Angered because they suspected classmates may have gotten an unfair break on the state-mandated achievement tests, two Fayette County eighth-graders cut short their lunch break to protest.

Their complaint earlier this week led Uniontown Area School District officials to discipline a teacher after learning that reading test answers may have been completed in advance for pupils in the teacher's class, Superintendent Charles Machesky said.

Machesky plans to meet Monday with state Department of Education officials to review the results of the district's investigation of possible cheating on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment reading test. The department then will decide if pupils must retake the test and if the state will take further action.

Machesky declined to identify the teacher or to elaborate on the discipline imposed after administrators investigated reports that answer forms for a multiple-choice portion of a reading test were filled out ahead of time for the teacher's pupils. After reviewing the test answer forms in question, Machesky said, "I believe something [inappropriate] occurred.''

The teacher, who was not in class yesterday, is one of three eighth-grade teachers at Lafayette School, a K-8 building in Uniontown.

Machesky declined to say if the district plans further action against the teacher, saying he could not discuss personnel issues.

PSSA tests were given in all state schools this week for students in grades 3, 5, 8 and 11. Uniontown wrapped up its tests Wednesday.

"I am personally taking the information to Harrisburg on Monday," Machesky said. "We have been taught that the integrity of this test is so important and we will take all steps to rectify the situation. This is an isolated incident, but we are apologetic to the state and to the community.''

The investigation began Wednesday afternoon after two eighth-graders asked to speak with administrators about a rumor they'd heard during their lunch break. They said they heard that other students in their grade had found answer circles already filled in when they received their test answer forms, Machesky said.

The pupils who spoke with administrators said they'd found the test to be difficult and that they resented hearing that others may have gotten an unfair break, the superintendent said.

"One kid was saying how hard [the test] was,'' Machesky said. " Another kid said, 'Whoa, mine was already colored in. It wasn't hard at all.' [Then] another student came up and said, 'What do you mean?'''

A pair of administrators immediately began to question the 25 to 30 pupils in the class. Some of them told administrators that the answer circles already had been colored in on their answer forms, Machesky said.

"The kids are the only source of first-hand information we have,'' he said.

Administrators also spoke with the teacher, but, "we haven't proven that the teacher gave them the answers,'' Machesky said. He would not say if all or just some of the tests were in question from that class.

"The first thing I did was to call Harrisburg,'' he said. "I wasn't going to sweep it under the carpet.''

Jack Hoerner, a test-security official with the Department of Education, asked that the district first conduct its own internal investigation, department spokeswoman Bethany Yenner said.

Hoerner will meet with Machesky Monday. Officials who oversee test security and professional discipline as well as legal advisers then will review the results of the district's investigation next week.

"If some sort of cheating is found, that test portion will be thrown out and the students will have to retake it,'' Yenner said. "We will also look into discipline issues.''

If improprieties are found, the department can order punishment ranging from a reprimand to the loss of a teaching license, Yenner said. She said she was not sure if the department has ever dealt with a similar situation, although she said some schools have started the tests before the state-mandated schedule.

Machesky said the district already plans to modify policy to require at least two instructors or administrators to monitor classrooms where tests are underway. This year, the pupils whose tests are under investigation were supervised only by their teacher.

While he said there is "no excuse'' for the apparent testing improprieties, Machesky said the allegations point out the intense pressure that PSSA tests generate for some teachers and pupils. The tests measure yearly progress, and schools and teachers face serious consequences if results are poor.

"What this says is that there are professionals whose reputations are on the line because they teach in the area [that's being tested]. The pressure is so intense that maybe some feel it's worth it to risk a teaching license for good [test] scores,'' he said. "But there's no excuse for it, and we're going to do everything to fix it.''