Anya Kamenetz wrote an illuminating and actually frightening article about Pearson’s ambitious plans to introduce for-profit education around the world. I quote the article at length because it is so important. I urge you to read it in full. It appears in “Wired” magazine.
Kamenetz went to Manila where she interviewed a mother who sends her school owned by Pearson. The classes in the local public schools are larger than in the Pearson school, and the parent doesn’t want her son to go to school with “those other children.” She is willing and able to pay $2 a day to get something for her son.
The sign on the Pearson school says, “APEC Schools: Affordable World Class Education From Ayala and Pearson.”
APEC is “a different kind of school altogether: one that’s part of a for-profit chain and relatively low-cost at $2 a day, what you might pay for a monthly smartphone bill here. The chain is a fast-growing joint venture between Ayala, one of the Philippines’ biggest conglomerates, and Pearson, the largest education company in the world.
“In the US, Pearson is best known as a major crafter of the Common Core tests used in many states. It also markets learning software, powers online college programs, and runs computer-based exams like the GMAT and the GED. In fact, Nellie already knew the name Pearson from the tests and prep her sister took to get into nursing school.
“But the company has its eye on much, much more. Investment firm GSV Advisors recently estimated the annual global outlay on education at $5.5 trillion and growing rapidly. Let that number sink in for a second—it’s a doozy. The figure is nearly on par with the global health care industry, but there is no Big Pharma yet in education. Most of that money circulates within government bureaucracies.
“Pearson would like to become education’s first major conglomerate, serving as the largest private provider of standardized tests, software, materials, and now the schools themselves.
“To this end, the company is testing academic, financial, and technological models for fully privatized education on the world’s poor. It’s pursuing this strategy through a venture called the Pearson Affordable Learning Fund. Pearson allocated the fund an initial $15 million in 2012 and another $50 million in January 2015. Students in developing countries vastly outnumber those in wealthy nations, constituting a larger market for the company than students in the West. Here in the US, Pearson pursues its privatization agenda through charter schools that are run for profit but funded by taxpayers. It’s hard to imagine the company won’t apply what it learns from its global experiments as it continues to expand its offerings stateside.
“The low-cost schools in the Philippines are one of Pearson’s 11 equity investments in programs across Asia and Africa serving more than 360,000 students. Two of the most prominent, the Omega Schools in Ghana and Bridge International Academies based in Kenya, have hundreds of campuses charging as little as $6 a month. They locate in cheaply rented spaces, hire younger, less-experienced teachers, and train and pay them less than instructors at government-run schools. The company argues that by using a curriculum reflecting its expertise, plus digital technology—computers, tablets, software—it can deliver a more standardized, higher-quality education at a lower cost per student. All Pearson-backed schools agree to test students frequently and use software and analytics to track outcomes.
“Not every Pearson-backed chain will succeed, but the company can use the outcomes to assess which models work best. Pearson will have a stake in the winners; the Affordable Learning Fund takes at least one seat on each board. The goal is to serve more than a million students by 2020….
“Pearson’s corporate reputation doesn’t help matters. In the US, just the mention of its name is enough to make some education activists apoplectic. In 2014 the company was implicated in an FBI investigation of unfair bidding practices for a $1.3 billion deal to provide curricula via iPads to the students of Los Angeles Unified School District. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, Pearson monitored the social media accounts of students taking its Common Core tests and had state officials call district superintendents to have students disciplined for talking about the exam. Barber himself points out to me that his face appears as “the seventh-scariest person in education reform” on an anti-Common Core website.
“Yet in many parts of the world, low-cost private schools are a big step up from existing public schools, where buildings may be falling down, philanthropic grants are used to line local officials’ pockets, and teachers don’t bother to show up. The father of Nobel laureate and youth education advocate Malala Yousafzai himself started a chain of low-cost private schools in Pakistan.
“Barber’s thesis is simple: If his company can offer a better option, millions of families…will vote with their feet. “Technology and globalization are going to change everything, including the status quo in education,” he says….
“Because space is tight, the schools have no nurse’s office and no science lab. Some have no gym or play space. One amenity offered everywhere is closed-circuit cameras, a nod to parents’ paramount concern: physical safety.
“Pearson models do vary by setting and the visions of individual entrepreneurs. All of them, though, save money on teachers and claim they still deliver a superior education—even though most research shows that teacher quality is the single most important factor in a student’s education. Donnelly and Barber draw parallels to US charter schools, which employ younger, less-experienced teachers without union protections, and to Teach for America, which places recent college grads into the country’s most challenging classrooms with just five weeks of training….
“But a matchup between a $9 billion public company and the impoverished governments of developing countries looks lopsided, to say the least. If Pearson achieves its vision, only the most destitute would remain in public schools in the world’s largest and fastest-growing cities. Or those schools would close down altogether, as governments increasingly outsource education—a fundamental driver of development and democracy, a basic human right, and a tool of self-determination—to a Western corporation. Teaching would become a low-paid, transient occupation requiring little training. And Pearson would try to bring the lessons it learns in Africa and Asia to education markets in the US and the UK.
“One morning in Manila, I had breakfast at a five-star hotel with James Centenera, who…was key to launching the APEC schools. In his view, for-profit schools have quickly become an accepted part of the educational landscape here—just another option. “I’m glad people have stopped asking whether the schools are better.” Startled, I realized his remark spoke to a mantra of Barber’s: irreversibility.
“In other words, create enough momentum around any change and you’re no longer arguing the merits of your idea. You’re simply treating it as a fact on the ground and rallying others to the cause.
“What makes this a most effective path to change is also what makes it terrifying and infuriating to critics. Inserting itself into the provision of a basic human service, Pearson is subject to neither open democratic decisionmaking nor open-market competition. The only check on its progress will be the tests that Pearson itself creates.”
“The Ohio Supreme Court will decide if a company that owns and leases property to publicly funded charter schools should have to pay taxes.
Ohio Tax Commissioner Joseph Testa and the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals ruled that a company, 250 Shoup Mill LLC, owes local taxes on property it leases to Horizon Science Academy, a public charter school in Dayton.
The Dayton charter school pays 250 Shoup Mill $33,000 a month, or $396,000 a year, to lease its property. The lease money comes from Ohio taxpayers through the Ohio Department of Education, which funds both public and charter schools.
Testa’s office concluded that while the charter school was exempt from taxation in 2010, 250 Shoup Mill was not. Testa’s office denied the group’s application for a tax exemption, a decision affirmed by the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals.
“This has all the hallmarks of a commercial lease, including annual increases in those payments that happen by the virtue of the passage of time and penalties for default,” said Melissa Baldwin, an assistant attorney general representing Testa’s office.
A private contractor should have to pay taxes, right?
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/04/19/court-to-decide-if-company-that-leases-property-to-charter-schools-is-subject-to-taxes.html
Yes.
Rosalyn.Painter-Goff@education.ohio.gov, is one of the people who will make a decision about the choice of a new Ohio Schools Superintendent. The front runner is Tom Lasley. who “believes in charter schools” and, who is a fan of them. Ohioans deserve a schools chief that is independent of bias.
Info. at Dayton Daily News- “Lasley a Top Candidate for State Post.”
“Malacronyms”
ALEC , APEC
What’s the diff?
Get your paycheck
Don’t be stiff
ALEC is indeed a partner, dear Poet. As is Obama, who wrote in his book in 2006 about his push to privatize all schools. And Hillary keeps saying she will continue to support Obama’s institutions, and reading her opinions in the 1990s, they jibe with all this privatizing.
Pearson has built the ultimate machine for mind control. His own form of madrassas worldwide, probably conjoined with those of Gulen who shapes up to be the Turkish form of Pearson, but with Islamic religious fervor thrown in, to not only create an education system of unchallenging followers, but to make huge profits. The announced charge of $2 a day seems miniscule until you figure $2 times about 300 days a year per student. And then expand that to every student in Africa and Asia, multi millions of students, and factor in all the adjunct businesses to serve these schools. Do the math…it is mind boggling.
All our retirement funds will be clammering to get in on this enormous scam.
I presume that the people making profits off of kids, will hijack accreditation, like in the US.- payoffs (political and otherwise) for avoiding meaningful accreditation or exploitation of inattention to accreditation, evidenced by
“…reformers…. declaring ‘We’ve got to blow up the ed schools.’ ” (Philanthropy Roundtable)
Linda,
Wendy Kopp got TFA corps members provisionally certified; she now has international foundation. Relay so-called Graduate School Ed and Broad Academy may welcome overseas role.
NCATE accredits Relay.
Yes, Relay–which has no PhD on its “faculty”–was accredited by NCATE.
While I’m not exactly proud of the fact, I once called a Pearson sales rep (to her face), who was in my school giving a “professional development” presentation, a “shill” and a “sellout.”
Thank you. 🙂
Of concern to me is that Michael Barber, chief honcho and evil do-er of Pearson, used to work for McKinsey consulting group. McKinsey is everywhere ed reformers need a “report” to install a shadow governance structure.
Boston parents have been FOIAing a $660,000 McKinsey report – presumably paid for with public funds – that calls for closing 36 schools. All we have seen is a partial PDF of the full report, yet the school budget is being drawn up based on this undisclosed information. One ploy? “Underutilized buildings” – divide the legal building capacity by the number of students enrolled, and you have “excess capacity”. This formula leaves out spaces like cafeterias, auditoriums and gyms as well as classrooms where state law mandates a 12:1 ratio of SWD to adults.
Sarah Lahm details the shenanigans in Minneapolis on her Bright Lights Small City blog:
http://www.brightlightsmallcity.com/mckinsey-friends-in-minneapolis-starvation-and-strategy/
Christine…what you point out is the vast power of a form of shadow government….so why should anyone, anywhere, vote for elected officials,when they become meaningless shills?? When this underground government will actually have the most important input in creating both a ruling class, and the unthinking followers of these oligarchs, Pearson, Gulen, Moskowitz, Broad, Waltons, Murdoch, et al???
Pearson’s empire is so extensive that they capture 47% of the publisher’s share of revenue for every hardcover, paperback, and ebook of “Reign of Error” sold anywhere in the world. Now that’s scary.
Tim, they may make money from my books but they don’t control anything I write. I can’t say the same about charters and TFA
What is scary is that the top prospect for a state’s schools superintendent could, hypocritically, get a public paycheck, while turning over, to private sector schemers, the citizens’ tax-bought assets and, tax revenue.
Politicians, using their offices to rob kids, taxpayers, and communities, of the resources they need to survive, is as about as low, as it gets.
Tim,
Would you please explain how Pearson ends up with 47% of the publishers share of the revenue of “Reign of Error”. And do you know what the “publisher’s share” of the total revenue is as a percentage? I’m interested to know as I am getting ready to try to find a publisher/printer for my book project and any information about the whole process, especially the financials would be greatly appreciated. TIA, Duane
Linda…this is exactly what has been going on for the last 20 years, with charters, TFA, lobbyists, etc. Have you been sleeping?
Eli Broad started the Broad Academy in 1999 and now has thousands of his CEO grads embedded nationwide as Supts. of Schools….like Deasy in LA and Byrd-Bennett in Chicago, and others of their marginal creds, who do not avoid their determined raping of public schools while nurturing the business models taught at their Academy, and who are now either being indicted or on the verge of indictment for fraud.
Fetullah Gulen now has over 146 charters in the US and over 2000 madrassas worldwide, teaching his brand, and as of this AM, is said to have been enriched by $25 Billion garnered on American taxpayer cash.
What more do you need to see that this war has been going of for at least the past two decades?
Ellen,
With media distortions and black-outs, on information about Gates’ role in education, the number of people, Diane and like-minded people have informed (like me), is nothing short of amazing. Parent/teacher efforts in California and, N.Y.’s Opt Out movement are profiles in courage and, they are the frontline in a battle for democracy.
Politicians on the left have betrayed their constituents, a fact the local party leaders, only reluctantly and sheepishly admit.
The deck is so heavily stacked to benefit the 0.1%, in education, justice, financial markets, the 4th estate, government, I wish I could go back to sleep.
Headline on the internet- “Millions in Bill Gates Grants Have Turned Top Ivy League School into PR Arm of the GMO Industry”. The story puts Cornell and Monsanto under the microscope.
It’s similar to the work of George Joseph, who put the ties of Pearson and Columbia Teachers College, under the microscope.
The old saying never fails to guide us to the source of all problems.
For instance, in business = money minded game, there is a saying of “show me the money”
Thank you to the writer of this article. Anya Kamenetz pinpoints two important keys in her paragraph, as follows:
[start paragraph]
Ayala assembled a board of executives with international experience to create an education company that would mold middle and high school students into the perfect entry-level employees for foreign corporations. The execs had the on-the-ground knowledge and connections; Pearson brought the educational expertise and a $3 million investment.
[end paragraph]
KEY 1:
a board of executives with international experience = had the on-the-ground knowledge and connections = the educational expertise and a $3 million investment.
KEY 2:
mold middle and high school students into the perfect entry-level employees for foreign corporations.
Who fits in the key 1? Michael Barber with his background and his assistant are the answer. All POOR and MIDDLE class foreigners would be delighted to see their only child to be employed for foreign corporations at the entry level.
This is the result for free global market, free trade and the disappearance of American Middle class sooner or later within 10 years.
This is NOT the generalization about moral corruption, but the truth is how much we can expect from foreigners who come over America for economic survival? Please take a look at all LEGAL and skilled immigrants who work under table = avoid paying tax that builds roads, hospitals and bridges…in the same vein, all big pharmaceutical manufacturers, techies and telecommunication corporate try to shift their assets to oversea or outsources jobs. These owners, are they truly Americans?
It is sadden to see 200 + years history of American ancestors who fought to build FREEDOM for all, BUT their descendants slowly bring back slavery for their own RACE by destroying PUBLIC EDUCATION and by going along with the descendants of colonialism. Yes, greed and ignorance is the worst enemy of education. The foundation of education is all about humanity, NOT STEM. Humanity brings peace and harmony to society. STEM brings comfort and convenience at the expense of a stressful and sicken living-lifestyle for all sentient beings on earth like zika virus, tsunami, all different forms of rare cancer which come from the abusive chemical and nuclear reactor…Back2basic
I learned recently that Pearson is paying school districts to give their tests. I know at least one school district that doesn’t really like a particular Pearson test, but is giving it anyway because it needs the money. Junk tests + $$ = education malpractice
Sad state of things as we wrap up and begin the long weeks of testing in our priority school…..
I recently read a statistic that seemed so outlandish I needed to check the source and validate it through a Google search: if you earn over $32,000/year in wages and benefits (including health insurance) you are in the top 1% in the world.
With that context, reading Anya Kamanetz’ article about Pearson’s global reach in Wired magazine gave me some second thoughts about the school privatization movement as well, underscoring a conundrum that occurs when governmental greed and an idealistic capitalist collide.