IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 19, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Scantron(r), a leading technology provider of software and survey solutions for K-12 and higher education, today announced the availability of a test item bank designed specifically for K-12 Florida education. This new item bank, available for use within Scantron's Achievement Series assessment solution, allows educators in Florida to create tests that look and feel identical to the high-stakes tests required of all K-12 students.
Scantron's Achievement Series is a content-neutral flexible testing platform that educators use to develop and administer tests both online and on paper, capture results, and produce standards-based reports. Adding the FCAT Test Maker Item Bank, developed by Florida-based Test Prep Systems, to Achievement Series will allow educators to instantly access over 10,000 test items written specifically for Florida. Items cover reading and mathematics for 3rd through 10th grade, and science for 5th, 8th and 11th grade.
"With the addition of the FCAT Test Maker Item Bank, Achievement Series becomes an even more valuable tool to help prepare our students for the state test," said Dr. Nicolene Junkins, director, K-12 Curriculum and Program Accountability for Volusia County Public Schools in Florida. "It will help our teachers monitor student progress toward mastery of the Sunshine State Standards, as well as to prepare for the FCAT. But the real key is that they can assess performance in real time throughout the year. This allows us to make adjustments to address learning gaps during the year so that students successfully master the state standards and are well prepared for the FCAT."
To help prepare students for the state test, the FCAT Test Maker Item Bank emulates the FCAT in both content and structure. All items are written to "FCAT Test Item Specifications" for reading, mathematics and science. All tested Sunshine State Standard benchmarks for these content areas are included in the item bank.
"Scantron has a long and successful relationship with numerous Florida school districts such as Volusia County Public Schools," said Sean Ryan, general manager of Scantron's Testing and Assessment division. "The FCAT Test Maker Item Bank add-on module is the latest example of our efforts to provide Florida educators with immediate access to the data they need to identify student strengths and needs, and make informed instructional decisions to improve achievement at the individual student, class, school and district level."
About Achievement Series
A winner of the 2005 Distinguished Achievement Awards sponsored by the Association of Educational Publishers, Achievement Series from Scantron allows educators to develop and administer tests both online and on paper, capture results, and produce standards-based reports. The system makes it easy for educators to secure timely and accurate assessment data needed to measure growth, inform instruction, and prepare students for district and state-level high stakes tests.
About Scantron Corporation
Scantron Corp. (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 technology provider of software and survey solutions for the K-12 and higher education markets. For more information call 1-800-722-6876.
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. (http://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 Printed Products' offerings include checks, direct marketing and financial forms. Scantron Corporation (http://www.scantron.com), a wholly owned subsidiary, is a leading provider of both paper and electronic-based services and systems for the collection, management and interpretation of data to the financial, commercial and educational markets.
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.