Why was Pearson invited?

Mixed in with the college presidents and philanthropists at the WH Ed Summitt were a handful of business leaders, including executives from Chegg, iMentor, Khan Academy, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and Pearson. Other businesses, like the textbook publisher McGraw-Hill Education, said they were aware of the event but did not attend.  (U.S. News)

The madfloridian's Journal raises good questions about why Pearson Corp. was invited to join Duncan and the Obama's at this month's White House Education Summit.

Just paid 7.7 mil fine for breaking law. That's odd to me. Pearson is making huge profits off their education reform ventures. It seems that even when they break the rules to the tune of millions they are still welcome in high places. 

The fine madfloridian is referring to was handed down in December. The Pearson Foundation, the charitable arm of one of the nation’s largest textbook and test publishers, was forced to pay $7.7 million to settle accusations that it repeatedly broke New York State law by assisting in for-profit ventures. Pearson is a for-profit corporation, and they are prohibited by law from using charitable funds to promote and develop for-profit products. In this case they were caught misusing their non-profit arm to bribe N.Y. and other state educators with international junkets.