Pearson has a contract with the state of Texas for five years that is worth close to $500 million.

That ought to bring gold-plated service and products to the children of Texas, right?

Wrong.

Pearson is advertising for test graders in Texas on craigslist!

The graders need only a bachelor’s degree, and they will be paid $12 an hour.

They will be “trained,” of course, but think of it. Their snap decisions will decide the fate of students, teachers, and schools. If they aren’t that good at what they do, children will fail, teachers will be fired, and schools will be closed. Because of decisions made by a temp worker.

Shocking as this is, it is nothing new. Todd Farley wrote a book called Making the Grades: My Misadventures in the Standardized Testing Industry, in which he described his many years inside the testing industry.

For a quick read…