Eight educators convicted in the Atlanta Public Schools cheating case are expected to appeal their convictions while two others accepted deals.

The defendants have been released from jail on appeals bonds.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter had delayed sentencing by a day and encouraged the 10 former educators to negotiate deals with prosecutors.

Those who did that were rewarded Tuesday: Baxter gave a former teacher a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew at home for one year and a former testing coordinator six months of weekends spent in jail. They'll also serve five years on probation. (Full details here).

The other eight were not so fortunate: Baxter gave them sentences of between one and seven years in prison, despite the call for leniency from activists, clergy and community members.

The eleventh defendant was not present for sentencing as she had given birth over the weekend. She will learn her fate in August.

What's Next?

Some of the lawyers for the defendants have said they will argue in their appeal that educators were forced to make incriminating statements to investigators on threat of losing their jobs. They will also argue over the make-up of the jury pool which they contend did not represent African-Americans fully.

The educators could lose their pensions meanwhile.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Fulton County District Attorney's office could begin a process to take away their pensions.

But the executive director of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia says nothing can happen until there is a final conviction and educators have exhausted all of their appeals.

Contributors: Associated Press, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tags: Atlanta Public Schools, atlanta public schools cheating trial, atlanta public schools cheating scandal, APS, educators, convicted educators