Fast Eddie, true to his name, doesn’t bother to consult the men and women who are supposed to control the pocketbook of the commonwealth.  From Pittsburgh Tribune Review:

Senate Republican leaders said Monday they were stunned that Gov. Ed Rendell signed a $201 million contract with a Minnesota firm to develop a high school graduation exam even though the Legislature hasn’t approved such a test.

They asked Rendell to immediately withdraw from the seven-year contract between the Department of Education and Data Recognition Corp., which would be paid to develop the tests, a model curriculum and teacher training system, in addition to monitoring student achievement in 10 subject areas. The company already has a contract with the state to administer the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment standardized test.

Rendell, a Democrat in his second term, will move ahead with the contract he signed last week, his spokesman said.

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