WASHINGTON - A cheating scheme at a well-known D.C. charter school has cost teachers and an administrator their jobs and led to low performance results for dozens of students.

The Howard Road Academy, a public charter school, prides itself on high achievement, but that reputation just took a big hit after some students reportedly got a sneak peek of a test before they had to take it. According to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education's Web site, students who received the 'practice tests' or participated in learning activities using the tests had their scores invalidated.

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Sakari Scott often wondered why some of her classmates finished their Standardized tests so quickly. "I wonder sometimes because they finished really fast and it's like really hard," she said.

And when a little girl at the school finished her Standardized Achievement test too quickly in April, a teacher told her to go back and check her work. The girl replied that she took the test the day before and already knew all the answers.

The principal at Howard Road declined to discuss the firing of two teachers and an administrator. "At this time, I have to tell you that we have no comment. I have no comment on that," said the principal.

Meanwhile, D.C. School officials say cheating will not be tolerated. "The principal, the teachers involved in this situation did the right thing, followed our guidelines and took action," said Kerri Briggs, D.C. State superintendent of education.

While the school notified education officials of the incident many parents at the school seemed unaware of the incident.

A posting on the D.C. state superintendent of education's Web site details the fall-out: three people have been fired, the school will lose $10,000 in grant money and some 27 fourth and six grade students' scores are invalidated, meaning they get scores of below basic performance.

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