Dear Commons Community,

Pearson’s position as the number one provider of educational services and textbooks is hitting a rocky period here in the United States.  The Huffington Post had a brief piece by Alan Singer recapping its problems as follows:

“In January, Pearson’s stock value dropped sharply when the company reported lower than expected profits, especially in its United States college textbook division where revenue declined by 18 percent. Overall Pearson’s operating profit for 2016 was down about $800 million or 8 percent and the company expected it would continue to decline in 2017. In one day, Pearson’s stock plummeted 30 percent to $7 a share. In February, Reuters reported that Pearson suffered a $3.3 billion pretax loss and was deeply in debt.

In the United States Pearson’s problems are escalating. In New York State the Board of Regents just voted to drop a previously mandated Pearson teacher certification test because it does not measure qualities needed to be an effective teacher. According to Kathleen Cashin, who chairs the Regent committee on higher education, “if you have a flawed test, does that raise standards or does that lower standards?” The Board of Regents is also reevaluating requirements for the edTPA, another test administered and graded by Pearson. Similar Pearson teacher certification tests are also being challenged in Florida courts by teachers and Schools of Education.”  In Maryland, parents who are up in arms because Pearson’s new elementary school math program is incomprehensible.”

Pearson’s credibility as a solution-oriented, forward-thinking education services company is eroding as its bottom line sinks.

Tony