Social pressure, fear of failure, test-taking anxiety, poor study habits, the desire to help friends, athletic eligibility, and college transcripts—just a few of the many reasons why students feel tempted to cheat… 

As educators, we can almost expect our students will struggle with it at some point. For this reason, educators can proactively implement strategies that build trusting relationships with students, instill the value of honesty, and help students overcome the temptation to cheat.

• Discuss academic honesty — A simple conversation with students about the consequences of academic dishonesty and the lasting value of cultivating honesty can help prevent most from attempting it.
• Reduce the temptation — Allow students ample time to prepare and space seating out during assessments. Be open with the class and offer to meet one-on-one to help support students who feel tempted to cheat. 
• Provide data-driven interventions — Identify struggling students and content areas that lack proficiency by implementing assessments throughout instruction. Then, support those students with interventions like structured reviews of concepts and guided practice of good study habits. 
• Enforce responsible digital usage — Before assessments, have students check in all electronic devices (phones, smartwatches, etc) and clear their calculators’ memory. 
• Create multiple versions of assessments — Create a few slight variations of assessments, making it more challenging for students to copy answers from students sitting near them or in other class periods.
• Offer opportunities to relearn material — Allow students to review and reassess material for partial credit after the test. Students who struggle with test anxiety may not feel the need to cheat if they know they have another chance at mastery.
• Celebrate resilience — Cultivate a learning environment where students know it is okay to struggle. Recognize students when they exhibit perseverance, resilience, and determination instead of emphasizing grades.

Tyler Harms, a teacher consultant at All Belong Center for Inclusive Education, has taught special education in public school classrooms for over 12 years. He is a dedicated advocate for teachers, students, and their families.