In Grandsboro, California, Leigh Ann Watson is a high school student living with her single mother Faye, who works as a waitress. Leigh Ann's aim is to achieve top grades to become valedictorian and leave town. However, her grade in history class is threatened by her teacher, Mrs. Eve Tingle, who has a special dislike for Leigh Ann and downgrades her well-designed project due to a minor historical inaccuracy. Fellow student Luke Churner makes a copy of Tingle's final exam papers and offers them to Leigh Ann, but she refuses them. However, Luke stashes the papers in Leigh Ann's backpack. Tingle discovers the papers and threatens to expel her. Tingle heads to the principal's office, but he has left for the day and decides to tell him in the morning.