Data-driven Software Helps Identify At-risk Kids Early and Easily

Educators Implement Pearson’s Prevent to Aggregate Student Information, Develop Dropout Prevention Strategies

San Antonio, TX and Bloomington, MN,: January 11, 2010 — The education services and technology company: Pearson today announced the availability of a video that showcases the success of: Prevent, a software program that aggregates the most relevant and predictive student information data points to pinpoint which students are mostly likely to drop out of school. With more than one million students becoming high school dropouts each year, educators are seeking solutions that keep students in school and graduation rates high.

“Our current graduation rates and high school dropout statistics represent a nation in crisis. We are literally bleeding out our students,” said Gary Hensley, the founder of Prevent, and Director for Student Growth at Pearson. As a former school administrator, Hensley knows firsthand the critical role that accurate and easy-to-digest information can play in working with at-risk students.

By pulling together readily available data contained on current student information systems including, but not limited to, a student’s grade point average, discipline history, attendance and grade level, Hensley developed Prevent to serve as an early warning system for educators. The system helps them determine where to spend their time most effectively to prevent students from leaving school without a diploma.

Recognizing the difference data can make in protecting students from the alarming dropout trend, Anaheim Union High School, a large, urban district in Southern California, uses: Prevent district-wide. Anaheim’s Assistant Superintendent Fredrick Navarro said that Prevent takes the guess work out of Anaheim’s dropout prevention efforts.

“Prevent helps schools address problems early; it helps us get to the root of the problem quickly, so we can roll up our sleeves and work with students and families right away,” Navarro said. “We know that we need to be intervening early and often with our students — with the right interventions — not just making students repeat grade levels, but really intervening and meeting their needs whether they be social, emotional or academic.”

As an advocate for dropout prevention, Dr. Trish Hatch, professor at San Diego State University and director of School Counseling Programs, knows school counselors want to make a difference but are not always sure where to start. “In the absence of a system like Prevent schools are stuck with counselors performing ‘random acts of guidance.’ We want to effect a change but don’t have the tools to show us where to invest our time. Counselors require and students deserve a tool that allows for intentional guidance,” said Hatch.

Hatch added, “Our responsibility as professional educators is to go after at-risk students and begin to intervene as early as absolutely possible.”

Currently, the average school counselor services 479 kids, making it impossible to give every student equal attention. “The power of Prevent is that counselors and administrators are flagged at the first sign of a problem – not after the fact. And, the earlier you find the student, the easier it is to help that student to be successful,” said Hensley.

The full Prevent video can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzpxz8nvjYg. For more information on Prevent, visithttp://education.pearsonassessments.com/prevent or call 800.228.0752, option 5.

About Pearson

Pearson (NYSE:PSO), the global leader in education and education technology, reaches and engages today’s digital natives with effective and personalized learning, as well as dedicated professional development for their teachers. This commitment is demonstrated in the company’s investment in innovative print and digital education materials for preK through college, student information systems and learning management systems, teacher professional development, career certification programs, and testing and assessment products that set the standard for the industry. Pearson’s commitment to education for all is supported by the global philanthropic initiatives of the Pearson Foundation. Pearson’s other primary businesses include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group. For more information, go to: www.pearson.com.