A BIT TOO COZY: The NYTimes reports that the Pearson Foundation has reached a $7.7 million settlement for breaking New York State law by helping its corporate parent develop Common Core-related materials. (Non-profits are barred from developing for-profit products.) The foundation has also been under fire for bankrolling swanky trips for state education officials to conferences that featured Pearson representatives--but no competing companies. There has been no conclusive evidence that this directly led to new contracts, but one can't help but be suspicious. Most of the money that the Pearson Foundation will pay will go to 100Kin10, an initiative to support training more STEM teachers. It also promised to not feature any Pearson execs or products at future meetings.
