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Waterford Early Reading Program from Pearson Digital Learning to Provide Scientifically Based Instruction to Nearly 30 Percent of Winning Districts

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Oct. 11, 2004- – The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Reading First grants to 39 school districts and charter schools across North Carolina. In 11 of those districts, the computer-based Waterford Early Reading Program(TM) from Pearson Digital Learning will provide supplemental intervention to the core reading programs.

Reading First, which was created under the No Child Left Behind Act, provides about $1 billion a year in state grants to help raise reading achievement in the nation's neediest schools. The program requires state and local grant recipients to use "scientifically based" instructional methods and materials and to be able to demonstrate improvements in student achievement.

"To be considered for the grants, North Carolina districts had to select supplemental programs that had been reviewed by the Florida Center for Reading Research - http://www.fcrr.org/FCRRReports/PDF/Waterford_Report.pdf - and Waterford has a very positive FCRR review," said Dr. Tony Thrall, director of research and measurement at Pearson Digital Learning. "It should also be noted that every North Carolina district that chose Waterford as part of their Reading First strategy won funding. Both facts are indicators of Waterford's reputation as a program with a sound scientific base and impressive success rate."

Successful applicants for Reading First funding in North Carolina proved that they could deliver systematic instruction in the following five components necessary for learning to read well: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, reading fluency and reading comprehension strategies. The Waterford Early Reading Program aligns with these Reading First standards and integrates classroom-based assessments as also required by the initiative. The Waterford Early Reading Program and another Pearson Digital Learning product, SuccessMaker(R) Enterprise, have been part of Reading First programs in some 20 states.

The winning districts that included Waterford in their Reading First strategy are Bertie, Bladen, Columbus, Elizabeth City/Pasquotank, Lenoir, Martin, Nash-Rocky Mount, Northampton, Kannapolis City, Robeson and Vance. The Reading First grants for these districts range from $47,548 to $470,000 per school. Overall, North Carolina will receive approximately $153 million in Reading First funding for a five-year period.

Individuals interested in how the Waterford Early Reading Program fulfills the requirements of Reading First can find more information online at: http://nclb.pearsondigital.com/technologies/readingfirst_werp.cfm

About the Waterford Early Reading Program(TM)
Developed by PDL's distinguished partner, the nonprofit Waterford Institute, the Waterford Early Reading Program is a comprehensive early reading curriculum designed to help children learn to read through the use of state-of-the-art technology. Based on 10 years of research, the program contains three levels for emergent, beginning, and fluent readers, combining to provide 225 hours of individualized reading instruction. WERP is used in over 4,200 elementary school classrooms by approximately 347,000 students nationwide.

About Pearson Digital Learning
Working side by side with educators for over 40 years, Pearson Digital Learning is the leader in proven, comprehensive technologies for preK-12 education. Our mission is to provide innovative, research-based digital learning solutions that elevate the art and science of teaching, and inspire children to reach their greatest potential. Reaching more than 20 million students annually, our products include: the SuccessMaker(R) Enterprise and NovaNET(R) educational courseware; and the KnowledgeBox(R) digital learning system. Pearson Digital Learning is also the exclusive distributor for the Waterford Early Reading Program(TM) and Waterford Early Math & Science(TM), adaptive computer-based instruction developed by the Waterford Institute.

Pearson Digital Learning is part of Pearson Education (NYSE:PSO), the world's leading integrated education company.

More information can be found at: http://www.PearsonDigital.com/.

Contact:
Leslie Eicher
Eicher Communications, St. Louis
314/965-1776
Leslie@EicherCommunications.com