery program at North was started in 2006.
The program allows students who have failed a required course to retake the class in an alternative format, using a mix of online tests and oversight by a designated teacher.
To pass a credit-recovery course, students are required to have a grade of at least 80 percent.
The “investigation has determined at a minimum that there were serious deficiencies in following procedures and keeping records during the 2009-10 school year,” the DPS assistant superintendent for post-secondary readiness wrote in an editorial for Ed News Colorado.
Vaughn said the district believes the irregularities are isolated to North High School.
He said no other information can be revealed at this point.
Ed Salem, who was principal at North High for the past three years, was named principal of Lincoln High School this year. In early May, he instead turned down the position and resigned, citing personal issues.
