Atherton Elementary principal James Berry will serve probation and pay a fine
Former Atherton Elementary Principal James Berry
(AP) -- A former DeKalb County elementary school principal accused in a test cheating scandal has pleaded guilty to falsifying government documents.
DeKalb County District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming said Wednesday that Atherton Elementary principal James Berry will serve two years' probation and pay a $1,000 fine. He could have been sentenced up to a decade.
Berry's attorney, Jackie Patterson, said Berry is "thrilled" to have the case behind him. He said Berry plans to stay in education in Georgia and is looking for jobs. Berry resigned after admitting to changing students' answers on a standardized math exam in summer 2008.
His assistant principal, Doretha Alexander, also was charged criminally. Her case is still pending.
The state's teacher licensing commission banned Berry from Georgia public schools for two years. Alexander was banned for a year.
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