Rep. Dwight Bullard (D-Miami) is calling for an inquiry into Pearson Foundation, the non-profit that has a multi-million dollar contract with the State of Florida to provide the FCAT test. Bullard says that state officials went on overseas trips paid for by Pearson and there may have been a misuse of taxpayer dollars and violation of state ethics laws.
He cites two recent articles in the New York Times, in September 18 and October 9, which reported that Pearson Foundation paid for state officials go oversees to meet with Pearson’s international counterparts. State education leaders traveled to London, Helsinki, Singapore and Rio de Janeiro, according to the Times articles. Former Commission of Education Eric Smith, according to the Times article, also went on a junket to Pearson in Helsinki, Finland.
“It is my hope that legislative leadership is as concerned as I am about the potential misuse of state dollars,” said Bullard. “I hope leadership takes this opportunity to take a serious look at how Pearson has been using state dollars.”
Bullard has long been opposed to using FCAT as a means of testing student aptitude and readiness.
