Charges were filed Thursday against a Philadelphia principal and four Philadelphia teachers for allegedly encouraging students to cheat on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) test. 

Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane announced the charges. The principal of Cayuga Elementary School and four teachers at the school allegedly perpetuated the cheating over a five-year period, according to Your Erie. 

"Cheating robs children of a good education and hurts kids and families," Attorney General Kane said.

"The alleged misconduct by these educators is an affront to the public's trust and will not be tolerated," she added. 

Agents and prosecutors from the Office of Attorney General's Criminal Prosecutions Section presented evidence before a grand jury, which recommended that charges be filed against Principal Evelyn Cortez of Montgomery County; Jennifer Hughes of Montgomery County; Lorraine Vicente of Philadelphia; Rita Wyszynski of Philadelphia; and Ary Sloane of Philadelphia. 

The educators were charged with changing student answers, providing test answers to students and reviewing PSSA test questions prior to giving the test. 

According to the grand jury, the cheating stopped in 2012. After the cheating stopped, the percentage of students who scored advanced or proficient scores on the test dropped dramatically across all grades. 

Evidence proved that Principal Cortez promoted PSSA cheating during testing. 

According to the jury, students were told to write test answers on scrap paper instead of test booklets so teachers could check their work. Also, during testing, Cortez allegedly entered classrooms, looked over students' shoulders and tapped their booklets to indicate if they needed to change their answers. 

One witness said that Cortez suggested to her that she place her fingers by the correct test answers so she could signal to her which one was correct. 

The jury also alleged that Cortez publicly admonished teachers who did not encourage PSSA cheating, as well as students who did not want to change their answers if they were answered incorrectly. 

According to the jury, teachers were also encouraged to take the PSSA test home with them to familiarize themselves with the test before proctoring it. 

Cortez, Vicente and Hughes are each charged with one count of corrupt organizations; perjury; tampering with public records; forgery; and criminal conspiracy, all of which are felonies. 

Wyszynski and Sloane are each charged with one count of tampering with public records or information, forgery and criminal conspiracy. 

The case was brought to the Attorney General by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. 

The case will be prosecuted in Philadelphia by Senior Deputy Attorney General James Goldsmith of the Criminal Prosecutions Section. 

The attorney general's office is also engaging in a widespread investigation into other instances of cheating in the Philadelphia School District.