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Article by Olivia Lupia, Tennessee Conservative News –
Another former educator in the Metro Nashville Public School (MNPS) system has brought allegations of grade manipulation against the district, prompting the state Department of Education’s civil rights division to launch an investigation into potential academic dishonesty at Stratford High School.
Former counselor Constance Wade, a reportedly award-winning educator who retired after 24 years with the district, said she has been working for years to expose grade manipulation at the school. Wade is now the third former teacher within MNPS to come forward publicly with such allegations, following two others who say they were pressured by the district to change failing student grades.
“I am surprised that it has continued for so long without someone really holding the district accountable for these practices,” Wade said. “It has just become a diploma mill. I’m very disappointed in the district. I am angry.”
Wade’s chief complaint centers on the practice of “credit recovery”, concerns about which she described in a 2022 letter to MNPS Superintendent Adrienne Battle.
In essence, credit recovery allows students to take a one-time “test for credit” if they are failing or set to fail a class. The test has 50 multiple-choice questions, and a score of 60 earns a D and passing grade.
But Wade pointed out that the system appeared to suffer significant abuse as the district enabled students to cram an entire year’s worth of classes into just a few days so they would not be counted as failing.
“I had students that recovered 10- 12 classes in 2-3 days. I realize it is important for students to make up failed classes, so they are on track to graduate. However, I am concerned that summer credit recovery has compromised academic success and rigor they should be experiencing when they sit for a class. They are also not as prepared for college and career because they are not using problem-solving and critical thinking skills when they recover a year’s worth of classes in less than a week,” the letter read.
She noted that students became unwilling to work in classes because they knew they could simply make up the failed classes over a few days in summer school. “The students are not motivated to attend classes or do schoolwork because the unintentional consequence of summer credit recovery has provided an incentive for them to fail the entire school year and recover credits via Edgenuity in the summer. I had students recover 4 failed courses in one day during summer school,” Wade wrote.
Having kept some test results as evidence, Wade provided one example to the board of education where a student took the test for credit for two math classes, spending just 10 minutes on the first test and 8 minutes on the second and passing with score of 64.
“So in 18 minutes, the student was able to read 100 multiple choice algebra one questions and pass. So that was very concerning to me,” Wade said.
Additionally, Wade claimed students were “Googling the answers,” and said she watched teachers review a student’s test before they submitted it, allowing them to go back and correct wrong answers.
In her conclusion, Wade asked if the district might explore limiting the number of courses a student can recover to three or four so students understand “that we have high expectations for them and want them to not just receive a high school diploma, but an education so they are prepared for college and careers.”
She also stated that she had wanted to write the letter earlier, but was “advised not to do so”, conveying concern about how it might be received by district officials. “I am willing to deal with the consequences of expressing an opinion that may not align with MNPS,” she declared.
Wade formally filed a complaint with the Tennessee Department of Education (DOE), on May 22, 2026. In a response letter dated July 2, 2026, the DOE’s Civil Rights Office said the division will investigate what, if any, actions Stratford High School or MNPS took “to create and maintain a false narrative of academic success which disproportionately affected students of color” from 2022 to the end of the last school year.
MNPS issued a statement to local media when asked for an interview, saying the district is cooperating with the state’s investigation. The statement also discusses a grievance Wade filed against Stratford’s former principal where she reportedly documented several instances where students received credit for courses they did not take, though the district said its internal investigation did not substantiate those claims.
“MNPS has reviewed the numerous allegations raised by this former employee over the years through the appropriate investigative channels. Regardless of how sensational an allegation may be presented, it is not, by itself, a finding of fact…MNPS is continuing to cooperate with the Tennessee Department of Education’s civil rights division and support its investigation into these allegations. We follow established district requirements for credit recovery that require students to demonstrate mastery of course content before earning credit.
Separately, concerns involving former principal Michael Steele and the administration of Edgenuity courses were investigated and reviewed at the time. That matter was publicly reported in 2019, and the findings resulted in Dr. Steele receiving a three-day suspension, along with a support plan, in accordance with district policies and procedures governing employee discipline,” the statement reads.
The state did not say when the investigation will be complete or when it will release its findings, but local outlet WSMV 4 has pledged to continue to follow the story and report on any new developments.
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About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
