SHARE

New York Education Department Drops Pearson As Test Partner

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – The New York Education Department has announced that Pearson PLC would no longer be the vendor for the state's standardized exams for grades three through eight.

Ossining was just one of the many school districts that reported high opt-out rates for state standardized testing this past spring. The state Education Department announced Thursday that Pearson PLC would no longer be the vendor for those tests.

Ossining was just one of the many school districts that reported high opt-out rates for state standardized testing this past spring. The state Education Department announced Thursday that Pearson PLC would no longer be the vendor for those tests.

Photo Credit: File

The decision was made after a record number of parents across the state opted to have their children skip exams this spring. The independent group New York State Allies for Public Education estimated that at least 200,000 students opted out, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Pearson and the state had a $38.8 million contract running through next June for language, arts and math exams. The WSJ noted that Questar Assessment Inc. will take over for five years at a cost of $44 million.

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino was nonplussed by the decision.

“Switching companies to administer Common Core testing is tantamount to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic,” he said in a statement.

Click here to read the entire Wall Street Journal article. 

to follow Daily Voice Eastchester and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE