IRVINE, Calif. and NEW YORK, June 21, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Scantron and SchoolNet announced today that they will integrate their respective test management and instructional management systems into a single technology platform that will give schools a single content-neutral platform for managing accountability, assessment, curriculum and instruction. Scantron is a leader in education testing and assessment tools and SchoolNet is a leading provider of data driven solutions for K-12 school districts.
SchoolNet will integrate Scantron's Achievement Series(tm), a Web-based test management engine, into the SchoolNet Instructional Management System -- a Web-based tool that helps educators organize curriculum and track instruction. With Scantron's test engine integrated into its platform, SchoolNet will now offer school districts a comprehensive technology platform to create and deploy their own exams and quizzes as well as easily integrate those offered by third-party publishers while providing real-time results to guide instruction in the classroom.
"For too long, publishers have pushed proprietary systems into school districts, locking educators into using specific content," said Jonathan D. Harber, president and CEO for SchoolNet. "A district's selection of curriculum and assessment content should not drive its technology strategy. SchoolNet's content-neutral technology platform allows districts to realize their own curriculum vision by mixing and matching textbooks, supplemental materials, remediation resources and item banks that meet the needs of their students."
"Fast deployment of world class curriculum and assessment tools is critical for districts," said Tim Loomer, president of Scantron Testing and Assessment. "Scantron's Achievement Series content-neutral platform lets educators use proprietary and published content from a variety of sources of their own choosing, and the partnership with SchoolNet will give them yet another excellent instructional resource to meet their needs for integrated testing and curriculum."
The SchoolNet Instructional Management System allows districts to make mid-course corrections and changes to curriculum and materials as needed without re-training teachers to use a new technology platform. This frees educators to focus on academic achievement and meeting federal, state and local accountability demands, including those mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
Achievement Series is a Web-based testing engine designed to help educators develop and deploy tests, capture results and manage the vital information needed to make data-driven decisions and help guide instruction in the classroom. Achievement Series aligns any content or resources a district chooses with established state standards and enables educators to deliver, score and manage test data from both online and paper-based test administration.
About Scantron Corporation
Scantron Corporation (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 600 employees worldwide and annual revenues exceeding $110 million.
About Harland
Atlanta-based John H. Harland Company (NYSE:JH) (www.harland.net) is a leading provider of software and printed products to the financial and educational markets. Harland Financial Solutions, Inc. (www.harlandfinancialsolutions.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary, 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.
About SchoolNet, Inc.
SchoolNet, Inc. (www.schoolnet.com) is the leading provider of data-driven decision-making solutions for K-12 school districts. Through software and services, SchoolNet partners with districts to increase student achievement and to meet federal, state and local accountability pressures, including those mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act. SchoolNet helps districts analyze data, organize curriculum, track instruction, measure performance, and report results. SchoolNet's technology suite, supported by consulting services and professional development, integrates data warehousing, decision support, instructional management, assessment and a secure web portal. SchoolNet's award-winning solutions, which meet industry standards such as SIF (Schools Interoperability Framework), A2A (Align to Achieve), and GEM (Gateway to Education Materials), are used successfully by some of the largest school districts across the country.
This press release contains statements, which may constitute "forward-looking statements." These statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of John H. Harland Company and members of its respective management, as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Reference is made to the Risk Factors and Cautionary Statements in Harland's Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filed under the Securities Exchange Act.