Montgomery County's interim superintendent recommends that no disciplinary action be taken against the former principal at Eastern Montgomery High School, according to an internal investigation into Standards of Learning irregularities at the school between 2006 and 2008.

The school system released Walt Shannon's report this morning.

A Virginia Department of Education report released in September found that the school's principal at the time -- Nelson Simpkins, who has since been promoted to the school system's director of secondary education -- removed 24 students who teachers believed would not pass their SOL subject exams from 39 classes between 2006 and 2008.

Instead, Shannon's report says school board policies need to be revised and additional training for staff and administration should take place.

The county's report comes after Susan Willis, former principal at William Fleming High School in Roanoke, was fired for her role in testing irregularities at that school. Shannon has said the two situations are not similar.

In a written statement released at lunchtime, Simpkins labeled the SOL irregularities as a "misunderstanding" and said all decisions were made in the best interests of the 24 students and in line with school system guidelines.

"Our school community needed to learn through this independent report that there was no wrong doing and that students received the educational opportunities they deserved and which met their individual needs," he wrote in the statement. "The follow-up report to the School Board reinforces the
appropriateness of the decisions made by teachers and administrators at Eastern Montgomery High School. It clearly demonstrates their intentions were and continue to be, to meet the individual educational needs of their students."

He said the past months "have been a test of faith and patience for the Eastern Montgomery High School community, staff, and my family."