IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 12, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Scantron Corporation, a leading provider of testing and assessment solutions for the education industry, today announced a new module for its Performance Series(tm) assessment tool that allows educators to compare students' test results from Performance Series with results from students across the country.
Performance Series is a standards-based, online assessment that delivers a unique test to each student based on his or her ability level. It gives educators timely, diagnostic data they can then use to create individualized learning plans and evaluate how well the curriculum supports each student's ability to meet current learning standards. Used in more than 350 school districts nationwide, Performance Series contains modules for mathematics, science, reading and language arts.
"Customers asked us to provide a way for them to compare results with other Performance Series users nationwide," said Tim Loomer, testing and assessment division president at Scantron. "The new norm reference capability gives them an additional benchmark for measuring student progress prior to students taking high stakes state tests. Scantron developed norms for fall and spring administrations of the Performance Series tests."
The "user" norms were generated from the results of all students tested in Performance Series during the Fall 2002 and Spring 2003. Norm groups were created for students in second grade through high school, with groups based on gender, ethnicity and geographic region. In the case of ethnicity and gender, target proportions were set to match national population levels. Currently, Scantron norm groups are available in mathematics and reading.
For more information about Performance Series, visit www.scantron.com.
About Scantron Corporation
Scantron Corporation (http://www.scantron.com) is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based John H. Harland Company (NYSE:JH). Scantron is a leading provider of software services and systems for the collection, management and interpretation of data to the educational, financial and commercial markets. The company has approximately 700 employees worldwide and annual revenues exceeding $100 million.
About Harland
Atlanta-based John H. Harland Company (NYSE:JH) (http://www.harland.net) is a leading provider of software and printed products to the financial and educational markets. Harland Financial Solutions, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary (http://www.harlandfinancialsolutions.com), supplies software and services, including customer relationship management, deposit and loan origination, core systems and mortgage services to thousands of financial institutions of all sizes. Harland's printed products offerings include checks, direct marketing and financial forms.
(c) 2003 Scantron Corporation, 34 Parker, Irvine, Calif., 92618-1604. All trademarks, trade names, service marks, and logos referenced herein belong to their respective companies.