London headquartered Pearson has bought US-based Schoolnet in a deal aimed at complementing Pearson’s diagnostic tools and tailored instruction products and services.

London headquartered Pearson has bought US-based Schoolnet in a deal aimed at complementing Pearson’s diagnostic tools and tailored instruction products and services.

Media and education company Pearson, which owns publishing house Penguin and the Financial Times Group alongside Pearson Education, has completed the deal for $230 million (£139.6 million).

Schoolnet, which is based in New York, provides services that aid teachers by making resources more child specific.
    
Marjorie Scardino, chief executive of Pearson, says that Pearson has been looking to offer a ‘connective digital spine for learning’ for some time.

The Schoolnet system has been incorporated into the US school system through government initiatives such as Barack Obama’s ‘Race to the Top’.

Will Ethridge, chief executive of Pearson North America, comments: ‘We see an excellent fit between the capabilities of the two organisations.’

The acquisition is the second for Pearson in 2011 after the company increased its stake in Indian education business TutorVista for $127 million, giving it a majority interest of 76 per cent.