Vincent Grayson, a head basketball coach with HISD, is being labeled as the mastermind of a teacher certification cheating ring that funneled unqualified educators into Texas classrooms, Harris County officials reported. Authorities say the scheme, in operation since May 2020, certified over 200 unqualified individuals, including two known sexual predators, through fraudulent means.
Five individuals are now facing serious charges: Grayson, Tywana Gilford Mason (a former director at Houston Training and Education Center), Nicholas Newton (assistant principal at Booker T. Washington High School), Darian Nikole Wilhite (proctor at TACTIX), and LaShonda Roberts (assistant principal at HISD’s Yates High School). They collectively face charges of organized criminal activity, money laundering—due to earnings over $300,000—and tampering with government records, according to Harris County’s Public Corruption Division.
Grayson, serving at Booker T. Washington High School for two decades, allegedly orchestrated the scheme by arranging for proxy test-takers and coordinating payments with Gilford Mason and Newton. Officials estimate Grayson earned over $1 million, while other involved parties profited significantly as well. Investigations show that candidates would pay approximately $2,500 for certification, with a portion going to individuals aiding the proxy setup.
HISD was alerted to the scheme shortly before the arrests, placing the involved employees on paid leave. According to HISD’s Alexandra Elizondo, the district finds the alleged actions unacceptable and counter to the values of education and teacher certification integrity.
Reports indicate that candidates traveled from across Texas, including from as far as Dallas, to partake in the scheme. Typically, these individuals had previously failed certification attempts, but with help from Grayson’s ring, they were able to pass effortlessly.
Investigations, initiated by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), revealed that candidates shared similar accounts of the certification process, sparking further examination. With a shortage of certified teachers in Texas, uncertified hires have become more common. Certification, however, allows teachers access to higher salaries and improved job prospects, making schemes like Grayson’s profitable.
A former coach, applying for a police position, was the whistleblower who brought this scheme to light. The TEA will handle the licensure aspect of this case, and investigations are ongoing.
