Academic Integrity

DHS Academic Integrity Policy

DHS Honor Code

All students and teachers are expected to abide by the Decatur High School Honor Code below.

When we engage in scholarly activities, we strive to demonstrate our understanding and skills, to generate new ideas and explanations, and to build on the work of others.  To act honorably, we pledge to be honest with our fellow students and our teachers about the sources of the ideas and explanations in the work we submit. We pledge to credit sources properly, give or receive assistance only when appropriate, and, above all, complete all work with integrity in accordance with the spirit and intent of the assignment. We recognize that ignorance is no defense for dishonest behavior. We pledge to familiarize ourselves with the Decatur High School Honor Code and to inquire about the code when we are uncertain. We believe that when we violate the Decatur High School Honor Code we should be held accountable to the penalties established therein.

In support of students’ development as principled learners, Advisement and 9th grade Language and Literature classes will include explicit lessons on academic honesty and the Honor Code.   See below for a sample Advisement lesson.

Additional instruction, especially related to acknowledging and citing the work of others, will be an important component of all research-related learning experiences.  All teachers will clearly communicate how a student might unintentionally violate the Honor Code on summative assessments.  

Research indicates people are less likely to engage in dishonest behavior if they assert their intention to be honest before they complete a task.

One of the following statements will appear on every summative assessment given to students:

“On my honor, I will not cheat or plagiarize this work. I will not allow others to use my work to cheat or plagiarize.” ______________________________________ (student signature)

OR

“On my honor, I have not cheated or plagiarized this work. I have not allowed others to use my work to cheat or plagiarize.” ______________________________________ (student signature)

Consequences of Academic Misconduct

If a student commits an academic integrity infraction, the teacher should:

1. Talk to student.

2. Contact parent and document in PLP.

3. Initiate appropriate make-up work.

4. Complete behavior referral in Swis.  

Academic Misconduct Includes

Please see the Academic Integrity Policy for a complete list:

• plagiarism—the representation, intentionally or unwittingly, of the ideas, words or work of another person without proper, clear and explicit acknowledgment that includes, at a minimum, the name of the author, date of publication, title of source, and page numbers, as applicable. 

• collusion—supporting academic misconduct by another student, as in allowing one’s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another 

• duplication of work—the presentation of the same work for different assessment components 

• any other behavior that gives an unfair advantage to a student or that affects the results of another student (falsifying data, misconduct during an examination, creating spurious reflections).

(From Principles Into Practice, 2020)

Cell Phones 

Any use or display of a cell phone or other unapproved electronic device (tablet, unauthorized calculator, etc) by a student during a test will be considered cheating and result in a referral, regardless of evidence found on the phone.

Teachers must offer students the opportunity to store their phones during all major in-class assessments and warn them that any sighting of a cell phone will be treated as an academic honesty violation.   

Penalties for Academic Dishonesty

Any act of cheating will be handled with a behavior referral and will be subject to behavior consequences and a notation on a student’s permanent record.  When a student cheats, the student should still be assessed against the standards via an alternate assessment.  A student who is found guilty of this behavior should be given a reasonable, but firm, timeline to submit a new out-of-class assessment.  Alternate assessments should be of equivalent difficulty and assess the same standards as the original assessment.  Alternate formats are allowed as long as they meet these requirements.  The grade book should show the lowest possible grade for the affected assignment until the alternate assessment is graded.  Make-up assessments may be capped at the discretion of the teacher and an administrator. Students who repeatedly violate the academic honesty policy may forfeit opportunities for make-up assessments.

City Schools of Decatur Student Code of Conduct
Academic Dishonesty

8BA: Academic Dishonesty - Assignments - Plagiarizing, cheating, receiving, or providing unauthorized assistance on assignments, including but not limited to class projects, formative assessments, and homework; copying or "borrowing" from AI or another source and submitting it as one's own work; seeking or accepting unauthorized assistance on tests, projects or other assignments; fabricating data or resources; providing or receiving test questions in advance without permission; or working collaboratively with other students when individual work is expected.

8BB: Academic Dishonesty - Local Assessments - Plagiarizing, cheating, or receiving or providing unauthorized assistance on major classroom summative assessments or tests.

8BC: Academic Dishonesty - National Assessments Cheating on College Board, IB, State, or other statewide or district assessments