BILL NUMBER:S7451

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
common core curriculum examinations

PURPOSE:  Relates to prohibiting the use of examinations developed by
Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliates

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends the education law by adding a new section 208-b to
cease use of Pearson Education, Inc. tests, educational materials, and
consulting

Section 2 sets an effective date of the first of September next
succeeding the date on which it shall have become law

JUSTIFICATION:  We need to take the process of developing standardized
tests, education materials and curriculums corporations out of the
hands of corporations and put it back into the hands of educators.
Pearson, the giant London-based multinational, is the world's largest
education firm. Pearson has been busy marketing common core textbooks,
common core staff development and common core student and teacher
assessments. On the official Pearson website, they state that
"Pearson's close association with key authors and architects of the
Common Core State Standards ensures that the spirit and pedagogical
              

approach of the initiative is embodied in our professional
development." The Thomas Fordham Institute estimates that the national
cost for compliance with common core will be between $1 billion to $8
billion and the profits will go almost all directly to publishers.

In December of 2013, New York State Attorney General Eric T.
Schneiderman secured a $7.7 million settlement with Pearson Charitable
Foundation, a not-for-profit that is affiliated with the for-profit
education company Pearson, Inc. An investigation by the Attorney
General's Charities Bureau revealed that Pearson, Inc.  developed
course materials through the Pearson Charitable Foundation that
Pearson, Inc. intended to sell commercially. Non-profit foundations
cannot use charitable assets to benefit an affiliated for-profit
corporation. Pearson, Inc. developed its Common Core aligned course
offerings within the Foundation. Internal estimates within Pearson is
that their development of Common Core learning standards would
generate profits of tens of millions of dollars in New York State.

In addition, news accounts discuss the Pearson Foundation flying
educators and education decision makers to conferences in
international locations that resulted in educators purchasing Pearson
materials. More recently, test questions that Pearson Education Inc.
publicized appear to be marketing brand name products to the children
taking the exams.

Simply put, Pearson Education Inc. has proven to New Yorkers that it
has been putting profits above the people of the State of New York.
Given their track record, New York State can no longer entrust the
development of Common Core and any other standardized testing to
Pearson, Inc.


LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: This is a new bill.

LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect the first of September
next succeeding the date in which it shall become law.