Photo IDs Are Now Required for Taking the SAT; NYC Students Paid $3,500 for Others to Take SAT

The Washington Post website reports that students taking college entrance exams this fall will have to submit photo IDs with their applications -- a key security upgrade -- as a result of a widespread cheating scandal at a number of high schools on Long Island, a prosecutor and testing officials announced today (March 27, 2012).

The security change is one of a number of initiatives following the arrest of 20 current or former high school students accused in the cheating scheme.

Kathleen Rice -- Nassau County District Attorney -- said some of the students were paid as much as $3,500 to stand in for other students taking the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test), a key barometer for most American colleges in determining student admissions.

Rice added that some 50 students were likely involved in the scheme, but she only had enough evidence to arrest 20. The cases against the 20 students are still pending.