A data-tampering scandal may cause the Ohio Department of Education to delay the release of the school report cards until September, reports the Columbus Dispatch.

The report cards are slated to be released Aug. 29. But State Board of Education President Debe Terhar has requested that the release of report cards be delayed until at least Sept. 10 when the state board meets again.

The concern is that the school report card data may not be accurate. The Dispatch reports that the state auditor is currently investigating whether some districts, including Columbus, have manipulated data to obtain a better score.

The allegations, which began in Columbus schools, are that school employees withdrew and then re-enrolled students so their test scores wouldn’t be included. Other school districts are suspected of the same practice.

The newspaper reports that acting State Superintendent Michael Sawyers will release a plan for the report cards at a special meeting today.

Patch will provide you more information on when report cards will be released as soon as we can.