Statement by Pearson on The Opportunity Equation

June 10, 2009

Marjorie Scardino, Pearson CEO, comments on the release of The Opportunity Equation, a new report from Carnegie Corporation of New York-Institute for Advanced Study Commission on Mathematics and Science Education on “mobilizing for excellence in mathematics and science education” and challenges America to “do school differently.”

“Pearson strongly supports the Commission’s recommendations on steps to ‘do school differently.’ By harnessing technology to make learning personal to each student, we are insisting on a revolution. That revolution puts into the hands of a highly effective teacher data about a student’s styles and needs, assessments to watch him through the learning process and ready communication between home and school. If all parts of that chain are involved, it will redefine the norm in schools and heighten students’ chances for success.

“This kind of very personal learning has been Pearson’s dream for almost a decade. Putting that together with the power of establishing new common standards across the states in mathematics and science will begin to accelerate the day when we can have universally effective, as well as universally available education – a time we’ve all been waiting for and will work assiduously to bring about.”

Pearson is an international media company with world-leading businesses in education, business information, and consumer publishing.