Pearson Education’s Evaluation Systems Group (ESG) business has been awarded a three-year contract to continue managing teaching certification testing for the state of California. ESG is an educational testing company that develops and administers customised teacher certification testing programmes and other assessment programmes in higher education. The Pearson business now has contracts throughout the US including Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

In 2006, education delivered almost two thirds of Pearson’s revenues and 68% of its operating profits. In her recent trading statement, CEO Marjorie Scardino said that education ’continued to perform very well’ and ’will report its strongest year ever’. However, there are some black clouds on the horizon in the US as state budgets come under financial pressure. This could mean less demand for textbooks and other products and services, depressing profitability in 2008.

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