{{short description|Education publishing and assessment company}} {{Use British English|date=September 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}} {{Infobox company | name = Pearson Education | logo = Pearson plc 2025.svg | type = Subsidiary | industry = | genre = | founded = {{start date and age|df=y|1998}}<ref name="Pearson Education launched"/> | hq_location_city = London | hq_location_country = England | num_locations = | num_locations_year = <!-- Year of num_locations data (if known) --> | area_served = Worldwide | products = Textbooks, e-textbooks, tests, assessments | brands = | services = | num_employees = {{circa|20,000}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Who we are |url=https://plc.pearson.com/en-GB/company/who-we-are |website=pearson.com |access-date=13 September 2023}}</ref> | num_employees_year = 2023 | parent = Pearson plc | divisions = | subsid = | website = {{URL|pearson.com}} }}
'''Pearson Education''', (branded as '''Pearson''' since 2011) is the educational publishing and services subsidiary of the international corporation Pearson plc. Formed in 1998, when Pearson plc acquired Simon & Schuster's educational business and combined it with Pearson's existing education company Addison-Wesley Longman.<ref name="Pearson Education launched"/> Pearson Education was rebranded as Pearson in 2011.<ref name="About Us 2011"/> In 2016, the diversified parent corporation Pearson plc rebranded to focus entirely on education publishing and services; {{asof|2023|lc=y|post=,}} Pearson Education is Pearson plc's main subsidiary.<ref name="Pearson PLC AR2022"/><ref name="rebrand" />
In 2019, Pearson Education began phasing out the prominence of its hard-copy textbooks in favor of digital textbooks, which cost the company far less, and can be updated frequently and easily.<ref name="BBC July 2019"/>
{{As of|2023|post=,}} Pearson Education has testing/teaching centers in over 55 countries worldwide; the UK and the U.S. have the most centers.<ref name="Pearson PLC AR2022">{{cite web |author1=Pearson plc |title=Form 20-F: Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 |url=https://plc.pearson.com/sites/pearson-corp/files/pearson/files/pearson-form-20-f-fy22.pdf |website=plc.pearson.com |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission |access-date=13 September 2023 |date=31 March 2023}}</ref> The headquarters of parent company Pearson plc are in London, England.<ref name="Pearson PLC AR2022"/> Pearson Education's U.S. headquarters were in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey until the headquarters were closed at the end of 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Moss |first1=Linda |title=Pearson trims Upper Saddle River employees |url=http://www.northjersey.com/news/pearson-trims-upper-saddle-river-employees-sheds-19-cites-shift-to-digital-1.609979 |work=NorthJersey.com |date=17 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321054304/http://www.northjersey.com/news/pearson-trims-upper-saddle-river-employees-sheds-19-cites-shift-to-digital-1.609979 |archive-date=21 March 2015 |access-date=14 March 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> Most of Pearson Education's printing is done by third-party suppliers.<ref name="Pearson PLC AR2022"/>
== History==
=== Early history === Following the British government's acquisition and nationalization of several of Pearson's aviation, fuel, and energy divisions in the early 1940s,<ref name="IDCH">{{cite book |editor1-last=Long |editor1-first=Steven |editor2-last=Jacques |editor2-first=Derek |editor3-last=Kepos |editor3-first=Paula |title=International Directory of Company Histories, Volume 207 |date=2019 |publisher=St. James Press / Gale Cengage |chapter=Pearson plc|oclc=1066283259 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=S. Pearson and Son |url=https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/S._Pearson_and_Son |website=Grace's Guide |access-date=8 September 2023}}</ref> the diversified multinational conglomerate entered the education market.<ref name="Global Experience">{{cite book |last1=Christensen |first1=Jens |title=Global Experience Industries |date=2009 |publisher=Aarhus University Press |isbn=978-87-7124-581-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j9cKEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT136}}</ref> It acquired the textbook publisher Longman in 1968.<ref name="Global Experience"/>
In the late 1980s and 1990s, Pearson plc divested further from a number of its industries and acquired more educational publishing companies, and its education publishing operations became steadily larger and more significant.<ref name="IDCH"/><ref name="timeline">{{cite web |title=Pearson |url=https://ulib.niu.edu/publishers/Pearson.htm |website=Northern Illinois University Libraries |access-date=8 September 2023}}</ref> In 1988, Pearson plc purchased Addison-Wesley, the sixth-largest publisher of textbooks in the U.S.,<ref>{{cite news |title=Pearson to acquire Addison-Wesley for $283 million |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/02/15/Pearson-to-acquire-Addison-Wesley-for-283-million/2607571899600/ |access-date=8 September 2023 |work=UPI |date=15 February 1988}}</ref> and merged it with Pearson's educational books subsidiary Longman to create Addison-Wesley Longman.<ref>{{cite news |title=Addison-Wesley to Be Bought for $283 Million |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-02-16-fi-43156-story.html |access-date=9 September 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |agency=Reuters |date=16 February 1988}}</ref><ref name="timeline"/> In 1996, it acquired HarperCollins Educational Publishing and merged it with Addison-Wesley Longman.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gilpin |first1=Kenneth N. |title=Pearson to Buy a Publisher From News Corp. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/10/business/pearson-to-buy-a-publisher-from-news-corp.html |access-date=9 September 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=10 February 1996}}</ref>
Marjorie Scardino, who was CEO of Pearson plc from 1997 to 2013, increasingly focused the company on education, emphasizing acquisitions in the sector.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Baird |first1=Dugald |last2=Sabbagh |first2=Dan |title=Pearson chief executive Marjorie Scardino to step down |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/oct/03/pearson-marjorie-scardino-step-down |access-date=9 September 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=3 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Chozick |first1=Amy |title=Scardino, Chief of Pearson, to Step Down |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/business/media/scardino-ceo-of-pearson-to-step-down.html |access-date=9 September 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=3 October 2012}}</ref> In 1998, Pearson plc purchased the education division of Simon & Schuster, which included Prentice Hall, Allyn & Bacon,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Walsh |first1=Mark |title=Pearson Hopes To 'Widen the Definition Of Education' |url=https://www.edweek.org/education-industry/pearson-hopes-to-widen-the-definition-of-education/2001/02 |access-date=9 September 2023 |work=Education Week |date=21 February 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Selingo |first1=Jeffrey J. |title=British Publisher Announces Plan to Buy Simon & Schuster's Textbook Division |url=https://www.chronicle.com/article/british-publisher-announces-plan-to-buy-simon-schusters-textbook-division-103710/ |access-date=9 September 2023 |work=The Chronicle of Higher Education |date=19 May 1998}}</ref> and parts of Macmillan Inc. including the Macmillan name.<ref name="dustbin">{{cite news |title=Macmillan Rises from the Dustbin |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/3303-macmillan-rises-from-the-dustbin.html |access-date=7 December 2023 |work=Publishers Weekly |date=12 October 2007}}</ref><ref name="Arm Now">{{cite news |last1=Milliot |first1=Jim |title=Holtzbrinck's U.S. Arm Now Macmillan |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/612-holtzbrinck-s-u-s-arm-now-macmillan.html |access-date=7 December 2023 |work=Publishers Weekly |date=9 October 2007}}</ref> Later in 1998, Pearson merged with Simon & Schuster's educational business with Addison Wesley Longman to form '''Pearson Education'''.<ref name="Pearson Education launched">{{cite web |title=Pearson Education: World's Leading Education Business Is Launched |url=http://www.pearson.com/news/contents/headline/current/educate.htm/ |website=Pearson.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990224164746/http://www.pearson.com/news/contents/headline/current/educate.htm/ |archive-date=24 February 1999 |date=30 November 1998}}</ref>
Pearson Education sold and divested most of its Simon & Schuster divisions in 1999.<ref> *{{cite web |date=24 May 1999 |title=Pearson Sells Two Former S&S Units |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/19990524/32256-pearson-sells-two-former-s-amp-s-units.html |access-date=15 October 2019 |website=PublishersWeekly.com}} *{{cite web |last=Milliot |first=Jim |date=31 May 1999 |title=Wiley, Kluwer Acquire Two Pearson Units |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/19990531/35347-wiley-kluwer-acquire-two-pearson-units.html |access-date=15 October 2019 |work=PublishersWeekly.com}} *{{cite web |last=Milliot |first=Jim |date=31 May 1999 |title=Six Macmillan Library Kids Imprints Closed |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/19990531/40646-six-macmillan-library-kids-imprints-closed.html |access-date=15 October 2019 |work=PublishersWeekly.com}} *{{cite web |date=28 June 1999 |title=Macmillan Library Units to Join Gale |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/19990628/34076-macmillan-library-units-to-join-gale.html |access-date=15 October 2019 |work=PublishersWeekly.com}} *{{cite web |last1=Milliot |first1=Jim |last2=Baker |first2=John F. |date=5 July 1999 |title=IDG Books Buys Macmillan General Reference |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/19990705/24783-idg-books-buys-macmillan-general-reference.html |access-date=15 October 2019 |work=PublishersWeekly.com}} </ref> It sold Silver Burdett Ginn Religion, a Catholic publishing division it operated under the Scott Foresman imprint, to RCL Benziger in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-09-06 |title=RCL Publishing LLC ("RCL Benziger"), a CFM Religion Publishing Group LLC division, announced today that it has acquired the assets of Silver Burdett Ginn Religion, a Scott Foresman imprint, from Pearson Education |url=http://www.wicksgroup.com/newsContent.asp?pageID=77&newsID=15 |website=Wicks Group|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203015420/http://www.wicksgroup.com/newsContent.asp?pageID=77&newsID=15 |archive-date=3 December 2013 }}</ref> In 2007, Pearson Education sold the Macmillan name to Holtzbrinck Publishing Group,<ref name="dustbin"/><ref name="Arm Now"/> which had purchased Macmillan Publishing Ltd. in the late 1990s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Holtzbrinck |url=https://ulib.niu.edu/publishers/Holtzbrinck.htm |website=Northern Illinois University - University Libraries |access-date=7 December 2023}}</ref>
In 2000, Pearson acquired Virtual University Enterprises, an electronic testing company founded in 1994, and renamed it Pearson VUE.<ref>{{cite web |title=Who is Pearson VUE and What You Should Know Before Showing Up |url=https://emtprep.com/extra/nremt-exams/who-is-pearson-vue-and-what-you-should-know-before-showing-up |website=EMTprep |access-date=21 February 2024}}</ref> According to the company, as of 2023, it delivers numerous skills tests and certification tests electronically in over 180 countries.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hameed |first1=Shaj |title=Pearson VUE's innovative solutions revolutionise testing and certification in the Middle East |url=https://www.arabianbusiness.com/resources/pearson-vues-innovative-solutions-revolutionise-testing-and-certification-in-the-middle-east |access-date=21 February 2024 |work=Arabian Business |date=24 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Spring |first1=Joel |title=American Education |date=2015 |publisher=Routledge |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O81gCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT30}}</ref>
=== Pearson formation and rebranding === Pearson Education was rebranded as simply '''Pearson''' in 2011,<ref name="About Us 2011">{{cite web |title=About Pearson |url=http://www.pearsoned.com/about-us/ |website=pearsoned.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111013025843/http://www.pearsoned.com/about-us/ |archive-date=13 October 2011}}</ref> and split into Pearson North America and Pearson International.<ref name="my country">{{cite journal |last1=McCleery |first1=Alistair |last2=Bold |first2=Melanie Ramdarshan |title='What is my country?': Supporting Small Nation Publishing |journal=Journal of Irish and Scottish Studies |date=2012 |volume=6 |issue=1 |page=119 |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/79497117.pdf#page=5 |publisher=Aberdeen University Press|doi=10.57132/jiss.74 }}</ref> A restructuring announced in 2013 combined Pearson North America and Pearson International into one Pearson company<ref name="Times 2015">{{cite news |last1=Booth |first1=Jenny |title=Pearson sells the Financial Times to Japanese newspaper Nikkei for £844m |url=https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/companies/article/pearson-sells-the-financial-times-to-japanese-newspaper-nikkei-for-pound844m-rq9z8rhg97s |access-date=11 September 2023 |work=The Times |date=23 July 2015}}</ref> organised around three global lines of business: School, Higher Education, and Professional.<ref name="About us 2013">{{cite web |title=About us: Our qualifications history |url=https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/about-us/about-pearson/our-history.html |website=qualifications.pearson.com |access-date=11 September 2023}}</ref><ref name="Global Leaders 2014">{{cite news |title=Global Publishing Leaders 2014: Pearson |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/63065-global-publishing-leaders-2014-pearson.html |access-date=11 September 2023 |work=Publishers Weekly |date=27 June 2014}}</ref>
Following the sale of its financial news publications ''Financial Times'' and ''The Economist'' in 2015, Pearson plc rebranded in January 2016 to focus solely on education, and the corporation adopted a new logo.<ref name="rebrand">{{cite news |last1=Cowdrey |first1=Katherine |title=Pearson rebrand to reflect 100% focus on education |url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/pearson-rebrands-reflect-100-focus-education-319864 |access-date=12 September 2023 |work=The Bookseller |date=7 January 2016}}</ref> The logo features the interrobang (‽), a combination of a question mark and an exclamation point, to convey a "combination of excitement, curiosity and individuality"<ref name="rebrand"/> and "the excitement and fun of learning".<ref>{{cite web |title=Logo: The Interrobang |url=https://www.pearson.com/content/dam/corporate/global/pearson-dot-com-v2/files/logos/Pearson_Guidelines_Logo.pdf |website=pearson.com |access-date=12 September 2023 |archive-date=12 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312102802/https://www.pearson.com/content/dam/corporate/global/pearson-dot-com-v2/files/logos/Pearson_Guidelines_Logo.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In late 2025, Pearson VUE announced it would rebrand as simply '''Pearson''', with its assessment segment identified as '''Pearson Professional Assessments'''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pearson VUE to rebrand as Pearson Professional Assessments |url=https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/about/news/2025/pearson-vue-to-rebrand-as-pearson-professional-assessments.html |website=www.pearsonvue.com |access-date=30 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251213043502/https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/about/news/2025/pearson-vue-to-rebrand-as-pearson-professional-assessments.html |archive-date=13 December 2025 |date=18 November 2025}}</ref>
=== Digital transformation === In 2019, Pearson announced it would begin the process of phasing out the publishing of printed textbooks, in a plan to move into a more digital first strategy.<ref name="BBC July 2019">{{cite news |title=Education publisher Pearson to phase out print textbooks |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48998789 |access-date=12 September 2023 |work=BBC News |date=16 July 2019}}</ref> E-textbooks will be updated frequently, while printed books will be updated less often.<ref name="BBC July 2019"/> Students wanting printed books will need to rent them.<ref name="BBC July 2019"/> As of 2019, the firm received more than half of its annual revenues from digital sales,<ref name="BBC July 2019"/> and the US accounted for 20 percent of Pearson's annual revenue coming from courseware.<ref name="BBC July 2019"/>
In 2019, Pearson sold its US K-12 courseware business to the private equity firm Nexus Capital Management,<ref>{{cite web| last = Wan| first = Tony| title = Finally: Pearson Sells Its US K-12 Courseware Business—for $250 Million*| work = EdSurge| access-date = 13 October 2019| date = 18 February 2019| url = https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-02-18-finally-pearson-sells-its-us-k-12-courseware-business}}</ref> which rebranded it as Savvas Learning Company.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-05-06 |title=Pearson K12 Spinoff Rebranded as 'Savvas Learning Company' |url=https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-10-29-former-pearson-k-12-courseware-business-rebrands-as-savvas-learning |access-date=2020-08-31 |website=Market Brief}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Molnar |first1=Michele |title=Pearson K12 Spinoff Rebranded as 'Savvas Learning Company' |url=https://marketbrief.edweek.org/marketplace-k-12/pearson-k12-spinoff-rebranded-savvas-learning-company/ |website=EdWeek |access-date=1 February 2024 |date=6 May 2020}}</ref> In 2019, Pearson also sold its remaining 25% stake in Penguin Random House to Bertelsmann.<ref name="retire">{{cite web|last=Calatayud |first=Adria |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/pearson-ceo-to-retire-and-company-will-sell-remaining-penguin-random-house-stake-2019-12-18 |title=Pearson CEO to Retire and company will sell remaining Penguin Random House stake |website=MarketWatch |date=18 December 2019 |access-date=18 December 2019}}</ref>
In 2022, Pearson Education announced that they intended to sell their digital textbooks as NFTs, in order to profit from secondhand sales.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pearson plans to sell its textbooks as NFTs|website=TheGuardian.com |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/aug/02/pearson-plans-to-sell-its-textbooks-as-nfts}}</ref>
In 2022, Pearson acquired ClutchPrep, a Miami-based edtech startup that offers sample questions, test prep and college exam prep video guides. The service has been renamed Channels.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-12 |title=Clutch Prep’s journey from startup to exit: What a run it was |url=https://refreshmiami.com/news/clutch-preps-journey-from-startup-to-exit-what-a-run-it-was/ |access-date=2026-05-19 |website=Refresh Miami |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Pearson+ Releases Curated Video & Practice Feature to Enhance Learning Experiences for All College Students |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pearson-releases-curated-video--practice-feature-to-enhance-learning-experiences-for-all-college-students-301599800.html |access-date=2026-05-19 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Imprints== Pearson has a number of publishing imprints, including:
* BBC Active (joint venture)<ref>{{cite web |title=Rights & licensing: BBC Active |url=https://www.pearson.com/international-schools/rights-and-licensing.html.html |website=Pearson.com |access-date=7 September 2023}}</ref> * InformIT<ref name="Who is InformIT"/> ** Addison-Wesley Professional<ref name="Who is InformIT">{{cite web |title=Who is InformIT |url=https://www.informit.com/ |website=InformIT.com |access-date=7 September 2023}}</ref> ** Adobe Press<ref name="Who is InformIT"/> ** Cisco Press<ref name="Who is InformIT"/> ** FT Press<ref name="Who is InformIT"/> ** Peachpit Press<ref name="Who is InformIT"/> ** Que Publishing<ref name="Who is InformIT"/> ** Sams Publishing<ref name="Who is InformIT"/> * Longman<ref>{{cite web |title=Financial Statements |url=https://plc.pearson.com/sites/pearson-corp/files/pearson/annual-report-2022/Financial_Statements_2022.pdf |website=plc.pearson.com |publisher=Pearson plc |access-date=8 September 2023 |date=March 2023}}</ref> * Rigby (outside the United States, where the imprint is owned by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)<ref>{{cite web |title=Rigby |url=https://www.pearson.com/en-au/schools/primary/literacy/rigby/ |website=Pearson.com |access-date=7 September 2023}}</ref> * York Notes (partnership)<ref>{{cite web |last1=McKinder |first1=Helen |title=Meet Helen – answering all your York Notes customer service needs! |url=https://www.yorknotes.com/news/meet-helen-answering-all-your-york-notes-customer-service-needs |website=York Notes |access-date=8 September 2023 |date=16 June 2020}}</ref>
== InformIT == InformIT, a subsidiary of Pearson Education, is an online book vendor and an electronic publisher of technology and education content. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.<ref>{{cite web |title=InformIT Promotions |url=https://www.informit.com/newsletters/whatsnew.aspx?ni=101&st=66364 |website=informit.com |access-date=14 September 2023 |quote=2023 Pearson Education, InformIT. All rights reserved. 800 East 96th Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46240}}</ref>
It publishes books, e-books, and videos, and its imprints include Addison-Wesley Professional, Cisco Press, Pearson IT Certification, Que Publishing, and Sams Publishing.<ref name="Who is InformIT"/>
InformIT.com is one of the websites of the Pearson Technology Group,<ref name="peachpit/informit">{{cite web |title=Redesigning a Big Umbrella of Websites: The Informit CSS Overhaul |url=https://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=170499 |website=peachpit.com |access-date=14 September 2023 |date=5 November 2004}}</ref> and one of several sites in the InformIT Network.<ref name="InformIT Network">{{cite web |title=About the InformIT Network |url=https://www.informit.com/about/network.aspx |website=informit.com |access-date=14 September 2023}}</ref> The site features free articles, blogs, and podcasts on IT topics and products, as well as a bookstore carrying all titles from its imprints.<ref name="InformIT Network"/>
Other sites in the InformIT Network include Peachpit.com.<ref name="peachpit/informit"/> Peachpit is a publisher that has been producing books on graphic design, desktop publishing, multimedia, web design and development, digital video, and general computing since 1986.<ref name="InformIT Network"/> Peachpit is a publishing partner for Adobe, Apple, Macromedia, and others.<ref name="InformIT Network"/>
In 2001, the Pearson Technology Group and O'Reilly Media LLC formed a joint partnership called Safari Books Online, to offer a web-based electronic library of technical and business books from InformIT's imprint partners and O'Reilly Media.<ref>{{cite web |title=O'Reilly and Pearson Launch Joint Venture |url=https://www.oreilly.com/pub/pr/922 |website=oreilly.com |access-date=14 September 2023 |date=1 October 2001}}</ref> The InformIT Network offers access to this service via its web sites.<ref>{{cite web |title=About |url=https://www.informit.com/about/# |website=informit.com |access-date=14 September 2023}}</ref> Pearson sold its interest in Safari Books Online to O'Reilly in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |last1=O’Reilly |first1=Tim |title=O'Reilly purchases Pearson's stake in Safari |url=http://radar.oreilly.com/2014/08/safari-acquisition.html |website=radar.oreilly.com |access-date=14 September 2023 |date=4 August 2014}}</ref>
==Technology products== Pearson's products include MyMathLab and Mastering Platform.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/life/education/2014/09/online_college_classes_textbook_companies_offer_courses_with_minimal_university.html|title=College in a Box|last=Kahn|first=Gabriel|date=2014-09-04|work=Slate|access-date=2018-06-15|issn=1091-2339}}</ref>
In 2006, Pearson School Systems, a division of Pearson Education, acquired PowerSchool, a student information system, and parent portal, from Apple; terms of the deal were not disclosed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eschoolnews.com/2006/05/26/pearson-buys-apples-powerschool/|title=Pearson buys Apple's PowerSchool|date=2006-05-26|website=eSchool News|access-date=2019-12-09}}</ref> PowerSchool was a profitable product for Pearson; in 2014, it generated $97 million in revenue and $20 million in operating income.<ref name="PowerSchool to Vista"/> In 2015, Pearson sold PowerSchool to Vista Equity Partners for $350 million cash.<ref name="PowerSchool to Vista">{{Cite web|url=https://www.edsurge.com/news/2015-06-18-pearson-to-sell-powerschool-to-vista-equity-partners-for-350m|title=Pearson to Sell PowerSchool to Vista Equity Partners for $350M – EdSurge News|date=2015-06-18|website=EdSurge|access-date=2019-12-09}}</ref>
In 2007, the company developed the youth-oriented online quest game ''Poptropica'', through its Family Education Network. In 2015, Pearson's Family Education Network, along with Poptropica, were sold to the London-based investment group Sandbox Partners.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.edsurge.com/news/2015-05-26-family-education-network-sold|title=Family Education Network Sold - EdSurge News|date=26 May 2015}}</ref>
In 2010, Pearson purchased Cogmed,<ref>{{cite news|title=Press release: PsychCorp Announces Acquisition of Cogmed|url=https://www.pearsonassessments.com/news/2010/psychcorp-announces-acquisition-of-cogmed.html|work=Pearson|date=July 14, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine| title = Brain Games are Bogus| author = Gareth Cook| magazine = The New Yorker| date = 2013-04-05| url = http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/brain-games-are-bogus}}</ref> a brain fitness and working memory training program founded in 1999 by Swedish researcher Torkel Klingberg.<ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=http://www.cogmed.com/history |website=cogmed.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101228115308/http://www.cogmed.com/history |archive-date=28 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Torkel Klingberg |url=http://www.pearsonclinical.co.uk/Meettheexpert/TorkelKlingberg.aspx |website=pearsonclinical.co.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405060406/http://www.pearsonclinical.co.uk/Meettheexpert/TorkelKlingberg.aspx |archive-date=5 April 2016}}</ref> In 2019, Cogmed was transferred back to the original founders.<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |title=Torkel Klingberg |url=http://www.klingberglab.se/torkel-klingberg/ |access-date=2022-04-05 |website=Klingberg lab}}</ref>
In 2016, Pearson acquired StatCrunch, a statistical analysis tool created by Webster West in 1997. Pearson had already been the primary distributor of StatCrunch for several years.<ref>[http://www.pearsoned.com/news/pearson-acquires-major-statistical-software-firm-integrated-analytics/ "Pearson Acquires Major Statistical Software Firm, Integrated Analytics"] ''Pearson'' (28 July 2016)</ref>
==Partnerships== In 2007, Pearson partnered with four other higher-education publishers to create CourseSmart, a company developed to sell college textbooks in eTextbook format on a common platform.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ingram Buys CourseSmart |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/article/61275-ingram-buys-coursesmart.html |website=Publishers Weekly |access-date=20 September 2023 |date=3 March 2014}}</ref> In 2011, Pearson obtained a five-year, $32 million contract with the New York State Department of Education to design tests for students in grades 3–8.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Otterman |first1=Sharon |title=In $32 Million Contract, State Lays Out Some Rules for Its Standardized Tests |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/13/nyregion/new-york-in-contract-with-pearson-lays-out-rules-for-state-tests.html |access-date=20 September 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=12 August 2011}}</ref>
Que Publishing, a publishing imprint of Pearson based out of Seattle, partnered with AARP in 2014 to develop and add to a series of technology books for seniors.<ref name="New Tech Books Help People 50+ Get Savvy">{{cite web |url=http://www.aarp.org/about-aarp/press-center/info-11-2014/iphone-for-seniors.html|title=New Tech Books Help People 50+ Get Savvy}}</ref> The series, which includes ''My iPad For Seniors,'' and ''My Social Media for Seniors,'' are large-print and colourful.<ref name="New Tech Books Help People 50+ Get Savvy"/>
==Criticism== {{see also|Pearson plc#Criticism}}
===Errors in tests=== In the spring of 2012, tests that Pearson designed for the NYSED were found to contain over 30 errors, which caused controversy. One of the most prominent featured a passage about a talking pineapple on the 8th Grade ELA test (revealed to be based on Daniel Pinkwater's ''The Story of the Rabbit and the Eggplant'', with the eggplant changed into a pineapple). After public outcry, the NYSED announced it would not count the questions in scoring.<ref>{{cite news|last=Collins|first=Gail|title=A Very Pricey Pineapple|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/28/opinion/collins-a-very-pricey-pineapple.html|work=The New York Times|date=28 April 2012|access-date=22 August 2012}}</ref> Other errors included a miscalculated question on the 8th Grade Mathematics test regarding astronomical units, a 4th grade math question with two possible correct answers, errors in the 6th grade ELA scoring guide, and over twenty errors on foreign-language math tests.<ref>{{cite web|last=Haimson|first=Leonie|title=Pineapplegate continues, with 20 more errors, and finally an apologia from Pearson|date=9 May 2012|url=http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2012/05/pineapplegate-continues-with-20-more.html|publisher=NYC Public School Parents|access-date=22 August 2012}}</ref>
==See also== * {{C|Educational publishing companies}} * List of largest UK book publishers * Houghton Mifflin Harcourt * McGraw-Hill Education
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== [https://www.pearson.com/ Official website]
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