West Broward High School guidance counselor under investigation for submitting false information

A guidance counselor at West Broward High School is being investigated for allegedly submitting false student enrollment information and changing a student's grade as a favor to a parent.

Keisha Nicholls-Baker, employed by the district since 2007, could be suspended for three days without pay. She is being charged with misconduct in office, intentionally distorting facts, submitting fraudulent information for school records and violating school board policies, according to an administrative complaint.

The complaint alleges she knowingly used a false address to enroll an out-of-boundary student in the Parkland school. In another case, she is accused of changing a student's status as a senior to a junior so he could spend more time as a high school athlete. The district said the student's transcript showed he completed his junior year in Jamaica.

Nicholls-Baker, who did not return calls seeking comment, denied the allegations in a letter to the district, calling both accusations "false and incorrect."

She maintained she did not register a student with false information but that a family member enrolled her child using Nicholls-Baker's old address without her permission or knowledge.

She admitted she made a mistake in classifying a senior as a junior but denied any "special favors."

"I take great pride in what I do and I go over and above for my students and parents," Nicholls-Baker wrote.

However, in the district's complaint, the father of one of the students involved told investigators a counselor "did him a favor" and allowed his son to be enrolled as a junior even though he was a senior.

But Nicholls-Baker said she incorrectly enrolled the student as a result of being busy and trying to get the family "in and out in a hurry."

The investigation began when school administrators learned both students had false information on their school records, according to documents.

Florida's Division of Administrative Hearing is expected to review the case and issue a recommendation to the district.

The school district will then decide what action, if any, to take against the Nicholls-Baker.