Georgia's education chief says it defies logic to believe Beverly Hall didn't question what was going on in the Atlanta public schools.

As the state Board of Education meets for the first time since the latest CRCT cheating revelations, Dr. John Barge tells Channel 2 Action News, "I just truly don't think it would have been widespread--as widespread as it is--had it not been encouraged or supported through leadership."

Barge pronounces himself in a state of "disappointment, anger, shock."

And says Hall--who denies any knowledge of teachers cheating on their students' tests--certainly should have at least wondered what was behind some of the drastic improvements.

The state could still take away the "adequate yearly progress" from cheating schools, and force them to return bonus money.

That's under discussion now with the federal Department of Education.

We'll learn Thursday which schools earn "adequate" designations for the year.  But we know Atlanta won't be part of the list.