Association of Educational Publishers Selects McGraw-Hill Education's Proven Digital Solutions and Products as Finalists for 2012 Awards Honoring Excellence in Learning Resources

NEW YORK, May 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- McGraw-Hill School Education is pleased to announce that several of its digital solutions have been named finalists for the 2012 Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) Awards. Honoring excellence and innovation in the education community, the awards represent the longest-running and most highly regarded recognition program in the industry.

For 2012 the AEP Awards were updated to ensure that they remain relevant, recognizing the challenges and needs of education in the 21st century. Three key principles – quality content, age appropriateness, and innovation –drove the judging criteria and evaluation process for selecting finalists and winners.

"Each of the finalists represents the highest level of achievement in product development for the education industry," said Eric Hamilton, assistant director at the American Museum of Natural History and AEP Awards Committee Chair. "In an era where almost anyone can publish and sell their materials, the AEP Awards show the value of professionally developed and vetted learning resources that offer real opportunities for educators to improve student achievement."

McGraw-Hill Education has been named a finalist across three of four categories:

1. The Distinguished Achievement Awards, honoring the best in a range of product types and resources used by teachers, parents and students. 
   
   - McGraw-Hill Instant Science was named a finalist for best Supplemental Resources: Science
   - McGraw-Hill networks' Discovering Our Past: A History of the United States & United States History and Geography was named a finalist for best Whole Curriculum Program: Social Studies
   
   
2. Innovation Awards –new in 2012 –recognizing forward-thinking products that are pioneering changes in the education landscape
    
3. Beacon Awards, recognizing outstanding marketing of educational products
   
   - McGraw-Hill networks: Program Overview was named a finalist for outstanding Brochure
   - McGraw-Hill iScience Fact or Fool Videos was named a finalist for outstanding Digital Marketing
   - McGraw-Hill networks was named a finalist for outstanding Integrated Materials Campaign
   - McGraw-Hill My Math Art Contest: What Math Means to Me was named a finalist for outstanding Marketing Website/Microsite
   
   
4. Golden Lamp Awards, one of the most prestigious honors in the education industry, highlighting the "best of the best" products for teaching and learning each year in four categories: Periodicals, Professional Development, Supplemental Resources, and Whole Curriculum Programs.
   
   - McGraw-Hill networks' Discovering Our Past: A History of the United States & United States History and Geography was named a finalist for best Whole Curriculum Programs

"We are honored to receive such an important recognition from the AEP," said Dan Caton, president of McGraw-Hill School Education and past president of the Association of Educational Publishers. "At McGraw-Hill Education, our priority is to produce innovative solutions that facilitate instruction, engage learners and drive their achievement. We are proud to be recognized as a leader in this field."

For a complete list of AEP Awards finalists, go to www.AEPweb.org.

Products were judged in a three-tier process (educator review, professional review, and certification) with only the best materials advancing to the higher rounds. Having products judged first and foremost by educators is critically important because they know best which products will succeed or fail directly in the classroom and ensures that the winners are truly leaders in the field. All entrants will receive judges' feedback to help them improve their materials.

AEP Award finalists and winners earn the right to display the AEP Award Seal, nationally recognized by educators, administrators, and parents as a mark of outstanding quality and achievement. Winners will be announced June 5 at AEP's Content in Context Conference in Washington, D.C. For more information and to register, visit www.contentincontext.org.

About McGraw-Hill Education
McGraw-Hill Education is a content, software and services-based education company that draws on its more than 100 years of educational expertise to offer solutions, which improve learning outcomes around the world. McGraw-Hill is the adaptive education technology leader with the vision for creating a highly personalized learning experience that prepares students of all ages for the world that awaits. The company has offices across North America, India, China, Europe, the Middle East and South America, and makes its learning solutions available in more than 65 languages. For additional information, visit http://www.mheducation.com/.

About the AEP Awards
For more than four decades, the AEP Awards have honored outstanding resources for teaching and learning in all media and for any educational setting. Award winners meet the highest standards for quality, professional content for education and represent the most innovative learning solutions currently on the market.

One of the largest and longest-running programs of its kind, the AEP Awards and its seal of excellence are widely recognized by educators, administrators, and parents as a mark of outstanding educational value. Find out more at www.AEPweb.org/awards.

Contact:
Tom Stanton
McGraw-Hill Education
(212) 904-3214
[email protected]

SOURCE McGraw-Hill Education