Consequences
Cheating in school may have consequences that are immediate, and some consequences may be long-term. For example, the student who gets caught cheating will - or at least should - feel an immediate response from his parents and the school. The punishment should vary depending on the age of the student or his school level, of course. After all, a fifth grader who sneaks a peek at a spelling word shouldn't be punished as harshly as a high school student who plagiarizes a term paper.
Nonetheless, there should be some sort of immediate response, such as:
An automatic zero or "F" for the assignment, project, or test. If the student is given another chance to do the work without cheating, the final grade might be reduced as punishment for the cheating
Detention or some other form of school discipline that takes away some of the students after-school free time
Discipline at home, such as no after-school activities, no play time outside after school or on the weekends, no car, etc.
For serious or repeated instances of cheating, a student may be suspended from school for a few days or even expelled or "kicked-out" permanently
Whatever the consequences, the lesson to be learned by the student is that cheating IS a big deal and won't be tolerated at school or at home.
What about long-term consequences? Is cheating on a math test really a life-changing event? Yes, it can be. Forget about the fact cheating may lead to a failing grade, which may mean summer school or repeating a whole grade level. If you think about it, a student who's willing to cheat in grade school is likely to cheat in high school. A high school student who cheats may continue cheating in college.