East St. Louis is almost entirely black.
Just a year ago, results on state tests for reading and math showed Herzog elementary school students outperforming their peers at other schools in the St. Louis district.
Those passing rates on tests plummeted this year, according to data made public this week by state education officials. The likely factor: a crackdown on cheating.
The school was one of at least three where administrators investigated cheating allegations in 2011. Following the inquiries, two employees at Herzog are no longer with the district.
Superintendent Kelvin Adams stepped up efforts to ensure the results were valid during testing in the spring, hiring an oversight coordinator for those schools, as well as placing a member of the district accountability staff at the schools each day during testing. It came at a time when the school district was under intense pressure to perform, and fighting for reaccreditation.