Federal authorities, in an investigation of a scandal spanning three states and lasting 15 years, have accused a Clarence Mumford Sr. and a host of teachers in three states including Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee of cheating on teacher certifications. In exchange for payment ranging from $1500 to several thousand dollars, Mumford would arrange for a stand in to take the exam. In order for the ruse to work, Mumford created fake ID's and documents for the fill ins who were hand picked to resemble the teacher needing the certification.

 

Teacher certification is required for classroom teachers in addition to a bachelor's degree.  The teachers in scandal likely felt that although they had attained the degree their level of knowledge was not sufficient to pass the exam on their own.  Districts where the teachers are employed have been notified of the falsified credentials with outlooks pending further investigation. As certification becomes more and more critical, and even required, for some positions the pressure for a certain percentage of the takers to seek to falsify or cheat on the exams increases exponentially. Regardless of the format, this is fairly simple to achieve as the ring above, lasting for over 15 years from 1995 to 2010 demonstrates. This is why employee testing during the hiring process is so critical. Employee testing allows employers to check the current status of knowledge of their candidates and give those who have the knowledge, skills, and abilities a chance to demonstrate that in a controlled environment.