Companies cash in on Common Core despite controversy
The controversy over Common Core hasn't stopped companies from cashing in on the education standards program.
States have already awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in Common Core-related contracts to businesses including Pearson, McGraw-Hill Education CTB, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Apple since 2012. And, despite some legal challenges and boycotts, more contracts potentially worth billions of dollars for testing, instructional materials and teacher training are on the way.
"Common Core has clearly been an important market for the large education companies," said Paul Irby, a market analyst with business intelligence firm Onvia.
Common Core's contract winners
Rank
|
Vendor
|
Project awards 2010-2014
|
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pearson | 27 |
| 2 | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | 20 |
| 3 | Staff Development Workshops | 16 |
| 4 | Scholastic | 14 |
| 5 | Catapult Learning | 11 |
| 6 | McGraw-Hill | 9 |
| 7 | Pivot Learning Partners | 9 |
| 8 | AP Ventures | 8 |
| 9 | Action Learning Systems | 7 |
| 10 | Solution Tree | 7 |
Source: Onvia database of awards, based on key words related to "common core"
A uncontroversial start
Until a few years ago, the educational effort known formally as Common Core State Standards seemed like a benign push to make sure American public school students were competitive in English and math. Shaped by bipartisan governors and education leaders, the benchmarks were adopted voluntarily in 45 states.
But Common Core has fast become controversial as school districts started awarding large contracts to companies and testing students on the standards. Students have boycotted initial exams this year in New Mexico and New Jersey, claiming the tests weren't a good measure of their knowledge.
The standards have become a political issue, forcing likely presidential candidates Jeb Bush and Chris Christie to defend previous support for what some conservatives call government overreach. Large teachers unions that once backed the effort have now reversed their position.
And more drama is all but certain as additional schools attempt to implement Common Core using taxpayer-funded education budgets.
Despite the squabbling, significant cash has already been spent.
An important chunk of early funding—$360 million—came from the U.S. Department of Education through a program called Race to the Top. The initiative is a competitive grant program designed to "encourage Companies cash in on Common Core despite controversy: