The lawyer for Maria Pearson, a math teacher at Woodlands Middle School in the Greenburgh school district, said a state report clears his client of allegations she provided inappropriate assistance to students taking a state math exam.

Pearson, who has worked in the district for eight years, did not provide answers or help students with any answers on the March test, according to a report from the Southern Westchester Board of Cooperative Educational Services, which investigated the allegations.

“We take (the report) as a complete vindication of Ms. Pearson,” said Desmond Lyons, her attorney. “She did absolutely nothing wrong. Certainly there’s been damage to her reputation.”

However, Robert Monson, the BOCES district superintendent, reported that a second accused teacher, Merica Neufville, advised a group of students to double-check their answers on a particularly difficult question. That prompted many students to change their answers, Monson wrote in a report on May 28 to David Abrams, the state Education Department’s assistant commissioner for standards, assessment and reporting.

Monson’s report also indicates that Woodlands Middle Principal Michael Chambless failed to conduct a thorough investigation once the allegations came to light. The state began investigating after receiving an anonymous complaint alleging test-tampering in March.

The investigation won’t officially be completed until state education officials make a final determination. Tom Dunn, a spokesman for the education department, said officials are reviewing Monson’s report and that nothing has been decided.

Chambless referred questions to district administrators. Greenburgh Superintendent Ronald Smalls declined to comment on the report.

To view a copy of the state report click here and read more about this story in tomorrow’s The Journal News.

UPDATE: Read the full story here.