PHILADELPHIA, PA. July 11, 2005 --Pearson School Systems today announced the newest release of Pearson Centerpoint, its real-time, Web-based student information and performance management system.

Combining all aspects of a student information system with key functions such as grade books with skills reporting and standards tracking, attendance, an assessment engine, and much more, Pearson Centerpoint optimizes school and student management, allowing administrators, teachers, parents and students to work together toward maximum student performance.

The 6.0 release of Pearson Centerpoint features several unique enhancements and additions that connect even more sources of information, and make it easily accessible to educators to facilitate all aspects of the teaching and learning process. They include:

• Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) compliance, which allows Centerpoint to effectively and securely interact and share information with diverse software programs;
• Grade book and transcript capabilities that allow assignments to be linked to standards, and the ability to calculate for several types of GPA;
• Software development kit (SDK) that allows districts to customize tables, fields, screens, reports or any business logic imaginable;
• Innovative administration-specific applications for the reissuing of passwords; and
• An improved attendance function with the ability to capture time in and time out data with its own selectable field, and optional pictorial seating charts.

Of particular importance is the new grade book feature which allows teachers to easily link assignments and assessment activities to specific standards. By building a standards section in the grade book, teachers can score assignments online and track student progress against state and local standards. It can also provide a standards report with a complete history of student mastery for each subject.

"K-12 education is in the midst of a massive shift in the type of data it collects, how it collects it, and then how the data is used," said Mike Evans, president of Pearson School Systems. "Accountability requirements, the push for data-driven decision-making, individualized learning...all of these changes require a sophisticated school information system at the core, one that serves as the foundation for all data gathering and analysis needs, and that evolves with the district's needs. Pearson Centerpoint is the only Web-based system on the market today that meets that need. It's comprehensive, customizable, and easily integrated with other district systems. It's truly the wave of the future that's here today."

Pearson Centerpoint customer Matthew Hillmann, district technology coordinator, Belle Plaine Public Schools, Belle Plaine, Minnesota, concurred. "Change is inevitable; however, with Centerpoint we have found a powerful solution that will easily handle future growth, state updates, and federal mandates in a decidedly efficient and cost-effective way." He went on to say, "I read an article last year that stated, 'When you are researching and purchasing a new student information system, keep in mind that you are buying it for what it can do five years from now - not just what it can do for your today.' We took that information to heart."

About Pearson Centerpoint
A total information and performance system, Pearson Centerpoint offers a full spectrum of advantages for educators and opens the lines of communication between teachers, administrators, parents and students. The powerful, real-time, fully web-based administrative tool optimizes school and student management by integrating essential functions and information, including current attendance, course assignments, grading, assessments and discipline information, while providing information technology directors with a state-of-the-art enterprise application.
Centerpoint's relational database design offers broad scalability, and its web-based access provides secure entry anytime-anywhere from any PC or Macintosh with a standard Web browser. Advanced scheduling technologies reduce manual efforts to perform student course placements while an integrated report designer and other specialized, administration-specific applications are readily available. With the SIF Agent, Centerpoint will now work with any other SIF compliant software without requiring any special programming or adjustments.

About Pearson School Systems
Pearson School Systems (PSS) is impacting K-12 student performance and district information management through its offering of integrated district enterprise solutions. These innovative, digital solutions help schools perform and students succeed. Pearson School System's portfolio includes student information solutions such as SASI, Pearson Centerpoint, and CIMSŪ, reporting solutions such as Pearson Inform and assessment solutions such as Pearson Benchmark.
Pearson School Systems is a business unit of Pearson Education, the world's leading integrated education company, which in turn is part of Pearson (NYSE:PSO - News) the international media company. For more information please visit: http://www.pearsonschoolsystems.com

Contact:
For Pearson School Systems
Mesa, Ariz.
Charlotte Andrist
954-446-6554
Charlotte@EicherCommunications.com
or
Leslie Eicher
314-965-1776
Leslie@EicherCommunications.com