Blackboard Launches Blackboard Analytics, a New Solution for Data Analytics in Education

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) today opened a major focus in data analytics with the launch of a business intelligence solution for higher education and a commitment to accelerating innovation to help them make better use of data to inform important decisions across the institution.

The Company's newest platform offering, Blackboard Analytics™, is a suite of applications that supports leaders with deeper insight into their institutional performance and analytical dashboard applications to help them view progress against goals in real time. The platform maps to the most common data sources on campus, integrating with the leading student information, human resources and financial systems.

In contrast to typical data warehousing projects which can be expensive, time consuming and risky, Blackboard Analytics can be implemented in a matter of weeks to help institutions quickly and cost-effectively turn complex data into actionable information. As a result, leaders can better understand and improve performance in areas including student enrollment and retention, financial aid, institutional financial performance and fundraising and human resources.

The new platform is available to all institutions regardless of whether they already work with Blackboard. The effort, which builds upon work that the Company had already begun in education analytics, was strengthened by the acquisition of new technology and a development team from iStrategy, LLC.

"This isn't just a new product – it's a major commitment of resource over the long term to really innovate in bringing data warehousing applications to the market," said Ray Henderson, President of Blackboard Learn. "We're opening the lens to help solve a wider range of problems in education with greater speed by helping leaders analyze and act on real time data. With better access to more reliable information, they can improve programs and institutional performance and be in a better position to deliver learning and services at scale over time."  

A growing number of clients already rely on the platform to improve student recruiting, retention and completion, optimize class schedules and faculty resources and grow new programs. The platform is also used to help campuses get the most out of student aid programs, better understand spending across the institution and inform fundraising and development efforts.

"Amid challenging economic realities, our institution must make the most of every resource while operating with a high degree of transparency and accountability," said Karl E. Burgher, Special Assistant to the President for Strategic Planning at Indiana State University. "The Blackboard Analytics platform helps us do that by making important information available to decision makers campus-wide. It allows us to make informed decisions based on a single source of truth in areas including student retention and enrollment management, helping us make a positive impact on programs vital to our future."

In addition to giving institutional leaders access to accurate information to better measure and improve institutional performance, the Blackboard Analytics platform also puts current and reliable information into the hands of administrative and departmental leaders throughout the organization to help them better measure performance and act to improve it.

"By implementing the Blackboard Analytics student module we saved years of development time and have introduced a proven, pre-built system for data, measurement and reporting," said Matthew Bonilla, Interim Chief Information Officer at Pace University. "The platform has received an excellent response from our leadership including deans and budget directors from different schools who are very enthusiastic about the ability to have greater access to reporting and a trusted source of student data."

"Institutions don't lack for available data, but they don't often have an easy, timely or cost-effective way to harness and act on it to improve performance," said Jim Hermens, Senior Vice President at Blackboard and General Manager of Blackboard Analytics. "We want to give leaders across the institution easier access to data as well as statistical analysis and predictive modeling that can help them better gauge which are their fastest growing programs or where they may have courses and faculty resources that are underutilized."

For more information about Blackboard Analytics, please visit: http://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Analytics/Overview.aspx.

About Blackboard Inc.

Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) is a global leader in enterprise technology and innovative solutions that improve the experience of millions of students and learners around the world every day. Blackboard's solutions allow thousands of higher education, K-12, professional, corporate, and government organizations to extend teaching and learning online, facilitate campus commerce and security, and communicate more effectively with their communities. Founded in 1997, Blackboard is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for Blackboard and other statements containing the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will," and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including the factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of our Form 10-Q filed on November 5, 2010 with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of February 8, 2011. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause the Company's views to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to February 8, 2011.

SOURCE Blackboard Inc.