Principal accused of forgery to be arraigned in March

A former Doniphan, Missouri, high school principal accused of forgery waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Ripley County Circuit Court.

Ronald W. McCutchen, 53, of Park Hills, Missouri, is charged with a single felony count. A complaint alleges he forged a former student's college placement test.

The case was bound over to the circuit court's Division I for trial. McCutchen will appeal before Judge Michael Pritchett for arraignment at 9 a.m. March 2.

The forgery charge stems from an investigation by Doniphan police alleging McCutchen took the COMPASS (Computer Adaptive Placement Assessment and Support System) test, similar to the ACT, for a former student in July.

Records show the student took the test in April, but a review of the testing website showed another test taken by the same student July 16.

The results of the later test were not entered into school records, but faxed to Three Rivers College. The student told police he received a message from McCutchen he had new scores.

The student was given a scholarship based on the new scores, but told police he felt guilty and did not return to Three Rivers.

According to the complaint, the student told police he asked McCutchen to take the July test.

During the investigation, a school employee told officers McCutchen spoke with her about a COMPASS test during the time in question. When she asked if he needed her to come in, he said he could take care of it, according to the complaint.

The employee told police she gave McCutchen her login information to the testing website. A review by the school's IT department and witness reports placed McCutchen at and logging into a high school library computer and the COMPASS website on the date when the second test was taken.

McCutchen was placed on paid administrative leave Oct. 1 at the onset of the investigation, which also raised allegations of inappropriate text messaging with a former student.

However, Ripley County prosecutors said Wednesday they will not seek any charges related to the alleged messaging because there is no evidence a crime was committed.

McCutchen has been with the district for six years, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

If convicted, he could face a maximum penalty of $5,000 in fines and seven years in prison.