No Child Left Behind spawns good part-time gigs

No Child Left Behind has been a controversial change to the nation's educational system, but it has been good to me. Every state is now required to give a set of tests to track the student's progress, spawning an entire industry to score these exams. These companies hire tens of thousands of people for a few months each spring. They typically pay in the $11-12 per hour range, easy money if you ask me.

I've scored for a couple of different companies and a wide variety of tests, from 4th grad composition to high school social studies. My experience has been that the younger the student, the more entertaining the answers.

Most schools give the exams about now, as late in the school year as possible while leaving time to get the scores back and adjust teaching to address the shortfalls. If you're interested in picking up a few bucks without lifting anything heavier than a pencil, here are a few of the companies in this market.

Measurement, Inc.
Pearson Educational Measurement
Data Recognition Corp.

Be sure to check your want ads and Craig's List for openings in your area.